When I first heard of Sonoratown, I didn’t think anything of it. I assumed that the owner was trying to capitalize on a gimmicky name. Sonoratown kept appearing in my social media feed, and so I finally visited them. They reside on 8th Street in downtown LA.
Sonoratown is a taqueria owned by the husband and wife duo of Teodoro “Teo” Diaz-Rodriguez Jr. and Jennifer Feltham. They met, working at the same restaurant where Teo was a busboy and Jennifer worked as a host. They fell in love and got married. Teo introduced Jennifer to his hometown of San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico, where she experienced authentic Sonoran cuisine. The rest is history.
I arrived just as Sonoratown opened, and there were only two others in line in front of me. Due to COVID protocols, everyone adhered to social distancing. After entering, I wished that we weren’t restricted to spend more time examining the pictures, artwork, and various memorabilia hanging on their walls. I later learned that some of the photos were from Teo’s earlier days in Mexico.
Many of the best chefs in LA import ingredients to create the most authentic food possible. For example, Daniel Uditi of Pizzana imports flour, tomatoes, and fior di latte from Italy to make his famous pizzas. Similarly, Jennifer drives her truck to pick up flour produced by Harina Bonfil in San Luis Rio Colorado.
The big draw is their flour tortillas. They are made to order and are unlike any that you will find in LA. They use a Sonora tortilla press that remains hot and creates a much thinner tortilla. Biting into them, they are initially chewy, then instantly become super soft. The flavor of the meat takes over the experience. Both the LA and NY Times have featured their tortillas.
Their meat achieves its signature smoky taste by cooking it on a mesquite charcoal grill. While beef short ribs are expensive, they use them for their carne asada because of their superior flavor. Charred green onions and sliced radishes accompany their tacos.
The Lorenza is like a Mexican mini pizza. Unlike their other offerings, it is made with a crispy corn tortilla and topped with your choice of meat (try the carne asada or the chorizo, made by L.A.-based the Chori-man), melted Monterey jack, a smear of avocado sauce, and some spicy red salsa.
During Teo’s youth, his mother made chivichangas for breakfast, and they feature this mini burrito as a tribute to his mother. They char Anaheim chiles and stewed tomatoes over mesquite and combine them with shredded chicken.
Tripa (beef intestine) is both crisp and soft. The texture and smoky flavor nicely enhance the flour tortilla. Conversely, the chorizo is from Choriman, a gourmet chorizo vendor in San Pedro. It is flavorful and not dripping with fat like storebought chorizo.
Sonoratown, 208 E 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014; 213.628.3710; website