Inspiring Conversations with Adriana Zapata of Adamex

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adriana Zapata.

Hi Adriana, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
We opened this restaurant in July 2022. This location was previously a long-standing restaurant, Azteca, for close to 40 years. We are the construction company that remodeled the entire restaurant in 2019; in working with the owners, we formed a relationship. After the pandemic, they came to us to offer the business, and we were excited to take it. The first year was slow, and we were learning how to run a restaurant, but in September of 2023, it all changed. We started making an extra large concha and serving it with an also extra large cup of coffee. An influencer saw our page, came to check it out, and posted it on her page. From that moment on, it blew up! It was a Monday morning, my daughter had opened the restaurant, and she called me at 5 am saying, “Mom, something is going on, and you need to get over here!”; I thought something had happened. Then she said, “There is a line of people waiting to come in.” they were there to get the XL Concha.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, although we are surrounded by great employees and a very supportive family. The employees from the previous restaurant stayed with us, which made the transition very smooth. A big struggle has been learning how to run a restaurant along the way. I have my 3 kids here working with us: Justin, 24, Brandy, 21, and Betito, 14. They are hard-working and very committed to seeing this business succeed.

As you know, we’re big fans of Adamex. What can you tell our readers who might not be as familiar with the brand?
My husband and I are very dedicated to providing our family with a stable foundation to continue the businesses we have formed. I worked in school district procurement for 15 years, and my husband worked in construction for 30 years. We started with a construction company, and that moved us into the restaurant business. It was not what we were expecting, but we are happy to have it. We are committed to providing an authentic Mexican experience. When a customer walks into the restaurant, we want them to feel at home, to be reminded of Mexican culture and traditions, but mostly the warm and inviting atmosphere.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, both my husband and I were very hard-working. He immigrated from Chihuahua, Mexico, to the US in 1990 and went straight to work in construction. I grew up in Buckeye, AZ, and have always held a job since I was 14 years old. We love traveling as time permits, camping, hunting, and, mostly, we love spending time with family.

Pricing:

• XL Conchas are $19 and should be pre-ordered a day before
• We offer catering and can deliver and set up in offices or events.
• We also offer formal catering.
• We have a food truck here in the restaurant parking lot Fri-Sun 7 pm – 1 am
• Come and try our Green Chile burrito enchilada style, the most popular dish.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cocinaadamex.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cocinaadamex
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cocinaadamex