Pandemic inspires couple's gourmet tortilla business

HOUSTON, Texas -- Stephanie Velasquez and Nick Vera were so excited to open the first restaurant of their own after working for some of Houston's top chefs for more than a decade.

But just two weeks after Papalo Taqueria opened in downtown Houston in March 2020, a county-wide shutdown order was announced.

Instead of giving up their dream during the pandemic, Stephanie and Nick turned their gourmet tortillas and beautiful pastries into a wholesale business called Papalo Mercado.

Each tortilla uses heirloom corn from Mexico and is ground by using a stone mill, then hand-rolled and hand pressed.

Papalo Mercado also sells fresh pan dulce and other pastries, horchata, and salsa.

Stephanie and Nick have reopened Papalo Taqueria in Finn Hall and are open Monday through Thursday.