News
QDOBA Adding 100 Franchised Locations in Southeast and Northwest
QDOBA is expanding in opposite corners of the United States, the Southeast and the Northwest. The Mexican fast casual restaurant has signed two development agreements to open 50 new restaurants in Atlanta and Nashville, and a recent acquisition and e
Jul 28, 2026
9:49 AM
Motor City Elote Pizza Takes Top Category Honors in Real California Pizza Contest
Chef Jimmy Henry of Jimmyhank Pizza in Harleysville, Penn. won the California Freestyle category and $5,000 prize in the California Milk Advisory Board’s (CMAB’s) 2026 Real California Pizza Contest with his Motor City Elote pizza. The pie, inspired b
Jul 27, 2026
4:27 PM
Jarritos Launches Big Digital Ad Campaign
Drinking Jarritos sodas is a popular way to cool down on hot summer days, and Novamex, the company that imports Jarritos, is stimulating sales of Jarritos with a big new digital ad campaign that started July 22 and will run through the end of August.
Jul 27, 2026
3:03 PM
With Abuelita's, Owners Transitioned from TexMex to Homestyle Mexican
The cuisine at Abuelita’s, in Richmond, Virginia, is the everyday cuisine of Mexican homes. The menu features stews that simmer for hours, freshly made tortillas, mole prepared with patience, and recipes passed down from generation to generation.
Jul 24, 2026
Paz Austin: The Woman Who Changed the Conversation About Mexican Wine
For generations, Mexicans learned to look to Europe when they thought of wine. France represented tradition. Italy evoked the family dinner table. Spain spoke of history. Meanwhile, Mexico remained on the sidelines of that conversation, as if its win
Jul 22, 2026
Learn About Tortas, Mexican Craft Beer, and Hatch Chiles in the JulyAug Edition of el Restaurante
Are you taking advantage of the public's love of tortas? Learn how in the July/August 2026 issue of el Restaurante, which is now available! Other top stories include one about Mexican craft beer and its availability north of the border, the craze for
Jul 20, 2026
NEW CONTEST ALERT: $5K and a Custom Video Await the 2026 Independent Mexican/Latin Restaurant of the Year
Independent Mexican/Latin restaurants play a big role in their communities. They are essential meeting places for the community, important employers, and providers of great food. But they rarely get the recognition they deserve. A new contest co-spon
Jul 18, 2026
Flavor Meets Culture: Chef Carlos Gaytán Partners with Art Museum
Great food and great art go well together! Michelin Star Chef Carlos Gaytán of Chicago’s acclaimed Tzuco restaurant has partnered with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago to create a signature dish and cocktail to represent Dancing the Revol
Jul 16, 2026
4.5 Million Servings of Chile en Nogada: The Dish that Drives Tourism in Puebla
As part of the opening of the “Chile en Nogada, Tradición Viva” season, held in the Mexican city of Puebla on July 9, state officials, representatives from the restaurant industry, traditional cooks, and producers officially kicked off one of the cou
Jul 14, 2026
Leña: Daughter Fulfills Parents' Dream of Opening a Restaurant
For Yesenia Chávez, founder of Leña in Alameda, California, food was never just sustenance. It was the language through which her family built a community, welcomed newcomers, and preserved their Guanajuato roots.
Jul 13, 2026
Chef Javier Plascencia and Team to “Reinterpret” Casa Vega Menu
Michelin-starred chef Javier Plascencia, who is internationally recognized for helping define modern Baja cuisine, will soon share his magic with another restaurant, Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks, California. But this isn’t your typical chef visit – Plas
Jul 10, 2026
The Smoked Taco Opens 8th Location
The Smoked Taco, a fast casual multi-unit that combines barbecue with tacos, has opened its 8th location in Sandy, Utah. The restaurant is known for meats that are smoked for 12 hours, cheese-crusted tortillas, and loaded tots.
Jul 9, 2026
Taco Tasting Room: Michelin-Recommended Restaurant Explores the Infinite Possibilities
The question posed by Taco Tasting Room—the exclusive gastronomic bar from Central Hoteles, located in the heart of Mexico City’s Historic Center—seems simple, but it holds a profound reflection on contemporary Mexican cuisine: What happens when the
Jul 8, 2026
Viñedo San Miguel Named Mexican Winery of the Year
At times, Jorge Solís speaks as a CEO. At others, he speaks as a passionate lover of the countryside, a champion of Mexican wine, and, above all, as a man deeply aware that great accolades never belong to just one person.
Jul 8, 2026
The New Art of Being a “Good Drinker”: Mexico Creates 10 Commandments of Alcohol Consumption
In a country where sharing a drink is often an act of hospitality, celebration, and cultural belonging, talking about responsible drinking remains an uncomfortable conversation. Mexico toasts, celebrates, and socializes around alcohol, but rarely pau
Jul 8, 2026
Cafe Rio Opens New Location in Town Where it All Started
Sometimes it's just good to be home! Cafe Rio, a Mexican multi-unit with nearly 150 locations, is opening its newest store in St. George, Utah, which is exactly where the brand was launched in 1997.
Jul 7, 2026
Mi Cozumel: Sisters' Vision of Mexican Cuisine as a Sensory Experience
When Liliana Jaime envisioned Mi Cozumel, she wasn’t just thinking about tacos, margaritas, or eye-catching decor. She was envisioning an experience.
Jul 4, 2026
Even Award Winners Aren't Immune: Chef Iliana de la Vega Closes Austin’s El Naranjo
A James Beard Award-winning chef is saying goodbye to the restaurant that brought traditional Mexican cuisine to Austin, Texas.
Jul 1, 2026
Three Stars, One Milestone: Californios Becomes World's First Three-MICHELIN-Star Mexican Restaurant
At the MICHELIN Guide California ceremony in San Diego, California on June 24, 2026, Chef Val Cantú's Californios was awarded Three MICHELIN Stars, making history as the first Mexican restaurant in the world to earn the accolade.
Jun 30, 2026
Mexican Restaurant's Liquor License Suspended After Customer is Killed in Crash
It may be difficult to tell when a customer has had too much to drink, but an incident in Louisville, Kentucky in May 2026 shows how important it is to at least try to identify customers who should not be driving.
Jun 29, 2026
José Miguel Jáuregui: The Champion Sommelier Who Left the Countryside to Conquer the World of Wine
At times, the story of José Miguel Jáuregui Ramírez seems to go against the grain. He was born in Ahualulco de Mercado, a small town in Jalisco where career paths seemed predetermined: doctor, teacher, or priest. In that rural setting, surrounded by
Jun 25, 2026
On the Border Finally Gives Up
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina has finally given up the fight to survive. According to a company press release, the Tex-Mex restaurant chain closed all of its remaining company-owned locations earlier in June and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Jun 23, 2026
New Latin/Japanese Fusion Spot Features Garden-to-Table Sourcing
Fusion restaurants are definitely on trend, and newly opened El Jardín in Cape Coral, Florida is mixing three ideas: Latin cuisine and Japanese cuisine, and garden-to-table sourcing.
Jun 22, 2026
