By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — El Ranchito, a new authentic Mexican restaurant filling the former Mi Ranchito space, will begin serving its first customers on Monday.
Local couple Maria Gonzalez and Martin Jimenez started working on plans this past summer to reopen the restaurant at 2019 S. Main St., which is at the corner of South Main and Marchesano Drive. They plan to carry on some of the popular aspects of Mi Ranchito, such as the handmade tortillas, while adding their own flavors as well.
“I want to continue that tradition and offer the community similar food as well as the new stuff on the menu we’re adding,” Jimenez said. “We’re going to offer the community our food and hopefully they like it.”
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The restaurant is billed as bringing authentic Mexican flavors to life with handmade tortillas, gorditas, sopes and other meals crafted with passion and tradition.
Mi Ranchito closed in late 2023. Jimenez, an Auburn High School and Rock Valley graduate, said it was a longtime favorite of his family and others on Rockford’s south side.
The handmade tortillas, in particular, is something his family is excited to bring back to the location.
“Not a lot of people make them anymore, so I’m trying to bring back the roots of where I came from,” said Jimenez, who was born in Michoacán, Mexico.
Both Gonzalez and Jimenez have experience in the restaurant industry. At El Ranchito, he handles the business side while she’s responsible for the cuisine.
He said they’ve seen early support from people eager to see the restaurant reopen.
The past several months have been spent painting the exterior and interior — including a new mural on the south inside wall — and making other renovations and preparations for opening.
The restaurant will eventually add wine and beer to its menu, serving drinks such as Modelo, Corona, Cerveza Victoria and Pacifico.
Video gaming will also be added in a separate area of the restaurant.
About | El Ranchito
Where: 2019 S. Main St., Rockford
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
On Facebook: Follow HERE
Contact: elranchitoauthentic@gmail.com; 779- 970-5197
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas