The Story of Fresh Guacamole
Mexican Restaurant
The Story of Fresh Guac
The lovely couple Steve and Patricia Stanley started a Mexican restaurant called Cafe Rio Mexican Grill in 1997 in a little town in southern Utah called St. George. Cafe Rio served authentic dishes derived from inspired recipes and traditional cooking of Northern Mexico’s Rio Grande region, Southern Texas, and New Mexico. Central to every bite was the belief that every ingredient must be fresh and made fresh to order. The restaurant became so popular that by 2004, there were six locations. Bob Nilsen purchased Cafe Rio from the Stanleys and continued to spread the love of making fresh Mexican food to everyone in and around Utah and beyond. He made sure to keep the mantra of “fresh food, made fresh” at the very core of the brand.
No freezers. No microwaves. Nothing premade. The staff begins each day, bright and early, hand-squeezing limes, hand-scooping avocados, simmering sauces, and preparing desserts. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is now a well-known chain with over 125 locations serving fresh, authentic Mexican cuisine to loyal customers across the United States. The crowds that line up at our locations today aren’t the only ones to take notice. We’ve won over 100 awards, from the Best of City Search and the Oxnard Salsa Festival to the Inc. 500 and the Alfred P. Sloan Award. With our commitment to quality, freshness, and authentic flavors, we continue to be one of the most popular Mexican restaurants in the country.
