Along the historic route of old Route 66, Oklahoma City’s food landscape is undergoing a notable transformation. While the city once thrived on carhop-style drive-ins such as Sonic Drive-In, the area has evolved to reflect the diverse and expanding influence of Mexican cuisine. Traditional fast-food offerings have given way to a rich variety of regional Mexican dishes, including specialties like tortas de alhabl, tortas inspired by Mexico City television characters, and traditional stews and tostadas sourced from various parts of Mexico.

Restaurants such as El Primo Loco serve regional favorites like the tostada Siberia, popularized in Monterrey, while local markets offer rarer dishes from small Mexican states like Aguascalientes. Oklahoma City’s Mexican-origin population, which was under 10,000 in 1980, has grown to roughly 180,000 residents today—about 12 percent of the metropolitan population. This demographic shift has fostered a thriving food scene that mirrors the varied culinary traditions stemming from Mexico’s many regions.

The growth of Mexican cuisine nationwide parallels a demographic surge in the U.S. Mexican-origin population, which has increased nearly fivefold over the past five decades, reaching over 39 million. According to a 2024 analysis, approximately one in ten American restaurants offers Mexican dishes, and around 85 percent of counties across the country feature at least one Mexican restaurant. As a result, regional Mexican foods have taken root far beyond traditional centers, flourishing in cities from New Haven, Connecticut, to Kansas City, Kansas, and beyond.

The culinary evolution has been marked by a broadening palette beyond the classic Americanized fare of combo plates and nachos. Eleven Mexican restaurants nationwide earned Michelin stars this year, including Californios in San Francisco, which received three stars—the only Mexican restaurant worldwide to do so. Mexican and Mexican American chefs are increasingly presenting authentic and diverse regional dishes, reflecting their cultural heritage while adapting to American culinary contexts.

Despite the cuisine’s growing popularity, Mexican communities continue to face challenges amid heightened immigration enforcement and political tensions. Some commentators note a paradox in the simultaneous embrace of Mexican food by the broader public and the intensified scrutiny faced by Latinx immigrants. "Where there are more Mexicans, you are going to see a backlash," observed Gustavo Arellano, a columnist and author who traces the trajectory of Mexican food in America. He likened the current acceptance of Mexican food to that experienced by Italian cuisine in the 1990s, with regional specialties gradually gaining widespread appeal.

Individual chefs across the country illustrate this dynamic. In Idaho, chef and restaurateur Salvador Alamilla draws on his Michoacán heritage to offer slow-roasted dishes and smoky cocktails, introducing regional flavors to new audiences while navigating the complexities of his own immigration experience. In Minneapolis, Gustavo Romero has focused on heirloom Mexican corn, elevating traditional tortillas at his Nixta Tortilleria and accompanying restaurant. Similarly, Carlos Salgado and his wife Emilie Coulon Salgado have brought refined Oaxacan cuisine to rural Wisconsin, showcasing the potential for high-quality Mexican food in unexpected locations.

The expansion of Mexican culinary expression extends to urban centers such as New York City, where restaurants have moved away from expansive menus to concentrate on perfecting individual dishes. In Brooklyn, a growing marketplace at Sunset Park Plaza provides a stable environment for Mexican vendors, sustaining local culture and offering a “little piece of Mexico” amid the city’s diversity.

Overall, the rise of Mexican food in the United States reflects not only demographic shifts but also a deeper engagement with the complexity and variety of Mexico’s culinary traditions, resonating across urban and rural communities alike.