The following is an extended version of the article that appears in our April 2026 issue.
Maria Martin at Juan More Taco in the Fan
Since 2024, Maria Martin has been cooking alongside her daughter, son-in-law and husband at Juan More Taco, a Robinson Street restaurant known for its vibrant Honduran food and — somewhat unexpectedly — one of the most vegan-friendly menus in the city. This month, Martin will launch Casa Vegana, a line of Latin-influenced vegan products that will be available for sale in the restaurant before hitting the retail market.
Richmond magazine: When did your relationship with food start?
Maria Martin: I have always loved cooking. Growing up in Honduras, we didn’t have a lot, but every day my mom would send me to the market to get a pound of meat, or six eggs, or tortillas, fresh vegetables. My mom was a seamstress and worked all day, so she didn’t have a lot of time and would cook very simple meals. My aunt was a great cook. I used to love visiting her, and I always asked, “Tía, how did you learn to cook so well?” She always answered me, “Pure love.” As one of the oldest sisters in the house, I would make dinner and breakfast for the little ones. I used to watch my grandma when we went to visit on Sundays or for Christmastime when my family were making tamales. When I moved here, I started missing so much of it, and I just needed to start cooking for myself.
RM: How has Juan More Taco become known for its vegetarian and vegan offerings?
Martin: When we started as a food truck in Fredericksburg, we used to go to Highmark Brewery. A band played every Thursday, and one of the musicians, Larry Hinkle, is vegan. He asked if we could make him something, and we started making our vegan tacos and called them The Hinkle: refried beans, guacamole and pico [de gallo]. Then we put them on the menu, and everybody kept asking, “Can we get The Hinkle?” Though I’m not a vegan, I’m not much of a meat eater, so I think it’s easy for me to relate to vegans and vegetarians. You can have fun with the vegan stuff; you just need to open your mind and put in the effort. We won a Vegan72 award in 2025.
Casa Vegana’s offerings include meat and egg alternatives and Juan’s Spice Bombs, a vegan birria.
RM: What was the catalyst for launching your new product line, Casa Vegana?
Martin: There are a lot of vegans in Richmond, and they seem to be loving our food. People have been asking to purchase larger quantities of our vegan seitan, so I thought, “This is something I can do.” We are going to sell vegan al pastor and vegan [carne] asada made from seitan that we make at the restaurant. We’re also going to sell vegan boiled eggs; we did them for Vegan72. The products will be high protein, small batch, freezer friendly and ready to eat in 10 minutes.
RM: How does it make you feel when people are excited about your food?
Martin: Just happy. Because to me, there are two kinds of cooks, or chefs: the ones that are doing it because they love it, and the ones that do it because they have to. I just love it. When I see somebody sitting at the table and it’s their first time, or I notice them take the first bite and I see their smile, it makes me happy — that’s what I live for.
RM: When did you come to the United States?
Martin: I came here in 1997 with my husband; I was 27 years old. I met him in Honduras when he was in the military. He came to the U.S. for a year by himself, and I said, “I’m not leaving.” But after a year, he told me, “You need to come.” I love Honduras and my culture, so it was very hard — one of those sweet-and-sour moments in my life. I still remember that plane ride from the Air Force base, seeing the valleys and mountains as I cried with my baby in my lap and my husband beside me, looking at my country for what felt like the last time.
Decor inside Juan More Taco
RM: What is it like running a family business?
Martin: When all my kids were working at our Fredericksburg restaurant, it was a special time. Now it’s mostly my daughter, her husband and me, with my husband helping on Saturdays. It’s always fun and just the four of us; we’ve grown very close. We drive into the restaurant every morning, work all day and do it all over again. As business owners, we’re all trying to build something meaningful for our families — something to leave behind. Success isn’t guaranteed, but if you’re enjoying the journey and taking care of your family, that’s what truly matters.
RM: What are the signature dishes that Juan More Taco has become known for?
Martin: One of our big sellers is the crunch wrap. It’s one of those things that my kids came to me, and they’re like, “Mom, why don’t you do a crunch wrap?” Our brunches are very popular; they’re seasonal, and we will do them again in the spring.
RM: Do you feel a sense of pride knowing that your restaurant is a reflection of who you are?
Martin: I feel proud. I always tell my friends and my family — my nickname when I was little was Lupita — I could never imagine Lupita from Honduras growing up to come to the States and at some point opening restaurants and a food truck. I never, in my wildest dreams, knew that sense of pride.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
