SAN DIEGO — San Diego County is home to more Mexican restaurants than most counties across the United States.
A new study by the Pew Research Center ranked San Diego County #3 for having the most Mexican restaurants, behind Los Angeles County and Harris County in Texas.
The numbers
- San Diego County is home to 1,712 Mexican restaurants and Los Angeles County is home to 5,484.
- The study revealed that California is home to 22% of the country’s Mexican restaurants.
- Every single county in the U.S. has at least one Mexican restaurant, the study found.
- California and Texas have the largest majority of counties with Mexican restaurants.
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“Mexican restaurants make up an especially large share of all restaurants in Southwestern states that border Mexico. They account for 22% of all restaurants in New Mexico, 20% in Texas, 18% in Arizona and 17% in California,” the study said.
The study also looked at where Mexican restaurants made up the largest share of all restaurants.
"By this metric, Mexican restaurants make up an especially large share of all restaurants in Southwestern states that border Mexico," the study said.
Mexican restaurants account for 17% of all restaurants in California.
According to Pew Research Center, Mexican restaurants across the U.S. are typically considered “fast food” restaurants, food trucks or carts that offer modestly priced dishes and drinks.
The study found that the most common types of non-Mexican Hispanic restaurants include Caribbean, Cuban, Peruvian, Salvadorean and Spanish.
To read Pew Research Center's full study and methodology, click here.
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