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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