Vargas Mexican Market

Vargas Mexican Market, which trades today as Vargas Market & Taqueria, is a family owned and operated Mexican grocery with a taqueria inside, at 5201 Sonoma Boulevard in north Vallejo, in the run of shopping centres along Highway 29 near the Redwood Parkway junction. Jamie Vargas is the owner. The market's own site and its Facebook and Instagram pages present the two halves of the business side by side: the aisles and counters of a Latin American grocery, and a kitchen turning out tacos.

Groceries and the taqueria

The site organises the store by department, the way a Mexican market in a Bay Area suburb usually runs: produce with chiles, tomatillos and nopales; a butcher counter with marinated meats for carne asada and al pastor; dairy, cheeses and cremas; dry goods, spices and dried chiles; tortillas and pan dulce; and drinks from aguas frescas to Jarritos. The taqueria menu the business describes is the classic one, tacos, fajitas and enchiladas made with fresh ingredients, and it also does catering with items such as carne asada and quesadillas for parties and office lunches.

Shoppers who cannot find an ingredient at a chain supermarket in Vallejo tend to end up here.

Shopping and ordering

For the grocery side, ask at the butcher counter how meat is sold, by the pound or by the tray, and whether marinated cuts can be ordered ahead for a weekend. For the taqueria, check whether ordering is at the counter or by phone and whether there is seating or takeout only. For catering, call several days ahead with the head count, the dishes you want, whether you need it delivered or will pick up, and what serving equipment is included; ask for a written order with the price and the deposit. Hours are not confirmed on this page, so call before a late-evening trip.

North Vallejo and the Solano side

Customers come from across Vallejo and from Benicia, American Canyon, Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville, Napa and Crockett. Sonoma Boulevard is Highway 29, so the market is a straight drive from American Canyon and Napa to the north and from the Carquinez Bridge to the south.

Call 707-642-4457, or find the market on Facebook and Instagram as Vargas Market & Taqueria, where menu and catering updates appear.