If you walk or drive down Main Street in Manchester, there are various shops and restaurants offering the town’s people satisfying meals and interesting items to purchase. But a steady stream of people frequent one place in particular at lunch and dinner time: El Sol Deli.
This gem of an eatery at 631 Main Street holds a space towards the top of the street, just across from the main branch of the Manchester Public Library. It’s a restaurant offering creative dishes with tastes of Latino cuisine and it’s your next destination for fast and fresh Mexican food.
Intrigued by high praises from peers and murmurings of the ever-elusive empanada taco, a group of tasters from ICE News checked it out in November. The group included ICE News President Nico Arroyo, Vice President Harper Syres and Treasurer Rachel Bihlmeyer. CT State Manchester culinary arts student Rafael Antonio Perez Concepcion came to lend a more professional viewpoint.
The atmosphere in El Sol communicates its Mexican roots from the very first impression. As we walked in, we were greeted by vibrant yellow walls and cultural décor, with molcajetes and cacti lining the tabletop bar by the window. The phrase “Home of the Empanada Taco” is brandished near the register making it clear what the establishment is known for. All of this paired with the smell of fresh ingredients and Latino spices made it an environment that surely put us in the mood to eat.
We ordered an array of their dishes including their birria (stewed beef) tacos, empanada tacos in pork, chicken, ground beef and shrimp, the Cubano sandwich, the El Sol Special sandwich and the al pastor burrito bowl. Several Jarritos Mexican sodas were purchased to wash it all down.
Captured in the video (above) are our group’s initial reactions to the food offered at El Sol Deli, followed by our second visit.
The first time we picked up the food and headed to the Manchester campus to eat because it was too crowded in the restaurant on a Saturday afternoon for us all to sit at one table. But that meant that the food had a chance to cool off. So we found our first taste slightly lacking in flavor and heat.
El Sol Deli was born from love and family, said Javier Rangel, who is the owner of El Sol Deli alongside his family. Rangel’s wife worked in a deli for nearly 10 years and faced troubling working conditions like the inability to take time off to see family. This situation inspired him to lease a property for the first restaurant, in Stratford, combining both their heritage and her knowledge of deli. It was purchased as a surprise to Rangel’s wife and opened its doors on April 16, 2020.
Opening a restaurant in the midst of a global pandemic was not easy, especially given the number of small businesses being forced to close due to poor economic conditions. But that first El Sol Deli received immense support from customers who, Rangel stressed, are not just patrons but friends and family. Due to the positive reviews spread from word of mouth, it is clear why, as individuals rave about the fresh taste and good customer service found at El Sol Deli. Manchester became the site of their second state location in 2022. Now there three in the state and plans to open a second Manchester location.
We knew all those people couldn’t be wrong, so Rangel arranged for our group to give El Sol another try. Manchester manager Janet Rangel arranged for us to come back for a second taste of their flavors as intended, hot and fresh served inside their dining area.
“We always try to work with the customer,” she said.
Even their exclusive dish the Empanada Taco can be tailored to a patron’s requests, including more spices and heat. The creativity behind their dishes is another aspect of the restaurant that has piqued local interest, and they intend to continue experimenting with classic Latino dishes. At their location in Monroe, they serve the Breakfast Empanada, which is starts with eggs and the customer can choose their meats and top with chipotle mayo. El Sol Deli promises to continue delivering unique tastes to the people of Connecticut and, in the future, nationally.
Indicative of the value they dedicate to all of the people who assist with the daily operations of each El Sol Deli location, Rangel said the success the chain would not be possible without Sandra Portillo, Rosa Portillo, Zola Portillo, Litz Marie Rangel, Ellen Marie Rangel, Litz Beth Rangel, Andrew Rangel, Randy Rangel, Miguel, Evelio, Brenda, Edid, Juan, Eswin, Danilo, Cati, Nohemi and many more friends.
El Sol Deli in Manchester is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and offers eat in, take out and delivery. For more information visit their Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/_elsol2/?hl=en.
