Downtown family restaurant maintains regular customers for years 

La Casa Lopez, voted best restaurant, has several features that promote its significance to the Moscow community. Customers say it’s the dishes, the drink specials and the management, that has encouraged their patronage to the Mexican eatery for over the past two decades. General manager, Mitchell Lopez, recalls La Casa being one of three dining options in downtown Moscow in 2002. Lopez’s parents, Irma and Felix, opened the restaurant on Main Street after having a prior location that opened in 1994.  

“Moscow downtown wasn’t quite as busy as it is now,” Lopez said. “So, we were one of the three restaurants. It was Casa Lopez, the Breakfast Club and Mikey’s Gyro’s.” 

Lopez said the increase in people in the community since its original opening has allowed the business to flourish. Since La Casa’s opening, several other restaurants have established themselves downtown. Lopez said the local business community is tight knit. 

“We all understand that we’re in competition with ourselves and not with each other,” Lopez said.  

After Lopez’s parents started the restaurant, it became a family affair. Lopez, along with his three younger siblings have worked at La Casa throughout the years. Lopez stayed with the restaurant and became a managing partner in recent times.  

The families’ roots in curating food for others goes back to their hometown, Tlaquepaque in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Lopez’s grandmother had an eatery in the town along with a butcher shop on his father’s side that’s been in the family for a century. 

“The butcher shop is still open and ran by the family,” Lopez said. “That city is focused on really good food.”  

Lopez said La Casa gave him an understanding of the work that goes into running a restaurant.  

“You really have to learn by experience and have to be open-minded, and have a very, very good understanding that it’s going to be labor intensive,” Lopez said. “But in reality, you have to have fun.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the restaurant industry drastically. Lopez said during the initial lockdowns with loss of in-person business, he was worried La Casa wouldn’t recover.  

“The last two years was a tough situation and because of everybody in this community, including students, we’re still here because of them,” Lopez said. “We’re eternally grateful to that.” 

People who eat at the restaurant have different reasons for visiting, but one trait several of them have in common is they are regular customers. Koji Becker, a Moscow local, said he typically comes to La Casa to treat himself after taking an exam.  

Customers commend the menu that offers Mexican cuisine along with a bar for alcoholic beverages. Lane Brooks, a Moscow local, orders the cheesy chimichanga as his go to meal at the restaurant. Two for one drink nights also keep people in the area coming back weekly.  

Kendall Reeder, another regular at La Casa, said it’s the management, specifically Lopez, that keeps her returning. Reeder said Lopez’s authenticity draws her and many others back to La Casa. While general manager of La Casa, Lopez enjoys helping waitstaff, assisting in the kitchen or serving drinks behind the bar.  

“Being a part of this family restaurant, bringing a Mexican eatery, Mexican cuisine, to an environment, especially Idaho,” Lopez said, “It’s been really awesome that this community has been really supportive.” 

Sierra Pesnell can be reached at [email protected]