La Calentana Mexican Store & Restaurant
Located at 1725 W Memorial Blvd in Lakeland, Florida, La Calentana Mexican Store & Restaurant offers an authentic Mexican dining experience that beautifully blends rich flavors and cozy ambiance. This family-friendly restaurant, complete with a market offering traditional Mexican products, has earned a reputation for its mouthwatering tacos, hearty breakfast options, and top-notch service. Whether you're here for a casual meal with friends or a family gathering, La Calentana stands out as a spot that truly embraces Mexican culinary traditions while offering a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
A Flavorful Menu with Authentic Mexican Dishes
The menu at La Calentana Mexican Store & Restaurant is a true celebration of Mexican cuisine, showcasing a variety of tacos, hearty breakfasts, seafood specials, and lunch specials that keep customers coming back for more. Notable taco choices like Taco de Maiz, Taco de Lengua, and Taco de Tripa offer a range of proteins seasoned to perfection, providing an authentic taste of Mexico in every bite. The Huevos Rancheros and Huevos con Chorizo are standout options for breakfast, served with a side of fresh, warm tortillas. Seafood lovers can indulge in Camarones a la Plancha or Camarones a la Diabla, while the Alambre Lunch and Parrillada Lunch provide an ideal selection for a filling meal.
For sides, the restaurant serves classic Frijoles, Arroz, and crispy French Fries, perfect to complement any main dish. If you're in the mood for something sweet, their Churros and Coconut Flan are popular dessert choices. And for those seeking something unique, be sure to check out their Weekend Specials like Caldo de Res or Quesabirria (available on weekends only), which add a special touch to your dining experience.
A Dining Experience That Caters to All
What sets La Calentana Mexican Store & Restaurant apart is its exceptional range of services designed to accommodate various preferences. The restaurant offers delivery, takeout, and catering, making it a convenient choice for any occasion. It also has outdoor seating and heated outdoor seating options for guests looking to enjoy their meal in the fresh air. The restaurant’s wheelchair accessibility and gender-neutral restrooms further demonstrate its commitment to providing an inclusive dining environment.
Whether you're planning a casual lunch or dinner, La Calentana is an excellent choice for groups and families. They also provide free Wi-Fi, ensuring that you can stay connected while enjoying your meal. The cozy atmosphere is complemented by TVs for entertainment, and for those craving a drink, the restaurant serves beer and wine, with happy hour specials to make your visit even more enjoyable.
Reviews
La Calentana Mexican Store and Restaurant is a small market with a few food trucks outside. Service is friendly, but the ordering and paying process is a little awkward. You order at the truck and then go inside the market and pay. I ordered lamb, asada and chorizo tacos and all were good. It came with both a green and red sauce and both were very good, though I liked the red a bit more. They have tables outside and it was pleasant enough to hang out and enjoy my tacos. Prices were great, as well. Five tacos were just over eleven dollars tax included. All in all, I would definitely recommend La Calentana Mexican Store and Restaurant. I will give it five stars overall.
Wrote my first review of La Calentana 3.5 years ago. Being from California, with a wife from San Diego, and having been on missions trips to Tijuana where you can find the best tacos in the world, finding great tacos was a must after our move to Florida. For years, La Calentana, 40 minutes from our home, has been that place. My wife and I sent our kids to California to visit grandma. The little brats took a picture of tacos from our favorite taco place in the world, showing they were having tacos and we weren't. So wife and I got in the car, drove to La Calentana, and got tacos. We expanded our normal order and got rolled tacos and a shrimp taco. First, this is still the best place we have found from St. Augustine all the way down to Miami, to get tacos in Florida. The location has expanded as it should. They keep upgrading the taco area. Nice shade, more tables, and the added truck for those fruity drinks. The carne asada was even a little better than normal this time. The meat was super lean and flavorful. I read some of the people who complain about the thin sliced meat. PEOPLE, this is carne asada, not fajitas. Anyone who doesn't complains doesn't know Mexican food. Normally, I would say stick with the carne asada; it is sooooo good. However, and I can't believe I am saying this, I might split my order in the future between carne asada and the shrimp taco. Possibly the best shrimp taco I have had outside Tijuana. Different than what I had there, but dang, the flavor was outstanding. Least I forget, the rolled tacos, they appear to be hand made after you order them, so expect a little extra time. Seriously, though, do you understand the quality of service and food to have homemade rolled tacos? That should tell you all you need to know about La Calentana. It is easily the best tacos in Florida, that we have found, and it has been so for over 3.5 years. Go and enjoy. You can thank me later.
This place has been my favorite taco truck for over 5 years! They can never do wrong! The load up the cilantro on the street tacos and the food comes out quickly
This place is phenomenal, A little roadside store with a side kitchen/trailer offering flavorful authentic Mexican food! I have the steak burrito with Avocado, cilantro, onion. It comes with a side of rice and beans and was the absolute best
This place should be the spot, corn tortillas are off the hook and all the protein is seasoned correctly . the place would do fine in San Jose Ca best in central Florida so far by a long shot. Food came out quick I recommend you eat it there to enjoy your hot plate.