When Juan Soto moved to the U.S. from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, he and his brothers recognized the great demand for Mexican food in the Houston area.
“Most of the people who move into the area, they work in restaurants. We saw a potential there in opening our own,” said Juan Soto, owner of Soto’s Cantina.
Soto’s Cantina was originally located in Sugarland, opening back in 2001. The restaurant then reopened its doors in the Northwest Houston area in September 2011.
After their reopening, Soto’s Cantina rose to success quickly. The restaurant was recognized by the Houston Chronicle as one of Houston’s top 100 restaurants within just a year.
Soto’s Cantina currently operates two locations: one on Grant Road and the other on West Little York Road, which features a private dining room. While his brothers have now moved on to separate ventures, Juan continues to run both restaurants.
“We’ve been here for almost 14 years, and we continue serving good food,” Juan said.
However, owning and operating a restaurant doesn’t come without its challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic took a hit on local businesses and restaurants like Soto’s Cantina. On top of that, Soto’s Cantina suffered a kitchen fire two years ago, causing the restaurant to close its doors for a year. Through these ups and downs, their loyal customers didn’t leave their side.
“Luckily when we were able to get back on, we still had all these followers. They were waiting for us to reopen,” Juan said. “I am really happy to be here and be able to take care of the community.”
Soto’s Cantina distinguishes itself from other Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants in the area through one key element: freshness.
“We make everything daily. You can tell,” Juan said. “Our plates come out from the front clean. People eat almost everything.”
Rather than making large batches of staple items like rice and salsa for the entire week, they are always made fresh daily.
Soto’s Cantina is also unique in their incorporation of authentic Mexican cuisine with Tex-Mex influence. Some of the techniques used at Soto’s Cantina are inherited from his mother’s cooking, but Juan also recognizes the importance of local Texas influence.
“We do Tex-Mex, but we have been including authentic dishes in the menu,” Juan said.
The Soto brothers designed the menu to reflect their family’s rich culinary tradition, according to their website.
Soto’s Cantina serves a variety of Mexican dishes, including burritos, tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, flautas, seafood and more. They also offer healthier options for customers to choose from, such as soups, salads and quinoa. You can then finish off your meal with a dessert: flan, sopapillas or tres leches.
Additionally, Soto’s Cantina offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays — serving up omelettes, breakfast tacos, chilaquiles, molletes, pancakes and more alongside fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juices.
Juan expressed his appreciation for the local Northwest Houston patrons that frequently dine at Soto’s Cantina.
“I'm really grateful that we have a large community who support us and continue giving us business,” Juan said.
Juan also encouraged new faces to come out and try Soto’s Cantina.
“We love our customers. We love our regulars,” Juan said. “We can’t wait for people who haven’t visited us to give us a shot and see what we do.”