El Parasol
El Parasol is a family-owned, six-location counter-service restaurant chain in Northern New Mexico serving traditional New Mexican and Mexican cuisine, operated by Las Brazas, Inc. since 1958 and serving local residents and travelers within a 50-mile radius of Santa Fe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1958
- HeadquartersEspañola, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What El Parasol does
El Parasol is a family-owned counter-service restaurant chain serving Northern New Mexican and traditional Mexican cuisine across six locations in Española, Los Alamos, Pojoaque, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Founded in 1958 by Pedro and Lorenzo Atencio (then ages 10 and 12) selling their mother Frances Atencio's beef tacos and red pork tamales under a patio umbrella, the business has operated continuously under the Atencio family for three generations. The legal entity is Las Brazas, Inc. The current footprint was largely built between 1999 and 2008 through family-franchised expansion to third-generation operators, and the chain also operates a related upscale sit-down concept, El Paragua, adjacent to the Española flagship.
The restaurants offer dine-in, outdoor patio seating, drive-up service (at Los Alamos), call-ahead pickup, and online ordering via the SpotOn platform. Menu signatures include carne adovada, shredded beef tacos, chicken burritos with green chile, and green chile cheeseburgers; all locations are featured on the State of New Mexico's official Green Chile Cheese Burger Trail. Marketing is principally driven by decades of earned media in national publications (Bon Appetit, Gourmet, New York Times, Sunset, GQ, Travel and Leisure) and local Best of Santa Fe awards, rather than paid acquisition. There is no disclosed revenue, no headcount beyond a 9-employee administrative figure, no external institutional capital, and no digital/AI capabilities beyond third-party ordering SaaS.
The business model is straightforward retail food and beverage sales at a counter-service price point across a tight regional footprint within a ~50-mile radius of Santa Fe. Customer acquisition is overwhelmingly local resident and traveler demand for authentic regional cuisine. The company remains wholly family-owned, with no franchises granted outside the Atencio family and no indications of expansion beyond the existing six locations and the El Paragua sister concept.
El Parasol firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- El Parasol
- Legal name
- Las Brazas, Inc.
- Website
- https://elparasol.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1958
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- El Parasol is a family-owned, six-location counter-service restaurant chain in Northern New Mexico serving traditional New Mexican and Mexican cuisine, operated by Las Brazas, Inc. since 1958 and serving local residents and travelers within a 50-mile radius of Santa Fe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
El Parasol industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mexican/Latin QSR (Tacos, Burritos, Bowls) (THAFAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mexican & Tex-Mex Fast Casual (THAFABAC)
Keywords
Where El Parasol is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Española
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
El Parasol business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Restaurant Food and Beverage Sales: El Parasol generates revenue through food and beverage sales at six restaurant locations. The business operates as a counter-service restaurant model with dine-in, outdoor patio seating, and drive-up/call-ahead pickup options. No specific revenue figures are disclosed.
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
El Parasol product offering
Product offeringCore offering
El Parasol is a family-owned, counter-service restaurant chain operating six locations across Northern New Mexico (Española, Los Alamos, Pojoaque, and Santa Fe) serving Northern New Mexican and traditional Mexican cuisine. The chain offers dine-in, outdoor patio seating, drive-up window, call-ahead pickup, and online ordering through the SpotOn platform. Signature items include carne adovada, shredded beef tacos, chicken burritos with green chile, and green chile cheeseburgers made from three-generation family recipes.
Product overview
El Parasol is a family-owned restaurant chain consisting of six casual-dining locations across Northern New Mexico (Española, Española North, Los Alamos, Pojoaque, Santa Fe Cerrillos Road, and Santa Fe South). The company specializes in Northern New Mexican and traditional Mexican cuisine, featuring signature items such as carne adovada, shredded beef tacos, chicken burritos with green chile, and green chile cheeseburgers. The restaurants offer dine-in, carryout, drive-up, and online ordering services through third-party platforms. The chain is complemented by El Paragua, a related upscale sit-down restaurant also operated by the Atencio family, located adjacent to the Española flagship. The company operates as Las Brazas, Inc. and has been serving customers since 1958.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- El Parasol Restaurant Chain Family-owned counter-service restaurant chain serving Northern New Mexican and traditional Mexican cuisine at six locations across Española, Los Alamos, Pojoaque, and Santa Fe. Offers dine-in, outdoor patio seating, drive-up window, call-ahead pickup, and online ordering through SpotOn, featuring signature items such as carne adovada, shredded beef tacos, chicken burritos with green chile, and green chile cheeseburgers.
- El Paragua Restaurant Upscale sit-down Mexican restaurant at 603 Santa Cruz Road, Española, NM 87532, operated by the Atencio family. Features full bar service and an expanded menu with dishes introduced by Frances Atencio, distinct from the counter-service El Parasol locations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Recognized among top casual restaurants in America (#65 nationally)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use El Parasol
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
El Parasol technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
El Parasol partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- State of New Mexico Green Chile Cheese Burger TrailminorAll El Parasol locations are featured on the State of New Mexico's official Green Chile Cheese Burger Trail, a tourism and culinary promotion initiative. This partnership provides visibility among travelers following the trail.
- New Mexico TrueminorEl Parasol participates in the New Mexico True program, which promotes authentic New Mexico experiences, food, and destinations to visitors and locals alike.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
El Parasol competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Taco Bell: National Mexican-inspired QSR chain representing the scaled, well-capitalized incumbent against which El Parasol competes on category share, pricing, and convenience.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill: Largest U.S. fast-casual Mexican chain; competes for burrito and bowl occasions with significantly greater technology, supply chain, and marketing resources than El Parasol.
- The Shed (Santa Fe): Long-established Santa Fe full-service restaurant serving Northern New Mexican cuisine; comparable to the El Paragua brand in segment and customer base, and to El Parasol in cuisine style.
- Qdoba Mexican Eats: National fast-casual Mexican chain with a similar menu (tacos, burritos, bowls) and counter-service model, competing on price, speed, and brand familiarity in regional markets El Parasol may eventually target.
- Moe's Southwest Grill: National fast-casual chain serving Southwest and Mexican-inspired fare; comparable product mix and counter-service operating model, with greater scale and marketing reach.
Direct peers
- Illegal Pete's: Counter-service Mexican restaurant group operating across Colorado and New Mexico with a similar menu focus on burritos, tacos, and bowls, and a comparable casual, local-brand positioning.
- Blake's Lotaburger: Iconic New Mexico regional chain known for green chile cheeseburgers and quick-service Mexican-leaning fare; comparable in scale, regional concentration, and family-ownership heritage.
- Twisters: New Mexico-based burrito and Mexican counter-service chain with multiple locations across Albuquerque and surrounding areas, directly competing for the same regional Mexican food customer.
Regional players
- Frontier Restaurant: Beloved Albuquerque, NM counter-service diner serving New Mexican cuisine to a regional customer base; comparable operating model and regional Mexican food positioning, though based further south.
- Horseman's Haven: Long-running Santa Fe-area New Mexican restaurant serving red and green chile-focused local cuisine; competes with El Parasol and El Paragua for the same Northern New Mexico diner.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
El Parasol social profiles
Digital presenceEl Parasol financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
El Parasol leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
El Parasol subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
El Parasol funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
El Parasol M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about El Parasol
What does El Parasol do?
El Parasol is a family-owned, counter-service restaurant chain operating six locations across Northern New Mexico (Española, Los Alamos, Pojoaque, and Santa Fe) serving Northern New Mexican and traditional Mexican cuisine. The chain offers dine-in, outdoor patio seating, drive-up window, call-ahead pickup, and online ordering through the SpotOn platform. Signature items include carne adovada, shredded beef tacos, chicken burritos with green chile, and green chile cheeseburgers made from three-generation family recipes.
Is El Parasol a public or private company?
El Parasol is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was El Parasol founded?
El Parasol was founded in 1958. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is El Parasol based?
El Parasol is headquartered in Española, United States, in the North America region.
How does El Parasol make money?
One revenue line is on record: restaurant Food and Beverage Sales.
Who are El Parasol's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Taco Bell, Chipotle Mexican Grill, The Shed (Santa Fe), Qdoba Mexican Eats and Moe's Southwest Grill. Direct peers are Illegal Pete's, Blake's Lotaburger and Twisters. Regional players are Frontier Restaurant and Horseman's Haven.
Does El Parasol have an API?
No public API is recorded for El Parasol.
What industry is El Parasol in?
El Parasol's product category is Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAAAE, Mexican/Latin QSR (Tacos, Burritos, Bowls), with a secondary code of THAFABAC, Mexican & Tex-Mex Fast Casual. Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 5810.