Since 1966, Ruiz Mexican Restaurant has been putting Mexican food on the map in St. Louis. Jose and Hortensia Ruiz opened their eatery in Florissant 60 years ago during a time when many were not yet familiar with the cuisine. Today, the Ruiz family proudly ushers their longstanding food legacy into the fourth generation. The North County institution is likely St. Louis’ oldest Mexican restaurant.
“When my dad was a young man, people thought he was crazy for opening a Mexican restaurant in the middle of Florissant, which was primarily a farm town at the time,” says Jose’s daughter, Marisa Marshall-Ruiz. “They couldn’t even pronounce Mexican food, but my dad had an idea that people would love it as much as he did.” Marisa and her husband, Douglas Marshall, took over ownership of the restaurant in 1986.
Marisa explains that her grandfather, who originally hailed from the Mexican state of Durango, worked at a steel factory in Granite City, Illinois – a job that brought many Mexicans to the St. Louis area during the time. The second-generation restaurateur recalls memories of watching her parents’ passion project evolve over the years. “We were constantly breaking down and building walls,” she says. “And there were always lines going out the door.”…