Escondido's Mesa Agricola lands on New York Times list
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
NYT-worthy tacos. Photos: Courtesy of Lauren di Matteo
The tiny Escondido restaurant Mesa Agricola just earned a coveted spot on the New York Times Best Restaurants list.
Driving the news: The counter-service spot had long lines before, and owner Megan Strom expects far more frenzy this weekend.
The big picture: The Times picked just 50 restaurants from across the country, and Mesa Agricola was one of six in the state and the only one in San Diego County.
The intrigue: There were a few hints that the restaurant would get some kind of treatment in the Times, Strom told Axios.
- Reporter Eleanore Park had visited anonymously, but then sent a follow-up fact-checking email.
- Strom and her husband/co-owner Juan González looked up Park's picture and realized she was the customer who seemed to know so much about food.
Dig in: Mesa Agricola's food is "surprisingly tectonic," according to the review, which points out that much of it is grown by Strom on a nearby farm.
- The low-key spot serves tacos and burritos in classic and creative forms.
The couple opened the shop in 2025 and have seen a surge in popularity, including influencer attention on social media.
- It's because of their dedication to Mexican home cooking, Strom said.
- "People either have an extreme emotional connection to eating food they grew up with, like their abuela used to cook, or they're trying it for the first time and they're blown away," she said.
