La Castellana Cafe in Arizona

"Stopped into this cafe after an appointment and had a delightful breakfast! The staff is so friendly and excited to share their story and purpose with guests. We have another appointment in Nogales soon and will definitely be making a stop in again"

"A humbling as well as a delicious experience (5 star) is what we had at La Castellana Bakery and Café in Nogales today. The moon and the stars aligned perfectly today for this to happen. Had no clue this place was there. We only noticed it when we were following a van that had the name of “La Castellana Bakery and Café” on it into Nogales today. Out of curiosity we googled it and decided once we were done with our list of things we had to accomplish in Nogales that we would go there. This place was right across from the Santa Cruz Training Programs Day Treatment & Training for Adult. It’s a part of this program where they train individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be kitchen prep staff. The proceeds go to support them in all their endeavors. As we approached the entrance to the restaurant we noticed how delightful the patio was. Lots of outdoor seating and much shade to keep it cool. As we entered we were greeted by the staff who assigned seating and provided a menu for us. Since it was our 1st time going there they gave us a breakdown of what they did and who it supported. Before we even placed our order we noticed that this was a gem. The layout, décor, how inviting it was, etc… We ordered two items. One was the chile relleno with rice and beans. The other was a chile relleno burrito. The portions were spot on. No massive plates with more food than you could eat in a week. Just the right amount. The presentation was great and what surprised me was the flavor. Many places say “home style cooking” but fail. At La Castellana it was evident from the first bite to the last. This was home style cooking that I remember having when I was a kid. Nothing pretentious here….just honest to God good cooking and great food. My chile relleno was nice and fluffy on the outside from the fried egg. The chile had great flavor. Deliciously cheesy on the inside with great tasting cheese. And FINALLY….some fantastic rice and beans. The rice was delicious, not dry and the beans were the way they should be and taste as well. This dish took me back many years in an instant to when I used to have home cooked Mexican food with my mom’s friends in LA (Boyle Heights and Montebello in East LA). My Dad was from Guatemala, Mom from Argentina so Mexican food only happened when we went to a Mexican restaurant or if we went to a house of one of my parents friends who were Mexican or of Mexican decent. The other dish was a chile relleno burrito. About the same as my plate but the chile relleno was inside a burrito. Again, just the right amount and packed with flavor. Across from us was another customer who had ordered a tostada con carne. It looked so good I had to get me one. This tostada was very generous on the meat. The meat tasted great, not salty. The garnishes were plenty on the meat and fresh! This place is also a bakery. You can buy different kinds of baked good all made there. We ordered a mixed variety for $7. Careful with these delicious treats. It’s very easy to eat them all in one shot. That’s how good they are. The amount of cookies in the container was very generous as well. This place is truly a gem that serves a much greater purpose and does so with compassion as well as dignity. You can see how well run this program is. How clean and efficient the kitchen and restaurant is along with the friendly staff that help run it. This may be the best run program in Santa Cruz County that serves a higher purpose and serves delicious food at the same time. There is still goodness in a lot of people. It's reflected in the great tasting food and what they do here / the purpose they serve at this bakery and restaurant. That was the humbling part of it. We forget about things or get lost in the pace of life and current events. A place like this helps to center you somehow. It does more that it's intended purpose. It's reach is greater than it's stated mission. La Castellana…my hat is off to you. Well done!!! The prices on the menu are current as of 8/2025."

"Such a great experience with many differently abled people who are thriving in this very unique cafe and bakery. Excellent breakfast and amazing baked goods. Please support this incredible organization."

"Joyous people. Sweet setting. Good food made with love."

"This is a lovely place and the food was delicious. They also have a little bakery."

"The food was presented beautifully and had great Authentic flavor. The hostess was very friendly and helpful and the servers were also friendly. Very quaint and colorful atmosphere, very welcoming. The prices were very reasonable."

"What a find! Small Cafe, unique mission, shaded patio and great food. We've had Mexican food at most of the top rated restaurants in Southern Arizona and the food here is top echelon. Most impressive is their mission to train developmentally challenged people in the restaurant business. We'll done La Castellana!"

"I had the best experience at La Castellana Cafe!l They helped me place a catering order for an office and the food was amazing Everyone was so kind, I will definitely be coming here again for the flautas, chimichangas and most importantly beautiful spirit."