Every morning at 4:30 AM, before the first tortilla is pressed or the first pot of beans is started, a delivery truck from several local Texas farms arrives at Taco Cabina's back door. Inside are crates of just-picked vegetables, herbs still wet with morning dew, and cuts of meat from animals raised on open pastures. This is where our food story begins -- not in our kitchen, but on the farms and ranches that supply us.
Why Local Sourcing Matters
When Abuela Rosa started Taco Cabina in 1987, the concept of "farm-to-table" did not exist as a marketing term. But Rosa sourced locally out of necessity and common sense. The peppers came from her neighbor's garden. The pork came from a family friend who raised pigs on his small ranch outside the city. The herbs came from pots in her own backyard.
As the restaurant grew, it would have been easy -- and certainly cheaper -- to switch entirely to industrial food distributors. But Chef Marco, Rosa's grandson, made a conscious decision to maintain and expand the restaurant's relationships with local farmers. Today, approximately 60% of our ingredients come from farms within 100 miles of San Antonio.
Meet Our Farmers
The Engel Family - Engel Farms, San Antonio
Just 20 minutes from our restaurant, the Engel family grows some of the best peppers and tomatoes in Texas. Their heirloom tomatoes -- Cherokee Purples, Brandywines, and Green Zebras -- show up in our seasonal salsas and salads. Their jalapenos and serranos have a depth of flavor that commercial peppers simply cannot match.
Michael Engel, the third-generation farmer, puts it simply: "When produce only has to travel 20 minutes instead of 2,000 miles, you can let it ripen naturally on the vine. That is the entire secret to better flavor -- patience and proximity."
Lightsey Farms - Goldthwaite, Texas
About 150 miles northwest of San Antonio in the rolling hills of central Texas, the Lightsey family raises cattle, sheep, and goats on open pasture. Their animals are never given hormones or unnecessary antibiotics, and they graze on native grasses and wildflowers that give the meat a distinctive, clean flavor.
Our barbacoa comes from Lightsey beef cheeks and our carne asada from their grass-fed skirt steak. The difference in flavor compared to feedlot beef is remarkable -- the meat has a richer, more complex taste that our regular customers can immediately identify.
Dos Lunas Herb Farm - Helotes, Texas
Martha and Carlos Reyes run a small herb farm just outside San Antonio that supplies us with fresh cilantro, epazote, Mexican oregano, and other herbs essential to authentic Mexican cooking. Their cilantro is so fresh and aromatic that it is the single most complimented ingredient in our pico de gallo.
Martha grows several varieties of cilantro, including a slow-bolt variety that has a more intense flavor than standard commercial cilantro. She also grows culantro (not a typo -- it is a different plant), which has a similar but more pungent flavor that holds up better in cooked salsas.
The Economics of Local Sourcing
We will be honest: sourcing locally costs more. Our food costs are higher than they would be if we used a standard food service distributor for everything. But we believe this investment pays dividends in several ways.
First, the quality is measurably better. Our customers taste the difference, and it brings them back. Second, we are investing in our local economy. Every dollar we spend with a local farmer circulates in our community rather than going to a distant corporation. Third, the environmental impact is significantly lower -- less transportation, less refrigeration, less packaging, less waste.
Finally, there is an intangible benefit: knowing where your food comes from creates a connection between the farmer, the chef, and the diner that enriches the entire experience of eating. When you eat a taco at Taco Cabina, you are not just eating food -- you are participating in a network of relationships that stretches from our kitchen to the fields of the Texas Hill Country.
How You Can Support Local Farms
You do not need to own a restaurant to support local agriculture. Here are some practical ways to bring farm-fresh ingredients into your own cooking:
- Visit your local farmers market -- San Antonio has several excellent ones including the Pearl Farmers Market every Saturday
- Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box program for weekly deliveries of seasonal produce
- Ask your grocery store where their produce comes from and choose local options when available
- Grow your own herbs -- cilantro, mint, and oregano are easy to grow in Texas and make a huge difference in your cooking
- Buy meat directly from local ranchers -- many offer quarter or half animals at very competitive per-pound prices
At Taco Cabina, we are proud to be part of the growing movement of Texas restaurants committed to local sourcing. We invite you to taste the difference and join us in supporting the farmers and ranchers who make exceptional food possible.