RACINE, Wis. — Mexico Lindo sits on the east side of Racine. While the dining room is rather small, customers said that the flavors are larger than life.
The restaurant is known for its rolled tacos. It’s Maria Gutierrez's recipe.
Gutierrez started Mexico Lindo 60 years ago after she immigrated to Racine from Mexico. Her customers called her Grandma Lindo.
“She worked with what she had at the time, because in ’64, there were not many options for Mexican food, so that’s why she kind of made these unique tacos and they just took off that way,” Sendi Contreras, Gutierrez's daughter, said.
Over the years, Mexico Lindo became popular not only for its rolled tacos, but also for the hospitality from Grandma Lindo.
“I guess she was just known for having a big heart,” Contreras said. “You know, if you didn’t have enough money, [she'd say,] 'It’s okay, pay me next time.'”
Contreras said her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and the restaurant closed for two years. Contreras and her husband decided to reopen at a different location in honor of her mother.
“We opened during COVID,” Contreras said. “We didn’t think it was going to work because it was COVID. The day we opened, we had a line all the way Pepi’s. People waited two, three hours to just get a plate of tacos.”
One of her longtime customers is Terry Jones. He remembers growing up on Grandma Lindo’s food.
“There’ll be people that leave here that’ll be gone for 20 years,” Jones said. “When they come back, this is the only place they got to go to. I can’t speak for the generation that comes after me, but the generation that grew up with me. She was bigger than life; she was huge.”
With the successful reopening of Mexico Lindo, Contreras said she know’s her mother is proud.
“She would probably say, 'I knew you could do it,'” Contreras said. “She would be happy.”
Grandma Lindo passed in July, but Contreras said they’ll continue keeping her legacy of rolled tacos and hospitality alive.