"Bringing Mexican Food and Friends Together"
SINCE 1963
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960 W. University Drive |
2023 W. Guadalupe Rd. |
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Tempe, AZ 85281 |
Mesa, AZ 85202 |
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"Bringing Mexican Food and Friends Together" SINCE 1963
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The Lady Behind The Name !The dust had barely settled from another Revolution in the late 1800's when Maria Jesus Calles-Moreno found herself whisked away from her home in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, and bundled onto a mule to make the long journey to the mountains of Cananea. Mexico was in upheaval and her uncle, Plutaro Elias Calles, who would eventually become President of Mexico, sent the family into seclusion. The struggle for survival began, and her mother, Aquiles, provided for the family by preparing meals for travelers and workers who had no time to cook for themselves. It was in this setting that a young soldier from the U.S. Calvary, Charles Kuehme, met Maria Jesus, who was to be his life-long love. It was the turn of the century, and Arizona was in its Territorial phase. They married in 1906 and began a new life in the Bisbee-Douglas area. In 1912, the year Arizona became a state, she returned to Cananea to give birth to a daughter, Rosa, who was to follow in her mother and grandmother's footsteps. Rosa moved to Tempe and spent several years working for other restaurants. With five children to provide for, days off were spent with her children picking cotton in the fields in Tempe and Chandler to supplement her earnings. Her oldest son, Narcizo (Chicho), working by her side would often hold out his arm and say "Some day, Mama, there will be a restaurant with Rosita's name on it." At Rosita's she could proudly use her old family recipes. That day finally came in 1963, Rosa Keeme opened the doors to Rosita's Restaurant on Fifth and Beck in Tempe. The family pooled their resources to help out, and on opening night, her first customers dined at a total of four tables, one of which was her own dinette set. It was really quite a sight. Mismatched furniture in a quaint little restaurant. Although lacking in glamour, it still had the most important ingredient - love. Each recipe had been lovingly created and prepared with the finest ingredients. Families, workers and students came back because they knew someone cared. In 1981, Rosita's opened in Mesa on Dobson and Guadalupe and in 1987, the original Tempe Rosita's moved into a new location on University and Hardy. Rosita's started out being a family business, and after three generations of Keemes, the tables may have changed, but Rosita's still serves the "best authentic Mexican food in the Valley." Mama Rosa's life has been an inspiration to many, and with the growing awareness that quality food is the foundation for a long, healthy life, she continues her service to the community by teaching how to prepare Mexican food using well-balanced ingredients and minimizing fats. She truly has achieved her goal of bringing Mexican food and friends together.
HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday - Thursday Tempe Location 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Mesa Location 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Friday & Saturday Tempe Location 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. Mesa Location 11:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. Sunday Tempe Location 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Mesa Location 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.
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Last modified: August 25, 2005 |
