Taqueria Monterrey Rochester

Monterrey cooking at Culver and Atlantic

Simon Tovar and Andrea Garza began with a food truck in 2023 and opened their Culver Road restaurant in 2024. Tovar grew up in Rochester; Garza grew up in Monterrey, Nuevo León. Their kitchen gives the city a focused northern Mexican menu rather than a long catalogue of unrelated combination plates.

Five-taco orders come on corn tortillas with onion and cilantro, accompanied by sautéed onion and potatoes. Bistec is seasoned steak; trompo is thin-sliced marinated pork; barbacoa is slow-cooked pulled beef; pollo is marinated chicken. The mixed order allows several proteins. The tortilla-making and a choice of house salsas give a simple taco enough variation without requiring cream and cheese over every piece.

The lunch menu, offered 11 a.m.–3 p.m., reduces the taco order to three and changes the accompaniment to rice and beans. A diner comparing lunch with a five-taco plate is therefore comparing both size and sides. Quesadillas use flour and Chihuahua cheese: Pirata takes bistec, Gringa takes trompo and Campechana combines the two. Tortas move the fillings into toasted telera with beans, vegetables, mayonnaise, guacamole and cheese.

A small dining room with straightforward access

The address is 627 Culver Road, at Atlantic Avenue; 585-360-4545. Hours are Monday–Saturday 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sunday is closed. The counter-service dining room has around twenty seats, with takeout a significant part of the operation. A lot behind the building supplements street parking in front.

Direct ordering offers pickup and delivery. The food truck continues to appear at local events, with its location and service separate from the restaurant. For a larger wrapped meal, burritos use flour with rice, pinto beans, cooked peppers, vegetables, cheese and chipotle dressing; chicken flautas offer a crisp alternative.

Order from the Culver Road restaurant.