Today we’d like to introduce you to Milton Rodriguez.
Hi Milton, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Baja, Mexico, where food was everything. From making tortillas and tamales with my abuela to grabbing tacos on the street with friends, I was immersed in traditional flavors that defined my childhood. Later, I brought this with me to San Diego and Austin, where I worked nearly every job in the restaurant industry. From bussing tables to bartending to cooking, each role shaped my perspective on how a restaurant should be run.
I own the restaurant with my wife, Rachel, a Virginia native. She had been vegetarian since her teens and was always drawn to the idea of plant-based living. When Rachel and I met, we mutually influenced each other to embark on a journey focused on clean, plant-based eating.We got married, moved to Richmond, and started a family. Over the years, we’ve reimagined authentic Mexican recipes and flavors with vegan proteins.
The menu closely mirrors my own immigration journey and how Mexican immigration has influenced food. You’ll find traditional Mexican dishes alongside cali-mex and tex-me classics. We wanted the food to reflect our own path and journey with food and life and what we brought to Virginia.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not. The location we picked had been abandoned for decades, so we knew this was going to be a difficult journey. It took over 2 years from the first call with our realtor, to opening our doors. We worked through many setbacks in the construction process (and had our second baby during all of that), but it was worth the struggles and delayed timelines.
Creating the menu though? That was the fun part. These are all my recipes. They grew from dishes I grew up with and how I’ve veganized them in my own life and for my family. We worked through a lot of trial and error to get the flavors just right and adapted them to work within a restaurant kitchen.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
While the restaurant industry is and always has been my passion, my day job is what pays the bills. I work in Revenue Operations, so I’m pretty good with numbers. A lot of what I do during the day has given me the skills and mindset that directly translates to the business side of running a restaurant.
What were you like growing up?
As a kid, I was pretty introverted, creative, and active. I spent a lot of time playing futbol on the street with my friends but I also never shied away from trying new things or finding solutions to my problems.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tacovegana.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tacovegana
- Facebook: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.facebook.com/131867326671255/&ved=2ahUKEwjv7cLMwe6WAxUVKFkFHdFJDrgQFnoECCcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3Y277sSDIPH-csOuc8Gl7N
- Yelp: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.yelp.com/biz/taco-vegana-richmond&ved=2ahUKEwikiPfowe6WAxWDEFkFHZl5EDkQFnoECBoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2yJ8z0Mry52TCdGt04u0oS
