Casa de Leyva opens in historic Buckeye

A new Mexican restaurant made its home in a familiar location.

Casa de Leyva hosted its grand opening over the weekend, serving up tacos, burritos and fajitas in the former La Placita Café at 424 E. Monroe Avenue.

What began as a weekend catering business transformed into a scratch kitchen, a dream come true for owners Roger Leyva and Stephanie Holguin.

“There have been many long hours, sacrifices and hard work that have brought us to this point,” Holguin said in an emotional ribbon cutting speech Friday. “But we did it all with the hope that this business would eventually create something not just for us, but for [our children] and for this entire community.”

General Manager Daniela Maldonado worked in the building when it was still La Placita and said the location has had a lot of history in her family.

“My sister had her first baby shower here, I had my quinceañera here,” she told InBuckeye. “So it’s filled with a lot of nostalgia and family memories.”

The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday, serving brunch, lunch and dinner. For hours and to view the menu, visit the restaurant’s website.