If you're passing through Mount Vernon on your way to the San Juans (or to take in the Tulip Festival), Mexico Cafe is a perfect lunch or dinner stop. The Skagit Valley is home to thousands of... More

If you're passing through Mount Vernon on your way to the San Juans (or to take in the Tulip Festival), Mexico Cafe is a perfect lunch or dinner stop. The Skagit Valley is home to thousands of Mexican-American families who play a big role in the local agricultural scene. One fringe benefit of this group's local influence is the presence of several high-quality Mexican food stores and restaurants, and Mexico Cafe is among the oldest and most popular of these. There's nothing fancy about the late '70's decor - complete with hand-painted murals of Aztec pyramids on the walls - and the food is just what you'd expect: tacos, enchiladas, burritos and 'especiales de la casa' like Chile Colorado and Chile Verde. But everything is prepared fresh on premises, made with high-quality ingredients and served with a smile (by a staffer wearing a Mariners jersey if there's a game on that day). The restaurant is often packed - expecially on Friday and Saturday nights when it seems like every extended family in town stops in - so leave a litle extra time if you're trying to make a boat in Anacortes. But if you love Tex-Mex and want to feel like a local, Mexico Cafe is the place to be.
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