About Us
About El Burrito Mercado
This is Mexico in Saint Paul! Authentic deli, groceries, and beautiful arts and crafts lovingly selected directly from artisans in Mexico. El Burrito Mercado has been a family-owned St. Paul tradition since 1979, when visionary parents from Mexico took over the business and built it into the beloved institution it is today. Now in its second and third generations, the Silva family has grown the mercado into a local landmark.
From humble beginnings in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Mexican immigrants Tomas & Maria Silva purchased a small 800-square-foot space, Bravo's Burritos, from longtime west sider Pete Bravo in 1979. They converted the space under a new name, El Burrito Mercado, offering only dry Mexican groceries and tortillas, one cash register, and a van that Tomas would use on weekends to go to Chicago to load up on merchandise.
El Burrito Mercado became a family legacy with their three children, Milissa, Tomas, and Suzanne. It is a St. Paul mainstay offering a unique Mexican, Latino marketplace experience. El Burrito features specialty groceries, cooking spices & peppers, including fresh produce, unique meats, a full deli, restaurant, cantina, catering, a food truck, and imported gifts & home decor.
In 2016, Tomas and Maria Silva were able to retire and pass their beloved business on to their daughters, Milissa and Suzie, and their granddaughter, Analita.
