Hace aproximadamente una década, el mezcal, que es el precursor ahumado y rústico del tequila, empezó a llamar la atención de los expertos en agave y de los bartenders. Ahora, se ha consolidado como una categoría de bebidas alcohólicas, y todo parece Read more
About a decade ago, mezcal—tequila’s smoky, rustic forbearer—started arousing curiosity among die-hard agave connoisseurs and bartenders. Now, it has come into its own as a spirits category — and by all indications, it isn’t going anywhere but up. Read more
Editor’s Note: Wow, we were overwhelmed with the response to our first contest honoring independent Mexican restaurant owners. We received nearly 700 nominations! It was difficult choosing the winners, but in the end these three topped the rest. They Read more
Sean Ryan is the founder of Simply Agave™ and Lethal™ Mezcal, both of which emerge from Mexico’s agave fields. In this interview he explains the origins of these brands and how they’re interconnected. Read more
Photo by David Katz on behalf of Masienda
“The basis of everything we do at Suerte can be found in our heirloom corn tortillas with mouth-watering masa appeal.” With that proclamation, Suerte restaurant in Austin, Texas, sums up the status of the one ingredient found in virtually every Mexic Read more
Photo by David Katz on behalf of Masienda
"La esencia de todo lo que hacemos en Suerte se encuentra en nuestras tradicionales tortillas de maíz hechas con una deliciosa masa". Con esta frase, el restaurante Suerte de Austin, Texas, describe la importancia de un ingrediente que se encuentra Read more
Are you looking for some interesting new Latin products to enhance your restaurant’s menu? Then you’ll definitely want to visit Cocina Sabrosa, the new trade show for Latin restaurants. The event, October 4-5 in Long Beach, California, features a lon Read more
Karla Garcia and her brother, Juan Carlos Garcia, recently moved their family's restaurant, Tecalitlan, from its original location in Chicago's West Town neighborhood after 48 years to a new location in trendy Lincoln Park. Ed Avis, el Restaurante's Read more
Cocktails are a major part of the experience in many Mexican/Latin restaurants. A new contest co-sponsored by Jarritos and el Restaurante magazine is designed to encourage creativity among mixologists. Read more
When COVID shut down the world last March, Tito’s Tacos in Los Angeles did as thousands of restaurants did: They greatly expanded their delivery business. But rather than use one of the many delivery apps – GrubHub, DoorDash, etc. – they created thei Read more
Rubio’s Coastal Grill was a trendsetter in early 1990s with its fish tacos and overall lighter Mexican fare. The chain grew to over 200 locations at one point, but too-rapid expansion plans and COVID shutdowns forced the company into bankruptcy last Read more
On October 2, 1882, 38 families from Veneto, a region in northern Italy, founded Chipilo, about ten miles west of Puebla. The Mexican government had recruited them—and other Europeans—hoping they’d modernize the country’s agricultural sector. The Ita Read more
The past year has presented countless challenges to Mexican/Latin restaurants, but a new one is emerging: Many are having trouble hiring enough staff to gear up for the summer season. Read more
COVID has been the big story across the restaurant industry over the past year, and the crisis damaged many multi-unit Mexican restaurants. But for many of the 50 largest Mexican multi-units, the damage was less than for many smaller operators. In fa Read more
Editor Kathleen Furore and Publisher Ed Avis reached out to three el Restaurante readers to find out how they weathered the COVID-inflicted challenges of 2020 and how they’re moving ahead with hope in 2021. Read more
Sí, Virginia, hay vida después de las fiestas, además de más razones para que tus clientes saboreen cócteles calientes. Las versiones calientes de las bebidas favoritas de los bares están preparadas para volver en 2021, según "Do The Hustle", un info Read more
Yes, Virginia, there is life after the holidays—along with more reasons for your customers to savor heated cocktails. Hot versions of favorite bar drinks are poised for a comeback in 2021, according to “Do The Hustle,” a report about 2021 food, bever Read more
The Latino Restaurant Association, a Los Angeles-based trade group founded in 2018, stepped up to help restaurants during COVID and has big growth plans for 2021. Read more
We are always delighted to receive photos from the winners and runners-up of our annual Jarritos/el Restaurante Manager of the Year Contest! Read more
Pez Cantina in Los Angeles, like many Mexican restaurants, started selling cocktails to-go when the State of California allowed them last spring. The bottled cocktails, which adhere to the restaurant’s high quality standards, have helped ease the blo Read more
Who is the hero of 2020? In a terrible year for the world, and especially for restaurants, one hero stands out: The community. In countless examples, community members stepped up and helped save our readers’ businesses when COVID threatened to shut t Read more
Canned hard seltzers, wine cocktails, ciders and various mixed libations—once banned behind any reputable bar—are converting skeptical consumers with creative flavors, bold packaging and clever branding. But can cocktails in cans really play a profit Read more
Los refrescos alcohólicos, cocteles de vino, sidras y varias bebidas mezcladas en lata (alguna vez prohibidas detrás de cualquier bar de renombre) están transformando a clientes escépticos con sabores creativos, envases audaces y marcas ingeniosas. Read more
Managers are absolutely essential in the world of Mexican restaurants, and that has never been more true than during this bizarre year. That’s why el Restaurante and Jarritos are so pleased to honor the best managers of Mexican/Latin restaurants in t Read more
At the very end of October, stalls filled with pan de muerto—bread of the dead—spring up in markets all around Mexico. The bread is made only a few days before Day of the Dead and actually refers to three types of bread. Read more
Karla Garcia remembers well the woman who ran into her restaurant, Tecalitlan Mexican Restaurant in Chicago, without a mask and asked for her takeout order. Garcia pointed to the “No Mask, No Service” sign and politely asked the woman to don her mask Read more
Thousands of Mexican restaurants have been hammered by COVID, but some have actually seen business increase. One is El Tequileño, a four-unit restaurant in the Denver area. Read more
A two-minute walk down a narrow concrete path leading from Belizario Dominguez—one of San Gregorio Atlapulco’s main streets—brings you to another world. The noise, traffic and dust disappear, replaced by a silence broken only by the chirping of birds Read more
There’s one fact that sets the stage for T.J. Steele’s pandemic-inspired tale of bringing delivery service to Claro: The restaurant was never, ever set up to deliver its award-winning Oaxacan cuisine to customers’ homes. As he told the New York Times Read more
Warm weather and longer days bring with them an appetite for lighter meals. And these meals benefit from the inclusion of beets, an ingredient that appeals to the eye as well as the palate. Read more
When the COVID-19 crisis took hold across America in mid-March, restaurants scrambled to get a handle on the situation. Chronic Tacos, which has 49 locations across the United States and 8 international locations, deployed a tactic more commonly asso Read more
Great Mexican restaurants routinely pair their best dishes with quality alcoholic beverages, because pairings create a more complete experience for diners. Often the pairing is with tequila or a wine from one of Mexico’s burgeoning wineries. But some Read more
During the week of May 18, el Restaurante surveyed our readers to find out how they’ve fared during the Covid-19 crisis and what they think lies ahead. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed said they had partially reopened their dining rooms in the p Read more
Photo courtesy of nopalitosf.com
Due to COVID-19, with dining rooms either closed or at limited capacity, restaurants are challenged to find new ways to stay afloat. Adapting quickly, many restaurants have pivoted to take-out and delivery only business models, and some are including Read more
On March 19, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order that prohibited in-house dining and drinking at restaurants and bars but still allowed takeout. Four days later, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg issued “Stay Home, Work Safe” emergency Read more
Indiana restaurants came to a standstill when Governor Eric Holcomb announced a “Stay-at-Home” order on March 23. Cancun Mexican Restaurant in South Bend was one of thousands of foodservice establishments that shut down that day… and it was one of t Read more
There are more Mexican restaurants in Texas than any other state besides California, so when the state’s governor allowed restaurants to open at 25 percent capacity on May 1, we knew el Restaurante magazine readers would be impacted. We spoke with tw Read more
Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day are among the most popular holidays for Mexican & Latin restaurants. And while the current crisis has probably put a stop to most of the promotions your restaurant has always relied on, you don’t have to abandon plans t Read more
El Cinco de Mayo y el Día de las Madres se encuentran entre las fiestas más populares para los restaurantes mexicanos y latinos. Y, aunque la crisis actual probablemente haya puesto fin a la mayoría de las promociones en las que siempre ha confiado s Read more
A medida que transcurre la crisis del COVID-19, encontrar formas de mantenerse en contacto con los clientes se vuelve cada vez más desafiante. ¿Qué puede hacer además de ofrecer comida para llevar y entregas? Estas son algunas ideas a considerar: Read more
As the COVID-19 crisis goes on, finding ways to stay connected with your customers becomes more and more challenging. What can you do besides offering take-out and delivery? Here are a few ideas to consider: Read more
