Tried and true so you can eat too: Best authentic Hispanic restaurants near campus

State Hornet tested eateries to try during Hispanic Heritage Month

Idaly Valencia

Stephanie Cornejo, a third-year communications major at Sac State sits outside of El Favorito Taqueria on Oct. 3, 2022. Cornejo says she enjoys sitting in the patio area while sipping on an an agua fresca.

Idaly Valencia
October 5, 2022

Hispanic Heritage Month began Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15.  To commemorate the Hispanic Heritage month celebrations, the State Hornet tried various eateries near Sacramento State and got comments from students. 

Check out some of the popular staple dishes near campus:

Pupuseria La Familiar

”Plátano Frito,” a popular dish found in La Pupuseria la Familiar’s menu taken on Tuesday, Sep. 13, 2022. This sweet dish originated from El Salvador and can be enjoyed as breakfast or as a dessert. (Idaly Valencia)

Pupuseria La Familiar is a Salvadorian restaurant located right off Power Inn Road and Florin Road. The restaurant is a family owned business and operates seven days a week.

The restaurant specialize in “pupusas,” corn four tortillas served with salsa and cabbage. The dish originated in El Salvador and is a staple dish in many homes. A pupusa can contain fillings such as beans, cheese, ‘chicharron’ (fried pork belly) and other savory fillings. 

Other staple  Salvadorian foods include ‘plátano frito,’ which is caramelized banana, “Pastelitos de Carne” (meat turnovers) and enchiladas salvadorenas.

Café Capricho 

A “Torta de Asada (beef)” is one of the many popular menu items served at Cafe Capricho on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 . The restaurant offers both outdoor and indoor seating and a variety of cold beer and other beverages. (Idaly Valencia)

If you are looking for a quick bite closer to campus , consider stopping by Café Capricho on Folsom Boulevard. Their menu includes classic Mexican dishes such as tortas, enchiladas and tacos. 

Anahi Lopez, a fourth-year Health Science major at Sacramento State , says she likes to visit to Café Capricho to study and enjoy a shrimp quesadilla. 

“The patio area is a nice place to catch up on homework and also to catch up on eating a meal,” says Lopez. 

El Favorito Taqueria 

A “Carne Asada” taco is normally paired with the restaurants signature “salsa negra” (black salsa) as pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. The restaurant has a salsa bar with many other options to choose from and the location closest to campus. (Idaly Valencia)

El Favorito Taqueria is located on Folsom Boulevard  and Manlove Road. 

This taqueria is popular for serving authentic Mexican food and beverages such as agua de piña, tostadas, molcajetes and tacos. 

El Favorito Taqueria is a restaurant that originated from the small town  of San Juan de Garcia in Jalisco, Mexico. This taqueria can be found in multiple locations in Sacramento. 

Stephanie Cornejo, a third-year communications major at Sac State has her favorites from El Favorito Taqueria’s menu. 

“This is my go-to spot for good tacos,” Cornejo says. “I would recommend any taco because the salsa is the best part.”

La Esperanza Bakery

Mexican bakery classics such as “Cortadillo” (middle), “Niño Envuelto” (top), and “croissants” (bottom) are some of the many bakery items offered at La Esperanza on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. La Esperanza Bakery also offers common bakery items such as cakes, banana bread and muffins. (Idaly Valencia)

La Esperanza Bakery is located on Franklin Boulevard, on the side of La Esperanza Supermarket. 

La Esperanza Bakery is best known for its fresh baked Mexican bread which is known as ‘pan dulce’ (sweet bread) and ‘bolillo’ (crunchy sandwich roll). Pan dulce is a breakfast pastry that commonly accompanies a morning cup of coffee. 

When planning a visit to La Esperanza Bakery, prepare to wait in a line and enjoy the smell of fresh baked bread. Throughout the day, the fragrance of the bakery draws  in many customers.