AUSTIN, Texas — After almost 40 years of business in Austin, a neighborhood staple will close its doors. Little Mexico has announced it will cease operations on Feb. 28.
According to the restaurant’s Facebook post, the business has been the life’s work of owner Rosa Martinez, who will be retiring.
The restaurant has been in its location on South 1st Street for the past 34 years after having moved from a different location.
Little Mexico is one of a handful of Mexican food-related businesses that were once a crucial part of the neighborhood to close recently. La Mexicana Bakery closed in 2022, and El Mercado closed in December 2025.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, Martinez has chosen not to sell the land on which Little Mexico sits, appraised at approximately $3 million. There will be a new tenant on the property, though the function of that business is as yet undisclosed.