OUR HISTORY OF OVER 125 YEARS IN BUSINESS |
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“Reflecting back, we set our own daily goals, stayed focused, and knew in our hearts we could only get ahead if we didn’t give up.”
Manuel Matta |
"God has been good to me. I have good health. Many wonderful things have come our way. There have been the ups and downs. Through it all, we have managed to build a reputable business that has evolved into a Mesa landmark.”
MaryLou Matta Garza |
How did the family food traditions begin?
Matta's consistent Mexican food has been handed down from generation to generation, going back to Manuels parents, Sabastian and Margarita Matta, and MaryLous parents, Pantaleon and Pauline Lerma. Both families, from Texas, were involved in creating and selling great food.
MaryLou's parents, Pauline and Pantaleon Lerma owned and operated a large cafe and beer hall in Balmorhea, Texas. And in the 1890's MaryLou's grandparents operated a cheese press licensed by the state of Texas. They sold cheese, dairy products, meats and liquor to mercantile stores in surrounding settlements.
Matta's consistent Mexican food has been handed down from generation to generation, going back to Manuels parents, Sabastian and Margarita Matta, and MaryLous parents, Pantaleon and Pauline Lerma. Both families, from Texas, were involved in creating and selling great food.
MaryLou's parents, Pauline and Pantaleon Lerma owned and operated a large cafe and beer hall in Balmorhea, Texas. And in the 1890's MaryLou's grandparents operated a cheese press licensed by the state of Texas. They sold cheese, dairy products, meats and liquor to mercantile stores in surrounding settlements.
 Sabastian & Margarita Matta 
Sabastian Matta & his boys
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During the depression years Manuels father Sabastian Matta traveled around communities in West Texas. "Our family supplemented the annual income by selling hamburgers and Mexican foods prepared by my mother, such as tamales, tortillas, chili verde, and empanadas (sweet potato turnovers). We also sold fruits and vegetables, Dr. Pepper drinks, and beer."
They would load up their mule-drawn wagon and sell kitchen pots, household items and food that was made fresh by the Matta women. By the turn of the century, Sabastian Matta had a thriving business. His wife, Margarita was in charge of the cooking. As soon as their boys were able, they were put to work. It was then that Manuel learned to "give the customer what they want". "When my dad had enough money, he bought a Model-T Ford pickup truck. As a child, I remember going to sleep with my brothers in the back of the wagon and truck, while my parents sold their goods." |
 Pauline & Pantaleon Lerma |
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Fast forward to 1940, Manuel and MaryLou were married, coincidently their families knew one another when they were children. After starting a family, serving his country in the marines and living in California, Manuel and MaryLou decided to relocate to Arizona to open a restaurant. But before they created their first dish, Manuel and MaryLou vowed to only use the finest ingredients, and prepare each dish with an infusion of passion and creativity. They decided that in order to learn everything about the restaurant business and family recipes, they would take their two children Gloria and David and move from California to Pecos, Texas in 1947 to work with Manuel’s brother and sister-in-law, Ben and Chuy Matta. They owned and operated a Mexican food restaurant, Ben’s Spanish Inn, in Pecos. After 2 years they had their sights set on their future home being in Safford, Arizona, they stopped in Mesa and something about it impressed them enough to want to build a future there.
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Ben and Chuy Matta
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Manuel and MaryLou
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"It wasn’t long before we decided to open a Mexican café. My brother, Ben, had a flourishing restaurant of his own in Pecos, Texas. He was willing to teach us all about the restaurant business. So, for two years, in Pecos, Texas, Mary Lou and I learned everything we could about Mexican food preparation and restaurant management. My brother and his wife, Chuy, showed us the ropes."
Manuel Matta |
 Ben's Spanish Inn |
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Manuel and MaryLou opened their first Matta's Restaurant in 1953,
with a little more than $1000. They had a vision of creating Mesa's best Mexican dining experience. It was a modest cafe they called the "Spanish Inn", with 6 booths and 4 tables seating 50 people. Manuel cooked and washed dishes and MaryLou waitressed and collected receipts as cashier. Some days they made $25, and other days less. Later they hired some high school girls, part-time to keep up with the increase of customers. As sales increased, full-time employees were hired. Whatever it took, they were determined to succeed, despite setbacks. They had some wonderful people helping along the way. The business steadily grew and in 1958 they purchased property across the street and built their own building. It was an ideal location on Main Street. Mesa had a population of 16,000 and growing, so was Matta's. It became a very popular restaurant. Their children began working at the restaurant and contributed to it's success.
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In 1969, an addition was added to the building expanding the seating to 300. Between the hand made red adobes, white stucco walls, high-beamed ceilings, beautiful fireplaces, wrought iron chandeliers and hand carved wood furniture it's no wonder the dining experience at Matta's gave you the feeling of colonial Mexico with a Spanish influence. It was a showcase of Matta's family heritage. There were so many details in all parts of the restaurant to make the customers feel at home. Matta's was indeed a cultural experience with it's distinct personality, ambience and superb traditional authentic family recipes.
Groundbreaking ceremony for Matta's expansion
Manuel and Marylou's oldest son, David, began watching his parents working hard to build up their small business and in 1958 began working as a dishwasher in their new building on Main street. By high school, David had learned to cook and create Mexican food the way his grandparents taught his own parents (Texas Style). "Mesa was great city to grow up in. A little like growing up in the American Graffiti movie." But it wasn't until 1966 that he began working full time to support his own family and finish college at ASU. By then both his parents were very involved as community volunteers both in the City of Mesa and the State of Arizona, and David was given the opportunity to put his skills to work.
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Manuel Matta's younger brother Tommy and his wife Maggie opened their Matta's restaurant in Visalia, California in 1972.
Tommy and Maggie moved to Mesa to learn the family restaurant business, just as Manuel and MaryLou learned years before from older brother Ben in Texas. Tommy and Maggie, with the help of their children, operated their restaurant for over 20 years using some of the same Matta family recipes used for generations. |
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In 1977, David Matta moved his family to Napa California and in 1978 opened his own restaurant " Mattas of the Napa Valley". In 1980 the restaurant was voted one of the best restaurants in Northern California.
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Matta's of the Napa Valley
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By 1982 Davids son Peter came to work at Matta's on Main Street, he worked hard and worked his way up over the years from a busboy to a cook, to kitchen manager, then eventually restaurant manager of Matta's on Main Street. Good food was Peter's passion and he mastered the art of the family's Texas Style Mexican food. He saw a big future for Matta's Restaurant and wanted to expand.
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2002: With the next of the Matta generation working and running the restaurant new ideas start turning into reality. Fast Casual became the new style in the restaurant industry.
A restaurant building in east Mesa became available and the Matta's bought it and created a new style of service for our 6 generations of customers. Matta's Mexican Grill opened in December of 2002. And business has been thriving, thanks to good food, fast service and a great cliental. By now 4 generations of Matta's had been working and running Matta's Restaurants. |
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A final toast at the old Matta's building
MaryLou saying goodbye to the old Matta's
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2008: After 55 years in the same location, Matta's was moving from Main Street. We tell customers, there will always be Mattas in Mesa. We served many, many customers in the last few days Matta's on Main Street was open. And on the last night we toasted champagne, remembered the good times ...and shed some tears.
A new chapter begins: Peter and Gretchen Matta had plans for Matta's Restaurant in the new Mesa Riverview Shopping Center. As much as they missed Main Street, the new building had great potential especially with it's easy access just off the freeway. They saved and restored everything they could from the original location on Main Street to include in the new building, making it a familiar atmosphere for all. Much thought went into every detail. From the paint color that was used in the dining room plaster pillars and walls on Main Street, the original neon from the building, the chandeliers and light fixtures, the stained glass, the wrought iron, the old hand carved wood pieces that were incorporated into the new cabinetry, the waiting area seating, down to the original pacman machine in the waiting area and much more ...everything was thought of with love for the original Matta's on Main Street. Employees from Main Street took other jobs while there was a time lapse in between locations but they came back when the time was approaching to get ready to welcome old and new customers in the new location. |
2009: Matta's Grill & Cantina Groundbreaking ceremony was a success. Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, who grew up eating Matta's food, dug in the dirt with the rest of the Matta family. Special groundbreaking t-shirts and bottled hot sauce were passed out to our customers and friends that joined us . Our Got Matta's blog allowed the customers to follow along with pictures and information on the progress of the new construction.
Matta's Groundbreaking 2009
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2010: The opening of Mattas Grill & Cantina in northwest Mesa begins 7 decades in the southeast valley. Generations of customers come from all over to eat our food. The children of our longtime employees have joined in working at our restaurant and have grown along side our own children...and even some of their children have worked at Matta's!
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