El Tejavan · the front porch
Tejavan means front porch.
The restaurant is named for the porch José and Patricia Murguia added to their store on Grand Street, back when they were selling tacos and tortas on the side.
How it happened
From a store counter to two dining rooms.
Told the way El Tejavan tells it.
A store on Grand Street
José and Patricia Murguia ran a convenience store on Grand Street.
Tacos and tortas on the side
They started selling tacos and tortas from the store to earn extra money.
A front porch
They added a front porch, turned the space into a restaurant, and named it El Tejavan, Spanish for "the front porch."
Recipes from Guadalajara
The Murguia family and their extended relatives cook homemade family recipes from their native city of Guadalajara, with fresh hand-made corn tortillas daily.
Two restaurants on I-40
Today El Tejavan runs two full-service dining rooms along the I-40 corridor in Amarillo, at East & Grand and at West & Paramount, cooking for locals and for travelers passing through.
Still on the menu
Tacos first.
The family started with tacos and tortas, and both are still on the menu: a three-taco plate with rice, beans and guacamole for $16, and the torta for $15.