La Texanita Restaurant

Review Highlights

Guy Fieri brings his son Hunter and his mother to La Texanita, his longtime favorite Mexican spot in his hometown of Santa Rosa, California. He's been coming here for years and wants to finally learn the secrets behind the food he loves. Owner Alma Mendes — who started with a taco truck before opening this restaurant — welcomes him into the kitchen to make tortillas and cook the dishes Guy has been ordering for half a decade.

• ·Carne Asada Tacos — handmade tortillas filled with seasoned carne asada, topped with onions, cilantro, salsa, radishes and lime. Guy says "the crunch from the onion, the softness of the tortilla just heaven in your mouth" and calls it "the most authentic taco truck carne asada taco I could possibly get."
• ·Handmade Tortillas — made fresh to order from masa using a traditional press from Mexico, then cooked until nicely browned. Guy says "there's just nothing that can beat the handmade tortilla and cooking it the right way," and watching Alma make them is one of the reasons he keeps coming back.
• ·Pozole — traditional hominy soup with pork and pigs feet simmered in a guajillo chili broth, garnished with cabbage, onions, radishes and lime, served with tostadas. Guy calls it "about as real deal as you can get," praising the "really rich flavor" from the pigs feet: "I have got to admit, I dig the hoof." His dad compares it favorably to pozole he's had in Culiacán.
• ·Bean and Crema Dish — beans layered between tortillas with carne asada crema. Guy highlights the "fantastic" texture and the thin, flavorful layer of beans, calling it a "fantastic dish."
• ·Burritos — generously filled with a variety of meats representing different regions of Mexico. Guy's go-to order when he's home off the road from Triple D.

For Guy, La Texanita is the real deal — his regular hometown stop where everything is made from scratch using family recipes. He calls it "real as it gets" and "delicious," with handmade tortillas that elevate every dish. Guy ends the visit telling Alma "I'm so proud of you," reflecting the genuine connection he's built with this family-run spot over five years of visits.

About

La Texanita Restaurant is a family-owned Mexican restaurant in Santa Rosa, California, founded by owner Alma Mendes. Mendes started with a taco truck for five years before opening the brick-and-mortar location on Sebastopol Road, where she makes everything from scratch — tortillas, sopes, salsas, and fillings — using recipes passed down from her mother and sister. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, La Texanita has become a cherished local institution in Sonoma County known for authentic, homestyle Mexican cooking.