ESCONDIDO (KGTV) — A long line of hungry diners stretching around the block on South Escondido Boulevard and 7th Avenue has become a familiar sight since Mesa Agricola was named one of the country's best restaurants by the New York Times.
The farm-to-table taqueria, open for just over a year, landed a spot on the New York Times' list of its 50 favorite restaurants in the country in 2026.
For co-owner Megan Strom, the recognition came as a complete surprise.
"Absolutely shocking, you know, it was beyond our wildest dreams. We did not have an idea. We knew they were cooking up something because we received a couple of emails requesting photos and then a fact checking email, but they do not let you know. So when it dropped online on Tuesday morning, that was the first that we knew that we made the list," Strom said.
Strom and her husband, Juan González, are the duo behind the restaurant. Strom says their combined decades of experience in farming and cooking are at the heart of what Mesa Agricola offers.
"I've been farming for 20 years. He has been cooking for almost just as long and, to be able to be recognized for that dedication and passion is truly mind blowing," Strom said.
Mesa Agricola is a taqueria de guisados, specializing in slow-cooked stews rooted in traditional Mexican home cooking.
"It's traditional Mexican home cooking, and we represent, different states of Mexico throughout the different guisados. So we have anywhere from 8 to 12 guisados a day. They rotate, and you can have them as a taco on a corn tortilla or on a hand-rolled flour tortilla as a burrito," Strom said.
The buzz has drawn customers from across the region. Mark Gleason said he had heard about the restaurant before but the recent article pushed him to finally make the trip — and wait 45 minutes in line.
"My hairdresser about a year ago mentioned this place, maybe a little bit less, but the recent article reminded me of I need to come here. So here we are," Gleason said.
For Strom, the national recognition means more than just acclaim for the restaurant — it's an opportunity to showcase Escondido itself.
"We're in 800 square feet in Escondido and you know people had already found us from around the county, but to be able to share with the country, with the world, what Escondido has to offer and just the incredibly rich and diverse community here has been really amazing for Juan and I," Strom said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
