Hanna's dishes out Mexican fusion in Arroyo Grande 

When SLO local Cesar Cortes and his family embarked on running a taco truck in 2020, they decided to name the mobile venture after Cortes' daughter, Hanna.

Cortes also had his daughter in mind when developing the menu for his brand's first brick-and-mortar location.

"I wanted to add a kids menu because sometimes when we go out, we struggle to find something for kids. Some places don't have kids menus," said Cortes, who opened Hanna's Mexican Fusion Restaurant in Arroyo Grande near the end of 2023.

click to enlarge

• Photo Courtesy Of Hanna's Mexican Fusion Restaurant
• EAT WHAT YOU SEA The taco selection at Hanna's Mexican Fusion Restaurant, which opened in Arroyo Grande in December, includes fresh salmon tacos.

The eatery offers fan-favorite staples from Cortes' food truck, based in Los Osos, and several new offerings, which marked their debut during the family-friendly venue's grand opening in December.

Burritos, quesadillas, tacos, and chicken nuggets are among the kids options at the restaurant. Cortes said that his daughter's personal favorite combo is numero uno, which includes an asada taco, rice, beans, and a choice between apple or orange juice, all for $8.75.

Cortes' favorite menu item, available to young and old, happens to be one of the eatery's most popular orders, he said.

click to enlarge

• Photo By Caleb Wiseblood
• ROOM TO GROW Hanna's started as a Los Osos-based food truck in 2020 and opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Arroyo Grande nearly four years later.

The local restaurateur recommends the mahi-mahi burrito—fresh mahi-mahi, pinto beans, rice, cheese, cabbage, and more, wrapped up in a flour tortilla.

Hanna's also offers mahi-mahi in its street taco selection. It's one of a handful of seafood options available, along with salmon, snapper, and shrimp. Each is served with cabbage and Hanna's Dressing, a house-made cilantro and vinegar sauce—while asada, pastor, carnitas, and chicken tacos come with onion and cilantro.

click to enlarge

• Photo Courtesy Of Hanna's Mexican Fusion Restaurant
• FAJITA HEAT Beef fajitas are one of the three fajita options available at Hanna's Mexican Fusion Restaurant. A fajita plate comes with rice, pinto beans, sour cream, and Hanna's salad, made with the restaurant's cilantro and vinegar dressing.

In addition, Hanna's brick-and-mortar has plenty of shareable appetizers available, including asada garlic fries, ahi poke, and shrimp cocktail.

"I recommend the nachos because it's a big plate, fit for a family. It's easy to share," said Cortes, whose nacho plates, priced at $12.50, are layered with pinto beans, jack cheese, tomato, black olives, onions, cilantro, sour cream, and—last, but definitely not least—a generous helping of guacamole.

Guac is also available for sale by the cup, via the sides section of the eatery's menu, along with Hanna's Dressing.

"We like to add little twists to our dressings, and our meals, and our sides," said Cortes, whose family chose the Mexican fusion route to help make Hanna's stand apart from traditional Mexican food trucks and restaurants in the area.

As a tribute to its street taco truck's home base in Los Osos, Hanna's offers a juicy cheeseburger known as the oso burger, served with french fries and composed of lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, cheese, bacon, and a beef patty. It's designed to sate a bear-sized appetite.

Cortes has bear-sized ambitions for Hanna's if its new Arroyo Grande location garners success, as he'd love the chance to open multiple locations—in Santa Barbara County, Southern California, and beyond—in the future.

While the Hanna's taco truck is frequently parked in a lot at 989 Los Osos Valley Road, where it's open for business multiple times a week, the mobile eatery is also available to book to cater private parties.

click to enlarge

• Photo Courtesy Of Hanna's Mexican Fusion Restaurant
• TRUCKIN' Open multiple days a week, Hanna's food truck is parked in a lot on Los Osos Valley Road to satisfy its patrons' street taco and burrito cravings. The truck is also available to cater large events.

Four years after starting the business, Cortes remembers day one of Hanna's like it was yesterday, partially due to an unfortunate mishap.

"On the first day, I dropped all the salsas," recalled Cortes, who was discouraged by the accident, but his brother and business partner convinced him to get over it and finish the day on a strong note.

"He was like, 'If you want to go, just go, but we're staying here,'" said Cortes, whose family had spent the last two years preparing to open Hanna's brick-and-mortar.

The project was a big group effort, said Cortes, whose brother and sister-in-law helped install the venue's tile flooring. Other family members pitched in on filling various duties to bring the restaurant to life.

The grand opening ceremony was held on Dec. 8. The relief Cortes felt when the restaurant was finally able to open its doors was like an early Christmas present, he said.

"We got a little rushed that afternoon," said Cortes, recalling the Arroyo Grande eatery's busy opening day. "Everyone was nervous, but excited at the same time." Δ

Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood might devour those nachos without sharing. Send comments to [email protected].