For nearly five years, El Zocalo Mexican Restaurant has brought authentic Mexican food to Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square. Owner Paola Mendez says that the restaurant contributes to the variety of different culinary options along the square, giving local residents, workers, students, and visitors more options for lunch and dinner dining. “We want you to feel at home. We try to make it as fresh as possible by making smaller batches throughout the day. It’s more work but it feels homier, as opposed to mass production,” says Mendez.

El Zocalo provides a wide variety of Mexican dishes that appeal to all customers, including vegetarian and non-dairy options. They offer unique menu options, like tongue and tripe tacos, as well as tripe soup. They are also a BYOB establishment.

In addition to their in-house dining options, El Zocalo also delivers to Ashley, Courtdale, Edwardsville, Forty Fort, Hanover, Kingston, Laflin, Larksville, Luzerne, Plains, Plymouth, Pringle, Swoyersville, Wilkes Barre, and Wilkes Barre Township.

Over the summer of 2017, El Zocalo remodeled the restaurant, adding a multi-wall mural, more color, and window designs. “It was nice when we opened and it was simple. But, we figured a way to brighten it up a little,” says Mendez. The concept was a collaboration of Mendez and two local artists: Jay Garcia and Olivia Butkiewicz.

“We thought of a wrap-around design of the whole concept of Mexico. There’s so much history to cover in just one mural that it gets hard to pick and choose. They just started with the eagle, the cactus, and the snake. That’s always in the Mexican flag,” says Mendez.

To see this remarkable artwork, visit El Zocalo Mexican Restaurant on Small Business Saturday! El Zocalo is participating by offering $5 off of a purchase $25 or more from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on November 25th.