Manuel Magana closed the doors to El Torero Mexican Restaurant an hour early on Saturday. It was the eatery’s last day of service and he’d sold out of all the food.
El Torero at 5575 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. closed Dec. 21 after more than four decades of business.
Magana, 70, said the time had come for him and his wife, Carol Magana, to retire from the restaurant they opened in 1981. With the lease expiring this year, “I thought it was time to let it go,” he said.
The Maganas opened nine El Torero locations in total, but they sold the others until only the Chamblee outpost remained under their ownership.
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Manuel Magana said the last few days had been busy at the restaurant, with customers coming to dine for the last time. They shook his hand, gave him hugs and told him they would be sad to see El Torero close.
“Forty-four years is not small, in the restaurant business especially,” he said.
Magana attributed much of its longtime success to friendly staff, high-quality food, sizeable portions and consistency.
He slowly built the menu into what it is today, testing out recipes at home, feeding them to customers and adding dishes to the menu if they earned enough approval. He began with three lunch specials and 14 dinner plates, which eventually grew to more than 50 combinations, including dishes like flautas, Mexican stew, carne de puerco, tostadas, pozole and fajitas.
“My wife said, ‘What are we gonna do now that we don’t have the restaurant when I crave Mexican food?’” Magana said. “Well, we make it (at home).”
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