Calexico- Red Hook

Specialties

Calexico is a real place. One of two major crossings between California and Mexico, the border fence runs right through the middle of town. Take a step south and you’re in Mexicali; a step north, Calexico.

This is not the California of surfers and movie stars. This is the Imperial Valley: hot, dusty, and off the beaten path. As the name suggests, everything about Calexico is a hybrid: the people, the culture, and especially the food.

Fast-​forward a few years. We’re still out there slinging tacos and burritos on the streets of New York, only now instead of one cart we have a small fleet. And that crazy notion of a restaurant? It came true, a few times over. Nobody is more surprised by this development than we are.

Our business has grown, but what we do hasn’t changed one bit. We still wake up every day and make the kind of food we like to eat: fresh, flavorful, satisfying. People seem to like it. Hopefully you will too.

Buen Provecho,

The Calexico Brothers

History

Established in 2006.

When the three of us moved to New York City, we were blown away by the variety and quality of the food. But no matter where we looked, we couldn’t find anything that could satisfy our craving for our hometown cuisine. So we began cooking — first for ourselves, then for friends.

People liked it. They told us we should start a restaurant. Right, we thought. A trio of hobby cooks opening a restaurant in the most sophisticated food city in America? Not likely. But then we had a idea: what about a taco cart?

This was before the street food craze. Back then there weren’t even food trucks in New York — just pushcarts. And those carts tended to sell a few New York staples like hot dogs and pretzels. But we had a different idea: what about a taco cart? After all, there is no better street food than a taco. That’s just science. So we found a cart, dug into Grandma’s recipe box, and rolled the first Calexico cart out onto the streets of New York City!

Meet the Business Owner

David V.

Business Owner

The Calexico brothers dreamed of bringing the authenticity of Calexico to New York City. It was tough at first. People were wary of street food back then, especially Mexican food cooked by a bunch of Gringos from California. But slowly, it started to catch on. Lines began to form. We couldn’t keep up with demand. We started saving up for another cart.

In our second year in business, we won the Vendy Award for Best Street Food in New York City. The Vendys are like the Oscars for street food. And it changed everything for us. Suddenly we found ourselves being interviewed for newspapers, magazines and even TV shows– including one surreal episode of The Martha Stewart Show alongside Mayor Bloomberg.

Today, we are grateful to the local residents and visitors who have trusted us in the beginning and supported us throughout the years. We welcome any feedback and look forward to many great years to come!