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Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from the tri-state area. In addition to this update from Dyersville, Iowa, we will share more developments in Tuesday’s edition.
DYERSVILLE, Iowa — The operators of Dyersville’s newest restaurant hope to bring the taste of Mexico to northeast Iowa.
Taquería Monterrey opened Nov. 1 at 224 Second Ave. NE under the tutelage of owner Alicia Lopez and her family. The restaurant offers a variety of lunch and dinner options with a focus on filling, flavorful meals.
“Usually when you go to a Mexican restaurant (in the U.S.), it’s more Tex-Mex or Americanized,” said Brenda Espinoza-Gomez, Lopez’s daughter. “We wanted to do something more with our culture … and authentic.”
Espinoza-Gomez, who works at the restaurant along with her family members, said her family moved to Iowa from Mexico in 2001. They first lived in Postville before relocating to Cascade and eventually settling down in Dyersville around 10 years ago.
Lopez ran a small cafe in Mexico, Espinoza-Gomez said, and developed a taste for sharing her recipes and expertise with other community members. After the move to the U.S., however, plans for a full-scale restaurant were put on pause.
Last year, the pieces fell into place for those plans to move forward.
“We all talked about it, and when we talked to (my mom) about it, it seemed like everyone was ready,” Espinoza-Gomez said. “I’m very happy that she can finally get her wish after supporting us for so long.”
The restaurant’s wide-ranging menu includes a variety of Mexican dishes spanning from tacos and burritos to gorditas and elotes.
Espinosa-Gomez added that the restaurant has been decorated in bright colors in an attempt to capture the vibrancy of Mexican culture and offer an enjoyable, engaging dining experience.
“We love color (in my family), … and we wanted to share that with other people,” she said. “We wanted a place where you can come in and feel happy.”
Taquería Monterrey is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Additional information can be found online at tinyurl.com/TaqMont.