Sanford restaurant owner continues family heritage of flavorful Mexican fare

A Sanford restaurant owner knows that people will drive a long way for great food. The business is already well known far and wide for their take on authentic Mexican cuisine and for it's pink and blue logo featuring the name "Fonda Lupita".

Owner, Beridiana Frausto explained, "Fonda is just fast and you either stand up or you're eating it on the go. Lupita is my mom so, "Fonda Lupita".

Frausto says it's not necessarily fast food, it's just good food inspired by her mom. "Ever since I was little, maybe I was eight, I would always, you know, stick to my mom, watch how she cooks in the kitchen. So that's how I learned her flavors."

In the commercial kitchen, everything is made "from scratch," including authentic tortillas filled with a variety of Mexican-style meats and other flavorful fillers.

Looking at the menu, Frausto recited the most popular items. "You're shredded beef. Your Chincharron Prensado, which is the pressed pork which is our more popular one." Plus, great tacos.

She said, "You would know that it's not going to be just, you know, your $2-dollar taco or your $2-dollar enchilada."

The food isn't just a smash hit in Sanford. In fact, in 2021, the online site "Eater" picked the 11 best new restaurants in the USA. On that list is "Fonda Lupita".

Frausto said, "The neat part is we were up there with New York, Florida, Texas, you know? These big states and then Sanford!"

Frausto is also a mom. When her young son is at the restaurant, her sisters and employees often help out. "That's just a beautiful part of working with a family, you know, you get to see them all the time. I get to bring my kid wherever I go. I get to see if, like, you know, you're not tied to answering to somebody else."

It's how her family has done it for generations.

If you can't get down to Sanford, Frausto will soon open another "Fonda Lupita" restaurant in Durham's historic Brightleaf Square.