Cielito Lindo began as not much more than a few wooden tables and benches, a charcoal burning bracero and a wooden shack to store a few supplies.

Running water was not available so the water was drawn from the gas station directly behind the stand. The food was cooked at home and bundled in cloth “manteles” to be carried to Olvera Street daily by trolley.

Later, the family rented a small kitchen on Commercial Street in a building near the Placita Church.

Thus began our family tradition that has now also become a tradition for hundreds of Angelenos and visitors.



The tortillas are made with wholesome ingredients without the use of preservatives.

Our taquitos are rolled using freshly made warm tortillas.

For our world famous avocado sauce we use fresh ripened avocados and add no preservatives.

Taquitos are cooked and served hot right in front of the customer.

Each taquito comes out golden and crispy for you to enjoy.

Hungry?

History
Aurora Guerrero left the rural mountain village of Huanusco, Zacatecas, Mexico in the late 1920's searching for her husband who had traveled north with the "Bracero" program three years earlier. She packed her meager belongings and headed for the City of Los Angeles with her three small children, Natalia, Manuel and Belen.

In Los Angeles the depression brought many hardships to the single parent family which now included little Ralph and Rose.


Aurora cleaned houses and parishes whenever possible, she also worked in a foundry and the family went on the agricultural circuit, "las piscas," to survive the hard times. They lived in various parts of the city including, the Bunker Hill area, Aliso Village, Downtown, Palo Verde which is now the home of Dodger Stadium, and Lincoln Heights.



Belen was the first to find work in Olvera Street in the early 1930's. Soon the founder of Olvera Street, Mrs. Christine Sterling, accepted the little family into the Olvera Street community and Don Alejandro Diaz Velasco, showed them how things were done on Olvera Street. Aurora sold curios, Mexican novelties, and religious articles while Natalia and Belen worked for various shopkeepers and little Ralph shined shoes.


Later they began to sell food out of a small closet they rented from Henry Fritz and Rafael Vega the owners of Caliente Cantina, later to be known as El Paseo Inn. They were very successful but soon they were forced to leave that location.

Natalia worked at the food stand which was located on the corner of Cesar Chavez Boulevard, then known as Macy Street, and Alameda Street. Even though business at the stand was slow, when the owner abruptly decided to return to Mexico, Natalia and Aurora borrowed $300 to purchase the business.


Next, the family requested permission from Mrs. Sterling, to start their own business at that location. Mrs. Sterling readily agreed but her only stipulation was to, "sell something different".


Aurora worked on several recipes and finally developed her own style of home-made taquitos with guacamole sauce. Upon perfecting her unique recipe, she and Natalia rushed to get final approval from Mrs. Sterling for Cielito Lindo and the rest is history.

For almost 80 years, Cielito Lindo has been selling "Grama" Aurora Guerrero's taquitos with guacamole sauce, which have delighted generations of local customers as well as visitors to Olvera Street from all parts of the world. Over the years this Los Angeles tradition has remained unchanged and is still a perfect combination of simple and wholesome ingredients.



1930’s downtown L. A.

As business improved the family was able to buy a truck for deliveries. Soon taquitos were made in the commercial kitchen in Lincoln Heights.

1951

Celebrating New Years 1952
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