Mi Tierra Café, run by the Cortez family since 1941, connects visitors and locals and tourists with its authentic Mexican cuisine and cultural charm.
SAN ANTONIO — When visitors come to San Antonio for the first time, they are often told there are three “must see” places they should visit: The Alamo, the Riverwalk and Mi Tierra Café.
The downtown eatery has been a tourist destination for decades, but it’s also a place where locals gather regularly for what many consider to be the best Mexican food in San Antonio.
So what is Mi Tierra’s secret?
Since 1941, the Cortez family has been serving up the finest in Mexican food, cultural atmosphere, with a dash of familia. It can currently seat up to 500. A far cry from the three-table café the Cortez family started out with.
Pedro Cortez immigrated from Guadalajara in 1928. He met the love of his life, Cruz Llanes in San Antonio and the couple started a family, as well as a restaurant business.
After several years of struggling, the founders made a home en El Mercado.
“In 1961, after operating two restaurants on a month-to-month basis for 20 years, he was given an opportunity to buy the entire block for just under a quarter of $1 million. And he made that huge investment and continued to grow,” said William Cortez, Mi Tierra CEO and second generation.
They named the restaurant “Mi Tierra” because it reminded them of their mother country. As the business grew, so did the family’s roots. They began to live the American dream, which is also the name of the mural adorning their rear dining room.
“It was started in the late 80s, early 90s and has been worked on, you know, over that time period by two different artists. There’s a lot of nationally recognized individuals. Lots of local individuals who have made significant contributions in the Latino community, not just here in San Antonio but nationally as well,” said Pete Cortez, fourth generation.
Mariachis are always on the menu, as are the drool-inducing pan dulce. They are woven into the fabric of the restaurant, just like the flavor of family. Numerous employees are second, even third generation. Same goes for the customers.
The Estrada family has made dining at Mi Tierra a tradition. Jesse and Susie Estrada have dined there every day, sometimes twice a day for 60 years, bringing their daughters along with them.
“It’s not only the food, it’s the people who work here. And the owners,” said Jesse Estrada. “They always greet you and treat you right. It makes a big difference.”
The Cortez’s family roots have spread across San Antonio, operating La Margarita Bar at Market Square and Pico de Gallo across the highway in the old west side.
Mi Tierra cafe has established itself as the heart of El Centro de San Antonio but the Cortez family wants to spread the wealth and is backing a plan called “La Zona Cultural” that would expand this Spanish ambiance all the way from Market Square down to Main Plaza.
The family says they feel it’s important to connect the west end of downtown with the rest of the city.
“It’s all part of bond projects that we’ve worked with the city of San Antonio on to beautify the west end of downtown, to widen the sidewalks, narrow the streets a little bit. To improve the landscaping and really to make it highlight all the cultural assets that we have in this neighborhood,” said William Cortez.
While the tourists who dine at Mi Tierra are a blessing, it’s the locals who are appreciated most. That’s because for decades they have savored the dedication, consistency and love that goes into every plate.
“We want the guests to leave here feeling like they had not just a great meal with great people, but that they left with an experience. Not just coming in and eating, but that they left with a whole overall experience of: ‘this is San Antonio,'” said William Cortez, “This is comida Mexicano, hecho por Mexicanos 100%.”