Barrio Cafe named best Mexican restaurant in the country

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - The Barrio Cafe has been in business on 16th Street for 14 years and it's made it on many top lists for having amazing food, but it's never been called the best in the country; until now.

"I dedicated my career to the memory of my mother, so that gives me a heartfelt thing and I always say that's my edge," Chef Silvia Salcido Esparza said.

Tabelog, an online food blog, just released its top-10 best Mexican restaurants in the country and coming in at number one is the Barrio Cafe, located here in Phoenix.

What makes the restaurant number one, according to Tabelog, is the fresh table side of guacamole.

Executive chef and owner Silvia Salcido Esparza says her love for the food is what sets her apart.

"The food that I wanted to bring here was not yellow cheese or chimichanga or fried ice cream, I wanted to do authentic Mexican food," she said. "As a chef, I traveled all of Mexico and I brought you my interpretation of Mexican food."

The passion she puts behind it also keeps her going.

"I do it to best represent my culture and to best represent the legacy of my family, and Arizona," she said.

Barrio Cafe has several different locations around town; there's even one in downtown Phoenix.

I tasted the food here and I can definitely say it belongs on the list.

Barrio Café
2814 N. 16th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85006
(602) 636-0240
www.barriocafe.com