This year, el Restaurante is offering two contests that give restaurants two great opportunities to earn recognition and cash prizes!
SASSIEST SALSA CONTEST: DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 30, 2026
Are you proud of your restaurant’s salsa? Then put your recipe to the test in our Sassiest Salsa Contest co-sponsored by el Restaurante and Sammic! Entering the contest is easy, and the prizes make it worthwhile: The First Place Winner will receive a Sammic XM-52 Immersion Blender, the ultimate tool for mixing salsa! And the top three winners will get a cash prize of $750, $500 and $250, respectively. To top it off, all winning recipes will be featured in our Recipe-of-the-Week email program and published in the November/December issue of el Restaurante.
Your recipe must be an original creation. Also remember that we’ll publish the winning recipes, so don’t send one you’re trying to keep secret. The recipes will be judged by experienced chefs, and the winners will be announced in October. To enter the contest, click here and complete the form.
Last year’s winners exceeded expectations with their remarkable salsa creations. Click here to read about last year’s winners.
2026 INDEPENDENT MEXICAN/LATIN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR: DEADLINE OCTOBER 1, 2026
Co-sponsored by el Restaurante and Mineragua sparkling water, this contest will shine a light on authentic Mexican/Latin cuisine restaurants that are supportive employers and essential meeting places for members of the community.
“We have met thousands of Mexican/Latin restaurant owners in the three decades since we founded el Restaurante magazine, and we know that owning a restaurant is a labor of passion for many people,” says publisher Ed Avis. “And this new contest is designed to highlight owners who truly exhibit that passion.”
Restaurant owners are welcome to nominate their own restaurants, and to share the nominating form with their customers and employees. Every restaurant nominated will receive a handsome nomination certificate, and the top three will receive recognition in el Restaurante magazine and a prize package designed to provide a cash infusion to the restaurants and help them grow their market:
• First place will receive $5,000, a package of point-of-sale materials, and an exclusive “Behind the Kitchen” video cre- ated just for the winning restaurant, an additional $5,000 value. Click here to see an example of this video.
• Second place will get $2,000, a package of point-of-sale materials, and a $1,000 social media ad campaign.
• Third place will win $1,000, a package of point-of-sale materials, and a $500 social media ad campaign.
“Independent Mexican/Latin restaurants are essential to their communities and Mineragua is delighted to partner with el Restaurante magazine in honoring them,” says Miguel Garza, Food Service Trade Marketing Manager for Novamex, the supplier of Mineragua. “We hope this contest inspires Mexican/Latin restaurant owners to strive for even higher levels of authenticity and service to their communities and employees.”
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges who will consider each restaurant’s service to their community, support of their employees, and creation of culturally authentic cuisine. The contest is open to any Mexican or other Latin-cuisine restaurant with 10 or fewer locations.
To nominate a restaurant, click here.