SAN ANGELO, Texas — A plate of three tacos is served fresh from the stove with cilantro, salsa roja, queso fresco and more ingredients on top.
In San Angelo, this iconic meal can be found at Reyna's Tacos, a Mexican food truck known for its staple menu items.
"This is very much our, I guess our family legacy," co-owner Anna Reyna said.
Anna and her husband Orlando first opened their restaurant in Sunset Mall in 2016. However, after approximately six months in business, Orlando came up with a new vision for the taco eatery: opening a food truck.
"Then my husband had the idea of buying a food truck and back then, there weren't very many here...," Anna said.
For approximately three years, the couple served fresh food from midnight to 3 a.m. in a parking lot downtown by local bars.
After awhile, though, they decided to change locations again to somewhere more permanent.
Reyna's Tacos opened up once more on S. Abe Street and according to Anna, "That place was a true blessing... God really led us to that place and we were there for close to five years, I guess."
Through struggles with COVID and inflation, Reyna's has remained active in the community.
Now in 2023, the restaurant has moved next door to 334 W Concho Ave. with more outdoor seating full of lights, art and of course, bistek and pastor tacos.
Most of the food truck employees are family members, including Anna and Orlando's daughter. They hope their son will soon work at the truck, as well.
No matter what, though, all employees get treated like family at Reyna's.
In fact, Orlando's parents Felipe and Rosa owned Reyna's BBQ for 26 years in San Angelo, which originally served BBQ and breakfast burritos.
"That's where this all came from was wanting to continue his legacy," Anna said.
Instead of BBQ, the Reyna's tradition will now live on through tacos.
Additionally, a house on the property will soon be used as an Airbnb where visitors can stay overnight.
For the time being, Anna and Orlando try to remain optimistic about the future of Reyna's Tacos.
"Right now we are definitely in survival mode but we pray that the city of San Angelo continues to support us," Anna said.
"And we promise to do as much as we can to make it a really cool and unique place for people to visit when they come," she added.
Reyna's Tacos is open from Tuesday - Saturday weekly and they are excited for new possibilities.
