Est. 2012
One cart.
One recipe.
Founding
In 2012, Mario and Michelle Benavidez pushed a hand-built cart out to a Southern California street corner with nothing fancy — a comal, a bucket of masa, and a family recipe that had never been written down.
Mario came out of the military and into the kitchen, and he ran the cart the same way he ran everything else: standards first. Tortillas pressed by hand, every day, no exceptions. Al pastor smoked instead of spun on a trompo — a decision people argued with until they tasted it.
A decade later Tacos Mina feeds weddings, offices, festivals, and backyards across the San Gabriel Valley. Same masa. Same hands. Bigger griddle.
What we stand for
Authenticity
Traditional methods, no shortcuts, no shelf-stable stand-ins.
Craftsmanship
Tortillas pressed by hand every single day we serve.
Fresh Ingredients
Locally sourced produce and premium proteins.
Cultural Heritage
Mexican tradition and family recipes at the center.
Customer First
Personal service. Chef Mario answers the phone himself.
Service & Country
Veteran-owned and run with that same discipline.
“Every tortilla is made by hand daily. That’s not a marketing line — that’s the whole business.”
— Chef Mario Benavidez
Still handmade
Backed by a mentorship bench of proven multi-unit operators, Tacos Mina is scaling — but the masa never leaves Mario’s hands.
As featured in
“Conversations with Mario Benavidez” — the story behind the handmade tortillas, the smoked al pastor, and a family business built over a decade.
Read the interview ↗