From Mexico City to Marin

El Huarache Loco began with homesickness. Veronica Salazar grew up in Mexico City, in a family that has been in the restaurant business for more than 45 years. When she moved to the Bay Area, she found herself cooking the dishes she missed, and soon 20 to 40 friends were showing up at her house every weekend. That was the sign. It was time to turn what she loved into a living.

In 2005, Veronica launched El Huarache Loco from the incubator kitchen at La Cocina in San Francisco’s Mission District, building a following at weekend farmers’ markets before opening the restaurant at Marin Country Mart. She named it after her specialty, the huarache: a thick, oval, hand-pressed masa base, shaped a little like the sandal it’s named for, griddled and piled high with toppings. The “loco” is a promise. Take a bite, and your tastebuds will start dancing.

Today El Huarache Loco is a family affair. Veronica's daughter, Dayana Perez, is now co-owner and chef, currently finishing culinary school and carrying the family's Mexico City cooking into its next chapter. The food is still made by hand, still rooted in family recipes, and still carries the flavors of Mexico City, the DF, as locals call it. Our masa is handmade from Chef Dilsa Lugo of Los Cilantros, and we're putting more fresh, organic vegetables into our dishes.