El Califa de León, Mexico City’s Michelin-starred taquería, has announced plans to expand internationally.
In 2024, the humble eatery made history by becoming the first taquería in the world to receive a Michelin Guide star. Now, its owner, Mario Hernández, wants to take the taquería to the Big Apple.
The recognition brought major media attention, endless lines of diners and unprecedented international exposure for the tiny, no-frills taquería in the modest San Rafael neighborhood. It even led to temporary pop-ups in the United States, giving New Yorkers a taste of what’s coming.
Hernández admits that after receiving the coveted star, he immediately began to think about obtaining the second one, and expanding abroad.
“Since I discovered we got the award, my goal was clear: to achieve a second star,” he said. “I’m a man of challenges. And now our next step is to expand, not here in Mexico City, but in the United States, specifically in Manhattan.”
For Hernández, conquering one of the world’s gastronomic capitals represents a logistical and financial challenge. Yet, he believes that succeeding there would give him “a golden key to conquering any place in the world.”
In a separate interview for the newspaper El País, Hernández revealed that his expansion plans and dreams go beyond the United States.
“And why not? Madrid, London, Paris. Dreams do come true,” he said.
At the same time, he’s made it clear he will not sacrifice quality for his international plans.
“Quality, simplicity, and respect for the taco are non-negotiable,” he said. “We’re not going to create a luxury restaurant; we’re going to showcase what we are.”
In an interview with El País, Hernández expressed his initial confusion regarding the Michelin Guide’s recognition of their food, given that the recipe is simple: steak, lime and salt. Now he thinks the secret of El Califa’s success lies in the technique used to cut the meat.
“Ninety-nine percent of people don’t know how to cut [a steak],” he said. “My dad worked with meat for sixty-something years and found the perfect cut.”
In October last year, the taquería partnered with Tacombi, a fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain, to serve the famous tacos for a month. Following the success of this pop-up collaboration, the two restaurants replicated the format in Bethesda and Arlington, Virginia, in December.
With reports from El País and El Economista
