Rosa Maria’s in Hesperia is a delicious destination for lovers of Mexican food

The expression “The nose knows” is a perfect opening line for this week’s profile of a new eating place in Hesperia.

It is Rosa Maria’s, the newest location for the popular “destination” restaurant that started almost 50 years ago by Jose and Guadalupe Robles.

Rosa Maria’s has announced it is “super excited” about coming to the High Desert, but we’re getting ahead of our story.

Orange groves and lunch

It was the nose ─ actually, several noses ─ that set in motion what became the first Rosa Maria’s that opened in San Bernardino in 1975.

That location is still in business, and four more locations have opened since then.

Those who remember the town of Highland recall homes surrounded by orange groves.

Jose was one of many workers who toiled in the groves every day. From tending to citrus trees to becoming a restaurateur was not exactly a direct jump for the Robles family, but the meals that started it all were created by Guadalupe, who had learned to cook at an early age.

While her husband was at work, she spent her days as a busy homemaker, working in the kitchen preparing meals for the family. And Jose brought his lunch to work every morning, arriving with aromatic burritos filled with meat, rice and beans neatly tucked and rolled in Guadalupe’s freshly made tortillas.

Those tortillas were the first step for many of the dishes she prepared ─ especially those wonderful burritos ─ and Jose’s co-workers raved about how good his lunches smelled.

They were more than happy to taste-test his burritos, too, and soon there was such a demand, Guadalupe was making extra burritos and more for Jose to share with the crew.

Of course, Guadalupe had other culinary specialties, and eventually the idea of starting a restaurant one day began to take shape.

Destination Hesperia

Today, the High Desert can boast about its own Rosa Maria’s Drive-in Mexican Food To Go.

With Rosa Maria’s well-established reputation preceding its arrival in Hesperia, hungry High Desert foodies who enjoy familiar and traditional Mexican foods like tacos, quesadillas, burritos and more find Rosa Maria’s food tasty and filling.

The signature best seller in the restaurant’s burrito family is the Garbage Burrito, which features your choice of meat ─ pork Colorado, pork verde or chicken ─ wrapped with cheese, beans and rice plus tomatoes, lettuce and onions.

The way you like it

If you like extra cheese in your taco or burrito or crave extra sour cream or additional guacamole, Rosa Maria’s can accommodate. The fresh-made items you order can easily enhanced by a bit extra in the item or provided neatly on the side.

Menudo lovers, take note. It is served all day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A large bowl is $12.25.

Burrito breakfasts are served daily from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The basic burrito is potatoes, eggs and cheese for $6.75. A burrito with bacon, sausage or chorizo is $7.85.

Combo plates and kids’ meals make their mark on the menu as well, with chip and salsa, two sizes of chips and cheese and two sizes each of chips cheese and meat as well as chips, cheese, beans, meat, sour cream and avocado sauce are available as well.

Easy order and minimal wait time

While the drive-thru window is not quite ready for business ─ the goal is to open for business the end of May ─ orders are taken and picked up at clearly marked windows in the area that doubles as the patio. Online and phone-app ordering are now available.

Friendly servers, trained by Nikki Brakefield who started with Rosa Maria’s when it first opened and who is often in Hesperia to greet you, can take care of everything including special requests. For many diners, Nikki is one of the reasons they enjoy Rosa Maria’s. She exemplifies “service with a smile.”

Your order is boxed and ready “to go” or you can dine in the patio area. Fountain drinks are also self-serve several varieties of soft drinks, iced teas and water located along the wall. Bottled drinks are available as are white or chocolate milk and coffee.

And finally …

Word is that the “nose still knows” when talking about Rosa Maria’s. Everything you order from Rosa Maria’s restaurant still smells as wonderful as it tastes.

Good to know.

When you go

What: Rosa Maria’s Authentic Mexican Food, 15471 Bear Valley Rd, Hesperia.

When: Open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Information: The phone app and online ordering are available now. A drive-thru will open soon. Catering is available. Outdoor/patio dining is available. Facebook, www.rosamarias.com.

If you want a restaurant profiled in Dining Around, please text/voicemail 760-953-8682 or email kaynhuey@aol.com.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Rosa Maria’s in Hesperia is a delicious destination