Maria and Pompeyo Martinez originally sold imported spices and chilies from their car to the local community before grounding the business in this slim East Village storefront in 2000. Named after their hometown in Puebla, Zaragoza functions as a tight corridor of commerce that blurs the line between neighborhood bodega and homestyle kitchen. The front of the shop is lined with the specific necessities of a Mexican pantry – dried peppers, proprietary hot sauces, and bags of imported snacks – while the back is dedicated to a busy food counter.
The menu shifts daily based on what the family has prepared from scratch, a rotation that often includes goat, tongue, and ground chorizo alongside staples like al pastor and chipotle chicken. Even the tortilla chips are fried in-house. Burritos are the primary currency here, substantial enough to feed two people and occasionally served wet, smothered in red and green salsa.
The space itself is pint-sized and utilitarian. Seating is largely theoretical – usually just a bench or a squeeze at a lone table – so you are likely taking your order to go or eating quickly near the entrance. It remains a strictly family-run operation, with the Martinez family, including son Ruben, still manning the counter and keeping the kitchen running well into the night.
Zaragoza Deli