City: El Paso, TX

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (915) 591-7676

Address: 8050 Gateway East

Description: When thinking of Mexican restaurants, images of fine dining under sweeping chandeliers don’t usually come to mind, but such is the atmosphere at Julio’s Café Corona, a family-run business that has been open since 1944. First started by Julio and Lupe Ramirez, who by themselves managed the restaurant and cooked the food, today Julio’s is kept in the family by their daughter.The atmosphere at Julio’s is fancy, but the prices don’t necessarily reflect that. Lush red carpeting and tableclothed dining tables are crowned by a row of vintage electric chandeliers that really take the ambiance up a notch. And seated in front of a heaping plate of red chile enchiladas, you can almost imagine that you’re enjoying Sunday dinner at the home of a well-to-do Mexican family. Most of the recipes at Julio’s reflect the fact that they have been passed down through the family in flavor and appearance. Once serving only Mexican food, today Julio’s menu has been expanded to include Spanish, international, and seafood dishes, as well as charbroiled steaks. Some of the most popular items on the menu here are the Chicken Tampiqueña, a grilled breast served with pepper strips, guacamole, beans, and an enchilada, and the Salpicon, a dish of cold shredded beef that is combined with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, and cubed cheese to form a kind of delicious beef salad. Julio’s is open every day and offers an extensive breakfast buffet on Sat and Sun.