Lupita’s Tacos | Keeping Memories Alive
By ERIC SMITH | Photos by JENNIFER GOETZ
Every time owner Blanca M. steps inside local Topeka food truck Lupita’s Tacos, it’s a tribute to her daughter of the same name.
Blanca M. and her five surviving children, including her now 21-year-old daughter Blanca C., lost Lupita to a 2014 accident the family was involved in. They named their food truck after her to honor the daughter and sister who was taken from them too soon.
Lupita’s Tacos opened in 2021 and offers a wide range of Mexican cuisine and fusion dishes. Although it’s sometimes confused with the former Lupita’s Mexican Restaurant in downtown Topeka, the two were never associated.
AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE
The family moved from Mexico to California in 2005 before settling in Topeka in 2016. In spite of their loss, Blanca M. has stayed strong and been an example for her children.
“She inspires me,” said Blanca C., when asked about her mom. “She has done everything in her power in every circumstance to be the woman, the parent, the mother, the father that she has been today.”
Blanca M. wants the community to know how much she appreciates them for supporting their food truck. “The amount of gratitude we have for the community is indescribable. We’re so thankful,” she said.
“We’ve had customers come to the truck to pray for my brother, Jose, who is still dealing with medical issues from the accident,” said Blanca C. about her 16-year-old brother, who was injured in the same accident as Lupita. “It’s crazy how the community comes together. We do really see it in front of our eyes. It is a blessing. It feels amazing to have something so real in front of you. If anybody deserves success and to be happy, it’s my mom.”
Lupita’s Tacos’ supreme burrito is the highlight of their menu, which also features tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tostadas, nachos and their hot Cheeto elote — a grilled Mexican street corn snack.
Customers can also order horchata, a traditional Mexican beverage, as well as Mexican fresh fruit beverages called aguas frescas and frozen drinks like mangonadas and fresadas.
LUPITA’S MEMORY LIVES
Blanca M. believes that Lupita’s Tacos has kept the memory of her daughter alive, while helping her connect with her customers.
“It has this energy feel that they know her, they know who she is,” said Blanca M. “It’s beautiful. It’s a beautiful thing that we do in trying to remember her. People come to the truck, and they tell us they enjoy the food, and you can feel the energy above them. God, I know it’s not me. It’s you. You’re the one that has blessed everything because there’s no way that it’s just us.”
Blanca M. credits her own mother for inspiring and motivating her to keep going. When her father passed away, Blanca M.’s mother became a single mom of six children and worked as a street food vendor in Mexico to provide for her family. Each day, Blanca M. helped her mother prepare the food.
Blanca C. said that her grandmother’s journey reminds her of the one she now shares with her mom.
“My mom’s nonstop determination to fight really has inspired me,” Blanca C. said. “It is an honor and a blessing to have someone so amazing, so selfless.”
You can typically find Lupita’s Tacos parked at 1930 Wanamaker Road SW, from Sunday to Wednesday during daylight hours. To get the most up-to-date schedule, visit Lupita’s Tacos on Instagram or Facebook.
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