De Leon Foods

I've been a huge fan of De Leon's for years. From the hard-to-find things in their grocery area to the seasoned meats and the deli, they do a great job. Always one of my favorite Mexican spots.

De Leon's on East Sprague isn't really a restaurant with a store attached — it's a Mexican market with a kitchen in it, and the two halves are the point. The grocery aisles carry things you won't find elsewhere in the Valley, the meat counter sells its own seasoned cuts, and the deli side turns the same ingredients into lunch.

First-timers do get thrown by the layout, so here's the useful bit: walk past the groceries and order at the counter, then shop while you wait. Service is counter-and-tray, not table service — you carry your own food to a seat. It's not a sit-down dinner destination and it isn't trying to be. For what it is, there's nothing else quite like it around here.