HIDDEN GEM: Mount Dora's Los Compadres market & restaurant

Tucked back from the street, and dwarfed between a sprawling bingo hall and a billiards bar in Mount Dora, sits a well-kept local secret. Los Compadres is a hybrid of a Latin bodega and an authentic Mexican eatery.  

On the restaurant side, managed by one of the two partners, patrons place their order at the counter and choose from authentically prepared dishes like enchiladas ($10.99), carne asada ($11.99), fajitas ($14.99), ceviche ($14.99), molcajeta ($18.99), quesabirrias ($7.99), burritos ($8.99) and other Mexican favorites.  

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The menu also features street-style tacos with a variety of different meat options.  Taco Tuesday is celebrated at Los Compadres with $1.49 street tacos with free additional toppings at the topping bar.  On weekends, specials like menudo, tamales, and roasted chicken are available. Diners can opt for dining in at one of a handful of booths or take-out.   

Los Compadres recently began baking traditional Latin dessert specials which vary daily, but can include chocoflan, churro cheesecake, fresas con crema and traditional flan.  For anyone craving more sweets, there’s also a small bakery case in the bodega loaded with fresh-baked cookies and pastries from Tortilleria y Paleteria Jalisco, a Mexican bakery in Groveland. 

The narrow aisles of the retail side of Los Compadres, overseen by the second partner, are packed with everything from authentic Mexican foods and ingredients like seasonings, tortillas, peppers, fruits, and vegetables to churros, sodas and pre-packaged snacks.
  
At the rear of the store is an impressive meat counter that offers various types of house-made Mexican chorizo and chicharrones, as well as cuts of fresh beef and pork that are butchered on site.  Nearby small shelves are loaded with Mexican red pasta, whole cinnamon sticks and other pre-packaged ingredients.

Los Compadres is located at 2741 W Old U.S. Highway 441 in Mount Dora next to Fat Cats.  

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