Lonches: A Rio Grande Classic

If you grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, near the United States-Mexico border, chances are you have a deeply personal relationship with the quintessential Tex-Mex sandwiches known as lonches. The soft bread rolls, stuffed with seasoned ground beef picadillo and topped with fiery salsa verde, appeal to bricklayers and businessmen, students, store clerks and artisans—everyone.

The best lonches were born in the street stalls of Nuevo Progreso in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Within the dual-nation community of the border, the lonche quickly spread northward to Texas. Yet today, even in an era when Mexican cuisine and all its derivatives have become a go-to American staple, you can’t easily find a proper lonche outside of the border region. This sandwich reflects a mixture of cultures found only in the 956 area code. Even the name lonche comes from the English word “lunch,” but is proudly pronounced with the accent of la frontera.

Nestled among the citrus groves and swaying palm trees of Weslaco, Texas, Nana’s Taqueria is a destination for lonche fans. The sun-filled dining room with meticulously crafted brickwork is an exceptional example of Mexican architecture. Star-shaped lanterns hang overhead while waiters hurry across the red clay Saltillo tiles to deliver hot plates to crowded tables. On the weekends, the large brick-lined patio vibrates with trumpets and violins of local mariachi groups under multicolored papel picado banners.

This bustling, vibrant scene didn’t happen overnight. In January 2010, owners Roxanna and Alfredo Treviño opened Nana's Taqueria with eight dining tables in the garage of their home. Slowly, the fame of Nana's Taqueria grew within the Weslaco community and so did their garage restaurant. However, heavy rains flooded the border river delta in 2018 and destroyed their restaurant space. Soon after, a devastating cancer diagnosis and the global pandemic almost broke them.

But they rebuilt, and their loyal lonche customers returned, with friends.

Today, Roxanna and Alfredo often speak of their love for the Rio Grande Valley border community that has supported them.

“Since the beginning of our business, out of love for our Mexican roots, we were very clear that more than offering traditional Mexican food, we had to offer an entire representative experience of our Mexican culture,” Roxanna says. Over the past 15 years, they’ve aimed to offer quality and attention to their architecture and craft as well as joy through music, Mexican tastes, tequila and a community gathering space.

“In short, a complete range that makes up an atmosphere that satisfies that social need,” Roxanna says, “for all our people and for our visitors to this border.”