Mexican Restaurant Equipment & Supplies
Griddles, charbroilers, fryers, chef bases and drink dispensers for taquerias, Mexican restaurants and taco trucks, at wholesale prices. Call 206-419-5801.
Mexican Restaurant Equipment and Supplies
A Mexican kitchen runs on a hot flat-top, a charbroiler, a fryer that never stops and a line of pans holding beans, rice, meats and salsas at the right temperature. Whether you are opening a taqueria, a full-service Mexican restaurant, a Tex-Mex cantina or a taco truck, the equipment has to keep up with a menu where most plates are built to order in a couple of minutes. Mexican Restaurant Equipment is a site from The Restaurant Warehouse, and this page walks through each station of a Mexican kitchen, what to buy for it and how to size it.
You can browse everything in one place in our Mexican restaurant equipment collection, or call 206-419-5801 and tell us what is on your menu.
Griddles: The Workhorse for Tortillas, Quesadillas and Fajitas
The flat-top griddle does the job of a comal at restaurant volume. It warms and toasts tortillas, crisps quesadillas, sears fajita vegetables and finishes meats for tacos. Our Atosa gas griddles come in two styles.
Manual griddles such as the ATMG-24 (24-inch, 60,000 BTU), ATMG-36 (36-inch, 90,000 BTU) and ATMG-48 (48-inch, 120,000 BTU) have a 3/4-inch steel plate and simple valves. Cooks set zones by feel, which suits taquerias that run hot all day.
Thermostatic griddles such as the ATTG-24 (50,000 BTU), ATTG-36 (75,000 BTU) and ATTG-48 (100,000 BTU) have a thicker 1-inch plate and hold a set temperature, which helps when different cooks share the station.
Many kitchens run one zone hot for searing and one cooler for warming tortillas. A 36-inch griddle covers most taquerias; busy restaurants and breakfast taco shops often go to 48 inches.
Charbroilers for Carne Asada and Pollo Asado
Carne asada, pollo asado, arrachera and grilled vegetables want real char. Atosa countertop radiant charbroilers include the 24-inch ATRC-24 (70,000 BTU) and the 36-inch ATRC-36 (105,000 BTU), in natural gas or propane. Set a countertop charbroiler on a refrigerated chef base and the meat for the next order is one step from the grate.
Ranges for Beans, Rice, Salsas and Guisados
Behind the griddle and broiler, the range handles refried beans, Mexican rice, simmered salsas, mole, pozole and guisados. Atosa gas ranges include the 36-inch six-burner AGR-6B with oven (219,000 BTU) and larger eight and ten-burner models. If space is tight, combination ranges put burners and a griddle in one footprint:
AGR-6B24GR: 60 inches, six burners, a 24-inch griddle and two ovens.
AGR-4B36GR: 60 inches, four burners, a 36-inch griddle and two ovens.
AGR-36G: a 36-inch griddle-top range with an oven, for kitchens that cook almost everything on the flat-top.
Fryers for Chips, Churros and Flautas
Fresh tortilla chips are a signature at most Mexican restaurants, and they keep the fryer busy along with flautas, taquitos, chimichangas and churros. Atosa floor fryers include:
ATFS-35ES: 35 lb, ENERGY STAR, 60,000 BTU.
ATFS-40: 40 lb, 102,000 BTU on natural gas.
ATFS-50: 50 lb, 136,000 BTU on natural gas.
ATFS-75: 75 lb, 170,000 BTU on natural gas, for high-volume chip production.
Electric countertop fryers like the ACEF-16 (16 lb) and the two-tank ACEF-32 suit small counters and trucks. Because chips and churros are judged on clean flavor, a portable fryer filter such as the FPOF-50 or FPOF-80 pays for itself by stretching oil life. Run chips and churros in a separate fryer from proteins when you can.
Chef Bases Under the Cooking Line
Refrigerated chef bases put cold storage directly under the griddle and charbroiler, which is where steak, chicken, al pastor and shrimp need to be. Atosa chef bases come in sizes to match the equipment on top: the 36-inch MGF8448GR (4.7 cu. ft.), the 48-inch MGF8450GR (7.7 cu. ft.), the 60-inch MGF8452GR with extended top, and four-drawer models like the 72-inch MGF8453GR (12.1 cu. ft.). Freezer chef bases such as the MGF8458GR keep frozen items close to the fryer.
Hot Holding for Beans, Rice, Meats and Salsas
A taco or burrito line only moves fast if beans, rice, carnitas, barbacoa and sauces are hot and ready. Food holding and warming equipment keeps pans at serving temperature through the rush. For soups and broths like consommé, menudo or charro beans, a Thunder Group SEJ38000C 10.5-quart soup and food warmer holds a batch at the counter.
Prep Refrigeration for the Taco Line and Salsa Bar
Toppings make the plate: onion and cilantro, pico de gallo, salsas, crema, cheese, lettuce, limes and radishes. A refrigerated prep table keeps them in pans at the build station. Atosa models run from the 27-inch MSF8301GR with eight pans to the 60-inch MSF8303GR with sixteen pans. Add reach-in refrigerators and freezers for backup product and a walk-in cooler once you are buying produce and proteins by the case.
Aguas Frescas, Horchata and Frozen Drinks
Drinks are high margin at Mexican restaurants, and the right equipment makes them easy to serve.
Aguas frescas and horchata: refrigerated Eurodib dispensers keep jamaica, horchata, tamarindo and agua de sandía cold and circulating, from the one-bowl CD1J110 to the four-bowl CD4J110, each bowl holding 3 gallons.
Frozen drinks: Eurodib slush machines come in one, two and three-bowl models (OASIS1, OASIS2 and OASIS3), each bowl holding 2.6 gallons, for frozen margaritas where you serve alcohol, or for frozen lemonade and fruit drinks.
Tea and lemonade: beverage dispensers and Atosa tea dispensers handle iced tea.
Ice: an ice machine sized for drinks, from the 140 lb undercounter Atosa YRU0140A up to 350 and 450 lb modular machines.
Taco Trucks and Street Food
Taco trucks need the same core line in a much smaller space. Our food truck equipment includes compact 24-inch griddles and charbroilers, countertop fryers and worktop refrigeration. Most trucks run on propane, so order the LP version of each gas unit, and confirm your generator can handle refrigeration and any electric fryer.
Sample Equipment Lists
Taqueria
36-inch griddle and a 24-inch charbroiler on a 48-inch chef base
One 40 or 50 lb fryer for chips, plus a fryer filter
Four or six-burner range for beans, rice and salsas
Food holding equipment for meats and sides
Refrigerated prep table, reach-in refrigerator and freezer
Aguas frescas dispenser and an undercounter ice machine
Full-Service Mexican Restaurant
60-inch combination range with burners, griddle and ovens
36-inch charbroiler on a chef base
Two fryers, one for chips and one for proteins
Walk-in cooler, reach-ins and prep tables
Slush machine for frozen margaritas, drink dispensers and a modular ice machine
Dishwasher, hand sinks and a compartment sink
Taco Truck
24-inch propane griddle and countertop charbroiler
Countertop fryer
Worktop refrigeration and hot holding
Sinks and Dishwashing
Sheet pans, hotel pans, salsa containers and griddle tools pile up fast on a busy night. Plan hand sinks near the prep table and the line, a compartment sink large enough for hotel pans and stock pots, and a dishwasher sized to your covers. Our commercial sinks include wall-mount hand sinks and one, two and three-compartment sinks, and our commercial dishwashers include Fagor high-temperature undercounter and hood-type machines, plus glass washers for the bar.
Planning a New Mexican Restaurant Kitchen
Whether you are opening a single taqueria or a large cantina, the order of decisions is the same, and getting it right keeps equipment from holding up your opening date.
Build the Line Around Your Best Sellers
List your top dishes and how each one is cooked. A street-taco menu leans on the griddle and charbroiler; a Tex-Mex menu with combination plates needs more range burners, holding and fryer capacity; a breakfast taco shop lives on the flat-top. Size each station for your busiest hour, not an average day.
Fit the Line to the Hood
The exhaust hood decides how much cooking equipment you can run. Measure the hood length, then work out how a griddle, charbroiler, fryers and range fit under it, with chef bases underneath where they save steps. A combination range can free up hood space when the kitchen is small.
Confirm Gas and Electrical Service
Griddles, charbroilers, fryers and ranges add up to a lot of BTU, so have a licensed contractor confirm the gas supply before you order, and decide between natural gas and propane, because each unit is built for one or the other. Check electrical service for refrigeration, ice machines, slush machines and drink dispensers.
Order in the Right Sequence
Order long-lead items such as walk-in coolers and hood systems first, then the cooking line, refrigeration and ice machine a few weeks before inspections, and smallwares and drink equipment last. Run every piece of equipment before your soft opening, and check with your local health department early about what they need to see before you open.
Why Buy From The Restaurant Warehouse
The Restaurant Warehouse sells commercial kitchen equipment at wholesale pricing. Atosa equipment is run for 24 hours at the factory before it ships, and it carries ETL Sanitation and cETLus listings. Atosa refrigeration, including chef bases and prep tables, is covered by a 3-year parts and labor warranty plus a 5-year compressor warranty, and Atosa gas cooking equipment carries a 1-year warranty. Most in-stock Atosa units ship within one business day with free freight to the lower 48; see each product page for details.
Mexican Restaurant Equipment FAQ
What size griddle does a taqueria need?
A 36-inch griddle covers most taquerias. Busy restaurants and breakfast taco shops often choose 48 inches, or pair a griddle with a separate charbroiler.
Manual or thermostatic griddle?
Manual griddles are simple and run hot, which suits experienced cooks. Thermostatic griddles hold a set temperature and have a thicker plate, which helps consistency when several cooks share the station.
What fryer is best for tortilla chips?
A dedicated 40 or 50 lb floor fryer handles steady chip production; high-volume restaurants step up to a 75 lb fryer. Filter the oil daily to keep chips tasting clean.
Do you sell propane equipment for taco trucks?
Yes. Atosa griddles, charbroilers, fryers and ranges are offered in propane as well as natural gas.
What equipment do I need for aguas frescas and frozen margaritas?
A refrigerated drink dispenser for aguas frescas and horchata, a slush machine for frozen drinks, and an ice machine sized for your drink volume.
Can you help me plan a full Mexican restaurant kitchen?
Yes. Send your menu, seat count and floor plan to info@therestaurantwarehouse.com, or call 206-419-5801, and we will put together a quote.
Shop the full Mexican restaurant equipment collection at The Restaurant Warehouse.
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