Oversaturation of Mexican food trucks in Sioux Falls pushed La Fondita to Tea, where business is thriving

Symmone Gauer, Sioux Falls Argus Leader
·3 min read

For Maria Magaña, running a food truck has been a dream come true.

"I love cooking," she said. "I wake up, and it's power for me."

Magaña moved to Sioux Falls 17 years ago, and at the time, there weren't many traditional Mexican food options around. She started selling her authentic Mexican food at the fair after a friend asked her, and then she made food for weddings and quinceañeras.

Her success led her to open her own food truck three years ago — La Fondita,

Magaña recently moved to set up shop in Tea, South Dakota. The area where La Fondita had been in Sioux Falls, Magaña said, was starting to become oversaturated in the Hispanic food market, and the competition with other businesses made things hard.

Maria Magaña, owner of La Fondita, moved her food truck to Tea, South Dakota, to escape the Hispanic food market in Sioux Falls and be close to her sister's upcoming bakery. Monday was her first day open in Tea.
Maria Magaña, owner of La Fondita, moved her food truck to Tea, South Dakota, to escape the Hispanic food market in Sioux Falls and be close to her sister's upcoming bakery. Monday was her first day open in Tea.

Relocating the food truck to a small-but-growing community is something Magaña's already loving.

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"It's very busy," Magaña said, discussing how business was already doing well on her opening day in Tea on Monday. "The people are very, very nice. ...It's a very nice community."

Community is something important to Magaña, as is family, which includes her son, daughter, sister and partner Bill Hartwick. Magaña and Hartwick own and run La Fondita together, and Magaña jokes that he's not allowed to touch the kitchen.

La Fondita food truck in Tea, features authentic Mexican dishes such as tacos, tortas (Mexican sandwiches) and burritos. New this year are carnitas plates (rice, beans and pork) and barbacoa plates (rice, beans and beef).
La Fondita food truck in Tea, features authentic Mexican dishes such as tacos, tortas (Mexican sandwiches) and burritos. New this year are carnitas plates (rice, beans and pork) and barbacoa plates (rice, beans and beef).

"It's my place," she laughed.

Moving the food truck to Tea, though, is something Magaña couldn't have done without the help of her sister, Tina Terry, who will be opening up her own Valentina's Pastries in the building that La Fondita is parked in front of.

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Magaña and her sister have always been very close, growing up in a family with 11 children, and the opportunity to have their businesses right next to each other makes them even closer.

Maria Magaña, owner of La Fondita, says cooking is her passion and that it had always been a dream to open a food truck. Moving her business to Tea means she's able to be closer to her sister, who is opening a bakery in the building behind where La Fondita is now parked.
Maria Magaña, owner of La Fondita, says cooking is her passion and that it had always been a dream to open a food truck. Moving her business to Tea means she's able to be closer to her sister, who is opening a bakery in the building behind where La Fondita is now parked.

"We're together for everything ... always helping each other," Magaña said.

Terry also provides the fresh-baked bread used in Magaña's tortas, which are Mexican sandwiches filled with ingredients like chorizo sausage, pork, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and spicy salsa.

La Fondita open Monday through Saturday in Tea

Tacos and burritos are the other staples on La Fondita's menu and are very popular with customers.

New this year are carnitas plates, which are plates of rice, beans and braised or deep-fried pork, available on the menu on Fridays. The dish originates in the Mexican state of Michoacán, which is where Magaña is from; it's a region known for its diverse dishes and varieties of flavor.

Carnitas are the newest item on the La Fondita menu, available on Fridays. Carnitas plates have rice, beans and braised or deep-fried pork. The dish originates in the Mexican state of Michoacán, which is where owner Maria Magaña is from.
Carnitas are the newest item on the La Fondita menu, available on Fridays. Carnitas plates have rice, beans and braised or deep-fried pork. The dish originates in the Mexican state of Michoacán, which is where owner Maria Magaña is from.

On Wednesdays, there are special barbacoa plates, which is beef, rice and beans, and on Saturdays, they serve tostadas.

Although La Fondita has found its permeant home parked at 120 East First Street in Tea, it will still be making an appearance at this year's Cinco de Mayo Fiesta in Sioux Falls May 7.

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La Fondita operates Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Magaña feels very supported in her move, and she's glad to continue doing the work she loves for herself and for her kids.

"I'm so happy to be here," she said.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls' La Fondita Mexican food truck relocates to Tea