Really good Mexican grocery with almost every Mexican food and cooking item you may desire, plus a good selection of Guatemalan ingredients. Entirely family run, which is both wonderful and makes it easy to get to know the staff and owners.
In the Cafe:
Probably the best barbacoa (and only barbacoa de chivo) in town. Super, and inexpensive Alambres. The tacos (asada, al pastor, chorizo, suadero, pollo, de lengua, tripa, and campechanos) all are excellent, but I'll admit my favorite are tacos de lengua (and yes, I've tried them all).
I've only tried the menudo and fish and shrimp soups, but both were excellent. Neither greasy nor watery, and quite delicious.
Also, not in the cafe itself but instead near the cashiers, check out the hot and frozen items. We especially like the freshly made, delicious tamales, second only to Rick's bakery in Urbana, but much cheaper and more available. We've only had a few of the frozen treats offered by the cashier, but they also have been very good.
In the market/store:
Be sure to try the fresh chicharron (fresh, often still hot pork rinds-- buy them when still hot). They beat anything you can purchase in a bag at Walmart. They have a nice selection of fresh cut meats available, usually at great prices compared to supermarkets (and even better when you remember that it is fresh).
The market has the cheapest and freshest jalapenos, poblanos, guajillo peppers, nopal leaves (as well as bags of diced nopal), and tomatillos. If they can't get good ones, they don't offer them, so you can count on the quality.
The el Milagro tortillas are the best available in town except when you can get someone to make them for you (or you make them yourself). IMHO the best are in the paper wrappers, but buy the plastic wrap if you plan to keep them for a while before using.
Next, let me say that they make salsa, pico de galla, and guacamole every few days and all are excellent. The containers are dated and I recommend getting the freshest (usually made the same day or day before). Frankly, at times the guacamole is a bit too spicy for some, but I think it is delicious. (Since they are freshly made in the store, the spiciness varies depending upon how hot the peppers were that day.)
In my opinion the refrigerated and frozen foods are a bit hit or miss. The fish especially sometimes are of lower quality than elsewhere. Some of the frozen beef, pork, and chicken options also are more expensive than elsewhere (and oddly, often more expensive than in the fresh meat [butcher?] section).
However, on the positive side, the refrigerated cases have lots of Mexican, Guatemalan, and Central American sausages, cheeses, cremas, etc., mostly at better prices than you can find elsewhere in town.
Lots of Mexican spices are available and often they are hard to find elsewhere.
The canned goods are a bit of a mixed bag. There are lots of items you cannot find at other places in town, but many of those that you can are cheaper elsewhere (think black beans, canned refried beans, chick peas, canned chipotles, etc.). Even these are not so much more expensive that you should feel bad about buying them if this is your only grocery trip, but if you also go to other stores you probably should buy them elsewhere. When I go there it probably is my only shopping trip that week so I don't mind the extra dime or two per can, but that is up to you.
Elsewhere in the store:
Elsewhere in the store they offer things like votive candles, fragrances, decorations of many sort, plus some cooking supplies like pans, presses, etc. Mostly I skip these aisles, but you should check them out at least once because your needs and tastes may be different than mine.
All in all, I love this store, I love the cafe foods, and I love the family that runs it (and the one in Urbana too). Highly recommended. read more
