TULSA, Okla. — To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re telling some of the stories of Hispanic culture and food. One restaurant that Tulsans love is just passed TU on 11th Street.
Tacos Don Francisco is a small, family-owned restaurant but it’s been feeding the masses for more than 20 years. Driving down 11th, you might miss the building that houses Tacos Don Francisco. While the building might be unassuming, there’s nothing small about this family-owned business.
Tacos Don Francisco got its start in 1991 in California as a food truck. The Aguirre family bought the truck, already named, and decided to keep it. Fast forward to 1999, owner Martha Aguirre planted roots in Tulsa, with the same name and her authentic Mexican cooking, and the rest is history.
“She had six kids so she’s like ‘Uh uh I’m not gonna let this restaurant go down. We gotta bring it up,’ and that’s what she did — she did it for the love of her kids,” said Aguirre’s daughter, Christine Olmos.
Christine said her mom created her own American dream with the opening of Tacos Don Francisco.
“For her to come from Mexico and become a resident, and be like I got this, with six kids, that’s just like — I look up to her,” Olmos said. “She’s definitely one of my role models. She’s strong, she backs up what she says, and her food.”
Over the years, the only thing that’s changed is some upgrades to the building, while the food remains the same and the dream is still going strong after 23 years.
“I’m telling you there’s nothing like mom’s cooking. Honestly like, moms will put their heart and devotion into that food. And I think that’s what a lot of people love, I don’t know there’s just something special with what my mom does.”
Olmos said her mom is so passionate about the food, she hasn’t shared the secret recipes with her or her sisters. But whatever the secret, the people of Tulsa and beyond, love Tacos Don Francisco, with customers treated like family.
“People always come in and they’re like oh my God this like one of the best places. I mean we have clients that come in maybe once or twice a day, no lie. Or every other day and then we have the weekly’s and I remember their orders by heart.”
Olmos said thanks to her mom’s hard work, love of cooking and feeding others, they’ve created something really special here.
What’s next for the Tulsa staple? The family is now looking into franchising the restaurant.
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