BY ANGELO VELOTTA
Gazette Newspapers
MENTOR – Santo Matador was very, very busy this past Tuesday.
It was Cinco de Mayo, and within the first half hour Ricardo Beltran and his staff were busy with a surfeit of orders, serving up the authentic favorites they have come to be known for.
“Other than the name, everything else is the same,” Beltran said. He is the manager of what was Federales Street Burritos and now is Santo Matador Street Tacos.
Located at 8787 Mentor Ave., it has been open since September 2025. Both the friendly staff and delicious, authentic Mexican food have remained the same.
A variety of stewing meats, including carnitas, chorizo, barbacoa, pastor, chicken and shrimp, are ready to be added to everything from burritos to street tacos.
A kaleidoscope of ingredients is on hand to add, from purple cabbage and black onions to fragrant green cilantro, yellow corn and three different pico de gallo salsas, including one bursting with orange mangos, as well as bubbling white queso.
Another authentic option is the very popular elotes or Mexican street corn. Margaritas are available in many flavors and desserts include a tantalizing tres leches cake.
On Cinco de Mayo, in addition to serving up order after order of authentic Mexican food, Santo Matador Street Tacos had some prizes in store, including t-shirts with the new name and logo, gift cards and mini-pinatas with prizes inside.
Santo Matador Street Tacos is open seven days a week; Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. You can see the full menu, and order online at www.santomatadormentor.com.
