By Billy Liggett and Gordon Anderson
For a stretch of time — namely the 21st century leading up to the pandemic — Sanford, North Carolina, was a city where new restaurants struggled to survive. That’s not to say there weren’t some great ones (we still miss Bella Bistro downtown), but blame it on the economy or the lack of growth at the time, it wasn’t always easy to find great food in our backyard.
Thankfully, that has changed. And in a very short time.
As we enter 2025, Sanford is now a hot spot for foodies in our region, particularly those who love authentic Mexican and Latin-American food. The number of small but mighty Latino-owned restaurants in the city has grown considerably in the last five years. And a few of them have earned accolades beyond our city limits — most notably, Fonda Lupita, which opened during the pandemic in 2020 and quickly found itself on eater.com’s national list of best new restaurants in the country.
This year’s first edition of The Rant Monthly starts what we hope is a year-long appreciation of Sanford’s finest Latin-American eateries. We’ll include just a few of our favorites this month, and will continue to promote others throughout the year. We think we have something special here, and we’re more than happy to try them all (and brag about them).
LA TERRAZITA
812 N. Horner Boulevard, Sanford
Facebook: La Terrazita
Bernadino Juarez was working in the restaurant industry and eager to branch out on his own and open his own place when his boss at the time suggested he consider Sanford, North Carolina, to launch his dream.
The city was already home to a burgeoning list of Latino-owned restaurants, some of them so good they were included on national and regional “best of” lists for their quality and authenticity.
But Juarez was confident in his dream and his abilities. He saw Sanford as a city of opportunity.
“There were already really good restaurants here, but I didn’t see it as competition. I saw a chance to become part of something big. A part of the community,” he said. “[My boss] said he’d heard great things about Sanford and the people here. He thought it would be a great place to open a business.”
Juarez took over a building at 812 N. Horner Boulevard that previously housed the Colombian restaurant Beli’s Sazon and the short-lived Honduran eatery Antojitos 504. La Terrazita (Spanish for “the terrace”) opened in February 2024 and within no time earned attention from local diners for its colorful decor, outdoor dining area and — most importantly — dishes and drinks that are as delicious as they are eye-catching.
As La Terrazita approaches its one-year anniversary, Juarez says business is great. “It’s going very well for us,” he said. “We love being in Sanford, and we love this community.”
WHAT WE LOVE ***
The arrachera burrito is a fresh tortilla wrapped around carnitas, rice, black beans, pico de gallo and chipotle sauce. That alone would make for a wonderful dish. But topping it with green salsa and crispy thin strips of carne asada make this perhaps one of the best burritos around. And it’s a lot of food for its $15.99 price tag.
THEIR SPECIALTY
Anything on the menu that has the words “steak” or “shrimp” are recommended by Juarez. But those who are fans of guacamole (and event those who don’t like guacamole) need to try it here. It’s made at your table and as fresh as can be by the time it hits your chip.
Also, the drinks are fantastic. Classic margaritas and a great selection of Mexican beers are available, and drinks like the Cantarito Grande are as tasty as they are Instagram-worthy.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
Deborah Stone and her husband eat at La Terrazita at least two to three times a week. Their favorites are the tiras de pollo, the family quesabirrias, the chili rellenos, chicken rools and the “indulgent” fried chimi cheesecake. Stone says their salsa, queso dip and guacamole are “hands down, the best you will find on the East Coast (as are their margaritas).
“From the very first visit, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, the service was excellent, and the food is always fresh. All the dishes are delicious,” she said. “The menu stands out, offering unique dishes you do not find at other Mexican restaurants. The entrees are in a league of their own.”
She said since they’re considered “regulars” now, the staff has become like family to them.
“They genuinely care about their customers and go above and beyond in ways you rarely see,” she said. “Elderly customers praise the staff for the assistance they have been given helping them to their cars or even bringing their cars around to the door. That level of care is unmatched.”
EL ROLAS
824 E. Main St., Sanford
elrolastacos.com
El Rolas is relatively new to the taqueria scene in Sanford, but they’ve quickly built a strong following with their traditional offerings which stack up nicely against anybody in the game.
Owner Rolando Torres started with just a food truck and not long after graduated into his brick and mortar establishment on Main Street at the intersection with Rosser Road. At first, there were just a few outside seats and the establishment was take out only.
That didn’t last long.
“We had an opportunity to expand into this side of the building, and we were able to open in January (2024),” he said. “We’re known for tacos. I try to make more different dishes, but they keep calling us ‘Tacos Rolas, Tacos Rolas.’ That’s not gonna go away.”
El Rolas offers many of the staples of traditional Mexican cuisine – think tacos, burritos, and that sort of fare. But Torres has retained the takeout aspect of the business with a display counter featuring simple items — empanadas, tamales, stews, and more — that can be bought on a grab and go basis.
Since expanding, El Rolas also features a full bar, and Torres is looking at ways to incorporate that into the business.
“We’ve thought about doing karaoke or bingo, and if you want to drink a beer we have that option, but we also want to keep it family friendly,” he said.
WHAT WE LOVE
Tacos buche was a surprise for us, as we referenced in a column in June. Spanish for “pork stomach,” some less adventurous eaters might be a little nervous about trying that ingredient. But don’t be scared. Just a bit crispy, firm but tender, and perfectly paired with warm corn tortillas, onions and cilantro. And you can’t beat the $3 price tag.
THE SPECIALTY ***
Torres names his birria (stewed beef, often served on a taco) as not just a favorite, but something that sets El Rolas apart. “Where I’m from in Guanajuato, when we make birria it’s usually goat or lamb,” he said. “In Jalisco and other places, it’s beef. The one we make is beef, but the way we flavor it, it has that taste like goat or lamb.”
TORTILLERIA ROSITA
2972 Industrial Drive, Sanford
It’s an unassuming storefront just past Kendale, but what they’re serving up at Tortilleria Rosita is anything but. In fact, at this point, it’s a Sanford staple. Rosita opened its doors 22 years ago, and has only expanded since. At first a humble store that dispensed homemade tortillas, the shop added in the following years a bakery (panederia), then a grill, and then a butcher counter (carniceria) offering any number of fresh cuts of varying meats.
It’s more like a New York deli than a standalone restaurant, but with a focus on culinary things Latin American. The restaurant aspect shouldn’t be slept on though, and has all kinds of delicious offerings across the menu.
“You can get tacos all over the place now,” said Jessie Agruirre, son of owner Antonio Aguirre. “We do that, but we do a lot of beef stew, noodles, stuff you don’t see everywhere, stuff you can keep simple. We try to bring all areas. We make our own tortillas, we bake our own breads, we have a sitting area.”
Aguirre pointed especially to the shop’s guisos — a meat and sauce dish distinct from a stew — as something you don’t find everywhere.
“It’s more like steak and potatoes, steak and cactus,” he said.
WHAT WE LOVE ***
Go for the grilled chicken. Whole or half birds marinated and grilled over direct heat, the dish is something you’re not going to find at any other comparable restaurant, Latin American or otherwise. It’s truly one of Sanford’s unique dishes, even compared against the (also incredibly delicious!) Peruvian style rotisserie chickens you can find along Horner Boulevard.
THE SPECIALTY
We’re sticking with the grilled chicken, although Tortilleria Rosita is proud, as they should be, of their carnitas (roasted pork shoulder) as well.
“The prep and the seasoning was a family recipe,” Jessie Aguirre said. “It was a hit and we’ve kept it the same. We have a little package with a whole chicken and rice and beans and tortillas for under $20. That’s a great family meal.”
FONDA LUPITA
1952 S. Horner Boulevard
fondalupita.com
What is there to add that we haven’t already said about Fonda Lupita? The restaurant burst onto the local food scene in 2020, and by 2021, it was named one of the 11 Best New Restaurants in America by eater.com, joining places in cities like New York, L.A., Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago, Austin and San Francisco.
Specializing in “Mexican comfort food,” Fonda has since grown — moving to a larger location on South Horner Boulevard in Sanford and a second location in downtown Durham.
Owner Biridiana Frausto says the restaurant’s mission is to offer traditional homemade Mexican food from recipes passed on from generations of family from the Quretaro, Mexico region. The menu isn’t your typical tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Instead, it’s dishes and flavors many in Sanford have never experienced. The corn tortillas and gorditas are hand made, the salsas are made in house, and it’s all owned and run by proud immigrant women.
WHAT WE LOVE ***
You can’t go wrong with anything here, but our favorite dish is also the restaurant’s most popular item. The gorditas are homemade thick corn tortillas stuffed with your choice of filling, like chicharron prensado, carne asada or carnitas. They are both delicious and filling (and easy on the wallet).
A TODA MADRÉ
715 E. Main St., Sanford
atodamadrenc.com
The blue neon sign behind the cash register at the front of Sanford’s newest restaurant — which reads, “It was all a dream” — is symbolic of owner Jahaira Aguirra Ramos’ “dream big” approach to business. But A Toda Madre is anything but a fantasy — Ramos’ “leap of faith” is already a success in the year and a half since its opening, thanks to word of mouth and a menu filled with the same Mexican food dishes Ramos fell in love with growing up.
A Toda Madre also forgoes the traditional “tacos and burritos” Mexican restaurant items for dishes you’d more likely find in restaurants located south of the U.S. border. Not that you won’t find a giant burrito or a plate of tacos at A Toda Madre, but there’s also joy in discovering chicharron (pork skin) en salsa verde, menudo (a traditional Mexican soup) or a plate of guisos (a hearty stewed beef dish).
“This is a menu of my favorite foods,” says Ramos. “I’d call it ‘authentic,’ but more than that, we hope to keep introducing things people in Sanford have never tried before. I want the experience and the food to feel like a meal you’d have in Mexico.”
WHAT WE LOVE ***
Sure, it might be a “common” dish, but the steak nachos at A Toda Madre are a feast for at least two. The toppings — tons of steak, beans, rice, lettuce, queso fresco and more — would weigh down and destroy your average chip, but the nachos here are thick and sturdy and made to hold whatever’s thrown on them.
WHAT ELSE IS GOOD
We like the options on A Toda Madre’s “I’m Literally Mexican” menu list, especially the quesobirria with consume, the flautas, the chilaquiles with salad and rice and the menudo. Seriously, it’s all good. And it all goes great with the giant 32-ounce aguas frescas that come in a variety of flavors.
THERE’S MORE
Sanford is home to many quality Latino-owned and authentic Mexican food restaurants.
La Esperanza Mexican Taqueria
1612 Hawkins Ave., Sanford
El Molcajete Mexican Cuisine
2741 Lee Ave., Sanford
San Felipe Mexican Restaurant
1706 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford
2234 U.S. 1, Sanford
Lilly’s Mexican Restaurant
2898 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford
Lilly’s Restaurant LLC
1123 Spring Lane, Sanford
Aye Toro! Tacos & Tequila
3064 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford
Kalos Mexican Kitchen
129 W. Main St., Sanford (Jonesboro)
Mi Ranchito
230 McIver St., Sanford
Tacos El Primo
916 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford
Taqueria La Michoacana
2960 Industrial Drive, Sanford
Pupuseria y Taqueria La Guera
701 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford
Taqueria Vivas
1718 S. Horner Boulevard, Sanford
Los Charros Mexican Restaurant
118 S. Main St., Broadway
Fonda Lupita….if you are reading this….can you please step up the portions? Your food tastes great, but the portion size of the sides you give is a joke….like 2 bites.
Is Sanford trying to have the highest number of Mexican restaurants per capita?
We were stationed in Panama for 3 years, I visited Honduras for ten days, Sanford is truly a “third-world type” Country, (south end) all by itself. NO MORE SPANISH in Lowe’s Home Improvement stores. My Uncle’s first day of school, he spoke German, and the teacher sent him home and told him NOT to come back until he learned English! If you want to live here, we should only have ONE language. Liberals want them to not understand, be in their own little world. Heaven forbid they get ahead. NO MORE Spanish Masses. Latin, yes, but Spanish, no, teach them English, if you were truly Christians.
The word of God is for all people. The English language has been a melting pot of dozens of languages since the days of Beowulf. It would have taken less time to just say you’re scared of brown people.
If YOU were truly a Christian, you would be more receptive to others. What would Jesus do?
I expect nothing less from the lady that stands on the corner of Spring Lane yelling at the brown people who drive by. Let’s be honest – your house is a shrine to Trump with all of the flags on the outside.
What would you expect from a sanctuary city?
Sanctuary cities don’t exist in North Carolina.
By leagally recognized criteria or by common sense observation?
Sanctuary Cities have been banned in the state since Pat McCorey signed a bill banning them back in 2015.
Authors of this article can you please do one on El Molcajete Mexican Cuisine? I eat at this restaurant 2-4 times a week, and the reason is bottom line is AWESOME food and prices that cannot be matched. Some people made comments about portion sizes but El Molcajete Mexican Cuisine does not have this issue, all in house made salsa, corn tortillas and meat is cut in house also. Can you please write the article they deserve it since they have been in Sanford for 20+ years.
I went there one time and will never go back. I myself love Mexican food. I decided to try it after several people raved about it. I got my food and it was cold. The food I ordered smelled and looked like cat food. It was horrible. That was about two years ago. Have not been back since. Not to mention the customer service was horrible.
Change is scary to dumbass rednecks.
Tom Holman is scary to illegal aliens
His interview with Tucker Carlson was very inspiring. So looking forward to the “trickle down” benefits to our town.