Taste Of Family
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JORDAN RANDALL | DESIGNED BY BRIANNA CHENOT
Four o’clock in the morning––ceiling lights illuminate colorful, papel picado banners as Roberto Peralta, Manuel Saladana and their staff prepare their restaurant and marketplace for another day of business. Fresh, handcrafted conchas, empanadas, and other Mexican delights are on the list to be made on site––including tortillas by hand. The panaderos (bakers) start early so every customer coming into Lakeland’s Mega Mercado experiences sweet breads and baked goods the traditional Mexican way.
If you’ve ever heard of—or at least never visited—this quaint yet vibrant hole-in-the-wall, Mega Mercado encompasses traditional Mexican dining with authenticity and pride. After opening under the leadership of local entrepreneur Don Hector, it has continued to serve the community as a staple for the last 15 years.
Dominican business owner Maria Peralta and her family first purchased the business from Hector almost five years ago. Peralta’s family has worked tirelessly to build a strong clientele for the beloved restaurant and marketplace that was first known to Lakelanders as “La Morenita.” On the weekends, you’ll find the line out the door as guests wait for their names to be called into the packed and lively restaurant space.
With a deep admiration and affinity for Mexican culture and delicacies, Peralta and her family revived the store by hiring lifelong Mexican bakers and Latin-American kitchen staff to bring true cultural flavors and recipes to every dish.
“Mexican cuisine has been our personal favorite over the years, and when we obtained ownership [of Mega Mercado] we knew we wanted to continue the legacy placed before us and committed to making it better,” explains Roberto.
Beyond the delicious enchiladas, tacos, mariscos and agua frescas, this nostalgic space offers visitors a true taste of Mexican culture. While the family owns several businesses in the Swan City community, Mega Mercado holds a special place in their heart as evidenced by the hard work and attention to details that is their standard.
“We pride ourselves in the quality we bring to the table,” shares Roberto, who serves as his mother’s eyes and ears for the business. “Every dish brings a different aspect of Mexican culture that pays homage to the restaurant’s roots.”
When it comes to the why behind the business’s longevity, Roberto admits the natural diversity of Mexico’s culinary palette is what inspired the family to keep the Mexican business concept. They have cultivated a restaurant team of nearly 20 employees to help bring the place to life. Their restaurant menu has a bit of everything—tiene de todo—from homemade tamales to flautas to quesadillas and more.
They craft all of their desserts in-house, with the culinary direction of their panadero (baker), Don Miguel, who has been a baker for four decades. The 70-year-old breadmaker played a pivotal role in training the other two bakers to master their skill to meet Mega Mercado’s demand for traditional confections like their iconic trés leches cake, which is soaked in three different milks to create a rich, moist treat.
“When you go to a cultural restaurant and notice a lot of natives of that culture coming to enjoy the food, you know you’ve stumbled on something truly authentic. While we serve a variety of people in our community, we have a huge influx of regulars that are Mexicans who love our foods and our atmosphere,” expresses Roberto.
With piñatas dangling from above and their brick walls adorned by mural replicas of Mexican cities, customers feel a sense of the mestizos’ way of life.
“We always say we serve innovative comida de casa—which means our food reminds you of your Mexican grandmother’s cooking.”
“We’ve had returning customers come from all over Florida. We once had a family drive here all the way from Daytona Beach because they loved our horchata agua fresca and said no other place served one as delicious as ours,” shares Manuel, who helps run the family business.
“We always say we serve innovative comida de casa––which means our food reminds you of your Mexican grandmother’s cooking,” he continues.
Refreshingly good and crafted in-house––their selection of agua frescas is unmatched, offering an array of favorites, such as horchata––an iced, cinnamon-infused milky beverage.
Mega Mercado also features a marketplace where locals can shop for Latin-American imports. They carry produce from all around Central and South America, including Hispanic households favorites, such as malanga (a root vegetable), plátano (plantains), guineo verde (green bananas) and more. You will also find a unique selection of carnes (meats) and helado (ice cream) to take home.
When the live mariachi band isn’t playing at the restaurant on Sundays, your ears are usually tickled by the romantic sounds of musica ranchera––Mexican-ranchera style music.