El Naranjo is set to bid farewell to the Austin community. The restaurant will serve the final meal on July 18, 2026. Owners Chef Iliana de la Vega and Ernesto Torrealba shared the news with diners through a social media post.
Chef Iliana de la Vega Announces El Naranjo’s Closure
The owners of El Naranjo announced the closure on June 10. The restaurant, located at 2717 S Lamar Blvd, Ste 1085 in Austin, did not cite the reason for closure in the announcement post. A report by Culture Map Austin states that the owners have decided not to renew their current restaurant’s lease to retire partially.
The post read, “It is with deep emotion that I share with you the news that El Naranjo will be closing its doors.” The owners stated that the business was born out of love and passion for cooking. As the restaurant is preparing farewell specials, the owners invited diners to visit in the final days.
The post ended with a thank you note for the community, citing, “Thank you for welcoming our whole family when we had nothing but our recipes and hope. And for returning, again and again, to enjoy our history, traditions, culture, and the food of our family, with us.”
The closure ends a 15-year Austin run and nearly three decades of the El Naranjo name since its 1997 Oaxaca founding.
From Oaxaca to Austin: El Naranjo’s Journey
El Naranjo was first opened in Oaxaca, Mexico. Iliana de la Vega and Ernesto Torrealba are the founders of the restaurant. The restaurant has become popular nationally over the years and was featured on the cover of Bon Appétit in 2003.
Political unrest in Oaxaca in 2006 forced the couple to close their original restaurant and relocate to the United States. Upon arrival in Texas, de la Vega became a chef instructor and Mexican cuisine specialist at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio.
In the meantime, Torrealba started designing plans for a food trailer idea that eventually turned into Austin’s El Naranjo.
El Naranjo’s Chef Iliana de la Vega emerged as one of the most respected voices in Mexican cuisine. In 2022, de la Vega won the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef: Texas for years of promoting traditional Mexican cuisine.
Through the years, El Naranjo gained a reputation for offering regional Mexican cuisine. The menu features tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, bacon, and mimosas, among other food items. The family-run establishment uses traditional methods and ingredients.
