Mercado González officially opens La Habra location

Come to complete your grocery list. Stay for the ribeye tacos, tamales, pan dulce on the patio or a beverage at the bar before making your way to check out.

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Mercado González celebrated its grand opening Wednesday, Oct. 21 in La Habra, transforming a longtime Northgate González Market on Whittier Boulevard into the family-owned company’s second market-meets-food-hall concept. A touch smaller than its roughly 70,000-square-foot Costa Mesa predecessor, which opened in 2023, the new Mercado, inspired by the bazaars of Mexico, measures around 48,500 square feet with a 4,300-square-foot patio. But it still offers plenty of room to wander, eat and extend your daily food errands.

“This has been a community that has always supported us,” said Northgate co-president Oscar González. “We feel that this community was the right demographic and certainly the right area for us to be able to reinvest and develop a concept that elevates the community and elevates our culture.”

Two berobed priests from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church offered prayers in English and Spanish at the opening, attended by La Habra Mayor José Medrano, other elected officials and community leaders. Guests shared a ceremonial “first taste” of multi-hued conchas. Northgate also donated more than $20,000 to local schools and community organizations.

Northgate’s relationship with La Habra dates to 1986 when it opened a traditional grocery store on La Habra Boulevard with little prepared food, according to Oscar González. Moving to the current location brought a larger prepared-food operation. The Mercado conversion takes that evolution even further with puestos (or food stalls) alongside groceries that longtime customers still need.

For Sergio González, director of customer journey and a third-generation member of the family behind the chain, the location serves three overlapping audiences — specifically, home cooks making traditional Mexican dishes, their U.S.-born children seeking familiar food and non-Hispanic diners eager to explore.

“We love the food that our mothers and our grandmothers made,” he said. “Even if maybe we don’t know all the recipes.”

The Mercado gives that second group access to those flavors with room to make them their own, he said. La Habra also has something Costa Mesa had to comparatively build from scratch — an established customer base. Many Northgate employees live nearby.

“It’s a little more at home here,” he said.

Inside, guests will find much to explore. La Tamalería’s patterned tiled counter holds pots of tamales, champurrado and atole beneath an oversized sign. A bright yellow facade announces the tortillería, while Pastelería La González boasts an array of dolled-up cakes. Also, pink and yellow conchas share space with Cacahuates, peanut-shaped shortbread cookies filled with sweet peanut butter cream.

Rows of paletas, stacks of white cheese and enormous sheets of chicharrón are also found near fresh ceviche galore at Mariscos El Pariente. Don’t miss the aromatic Rancho Gonzalez section featuring dried beans, chiles, spices and more.

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Asked to choose three dishes for a first meal there, Oscar González selected ceviche, ribeye tacos and carnitas. “Ceviche for sure,” he said. “Number one.”

Entres Nos, the dedicated in-house bar, pairs a pale countertop and wood seating with black metal framing and greenery. Outside, umbrellas shade a seating area near a tiled fountain.

The artwork also merits a stop of its own. Guadalajara-based artist Claudio Limón, who also painted at the Costa Mesa location, created La Habra’s exterior mural, “El Sol Nuestra Tierra” (or “The Sun of Our Land”), which features red flowers, hearts and hands spread across white stucco around the arched entrance.

“It represents the hard work of the people,” said Limón, as well as “the identity of Mexico, the happiness, the joy of our culture.”

Inside, Pico Rivera artist Kris Aguilar drew on the González family roots and tradition for a mural above the dairy section.

“The hummingbird represents the family and their loved ones,” he said, adding that the 13 flowers represent the González family members. An image of the original La Habra market connects the business’ beginning to the present.

The old La Habra location has since become a gym, according to Sergio González.

As for upcoming Mercado González spots, Oscar revealed that, while he couldn’t yet reveal a date or address, said, “We’ve identified a location in L.A. near SoFi Stadium.” Sergio described further expansion as a regional effort. The aim, he said, is pride in one’s heritage and a welcome for “anybody that just loves food.”

Hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

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Find it: 1305 W. Whittier Blvd., La Habra