Among the bustle of border-city of Nogales, Mexico , hides a quiet, delicious cultural surprise.

Just east of the shopping and over the train tracks, Bar La Roca is the treasure you will find.

In the center of a beautiful garden atrium with a fountain and benches for seating, La Roca provides an experience that is apparently addicting to many of its patrons. Most of La Roca’s customers are tourists who return to the restaurant upon each Nogales visit, and others are either recommended by someone or are local regulars.

“Every time I have company in town, we take a Nogales trip and I bring them here,” said Teri Geiger, a Green Valley resident and La Roca regular. “We love the Azteca soup.”

Every item on La Roca’s sizable menu is made from fresh produce from nearby Sinaloa Valley and fresh seafood from Guaymas and Los Mochis, which makes for a delectable meal.

From juevos rancheros to tacos con pollo, the food at La Roca is indeed, as their signs read: “Classic Sonoran Cuisine.”

The Calderon family has been coming to La Roca for over ten years now, and says that the food at La Roca is some of the best in Sonora.

“We’ll come here any day of the week,” Milton Calderon said. His wife and daughter agreed.

In addition to their delicious Mexican food, Bar La Roca also has a full-service bar called El Balcon, which is known for its tasty (and strong) margaritas.

“Everyone wants a margarita when they come to Mexico,” said La Roca Manager Enrique Ramirez of his 90 percent tourist customer base.

Ramirez said La Roca has been operating at the same location in Nogales for 36 years now.

La Roca means “the rock” in Spanish and is built into the solid rock hillside it stands on. When it was originally built in the 1800’s as a boarding house, the rock provided natural air conditioning in the summer and warmth in the winter. Now, it offers a warm, inviting atmosphere for top-notch Mexican cuisine.