La Posta de Mesilla marks 85 years

La Posta de Mesilla, the family-owned restaurant operating since 1939, is marking its 85th anniversary on Sept. 16.

Owner Jerean Camuñez Hutchinson, with her husband, Tom, maintains the restaurant that opened as a “little chile joint” on a dirt road by her great aunt, Katy Griggs Camuñez. She passed in 1993, and the Hutchinsons have operated the business since 1996.

The site’s historical significance includes having served as the Corn Exchange Hotel, among whose guests are counted Billy the Kid, Kit Carson, General Douglas MacArthur and Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings, occupying 20,000 square feet over half a block in Mesilla at 2410 Calle de San Albino. Its location is immediately proximate to Mesilla’s historic town plaza, an area known for its shopping and historic structures.

The adobe building accommodates several dining rooms, bar areas, event rooms and small shops. Its foyer includes an aviary with brightly colored birds and a tank with live piranha. Earlier this year, the restaurant was featured on an episode of the America’s Best Restaurant Roadshow, following multiple awards and honors by the New Mexico Restaurant Association and the state Tourism and Travel Department.

“It really is a family business,” Jerean Hutchinson, a former New Mexico State University regent, stated in the restaurant’s anniversary announcement. “Not only Katy and our kids, but all the dedicated people that have worked here, some for as many as 50 years. We wouldn’t be here celebrating 85 years without them all.”

The Hutchinsons said events and promotions will take place for the anniversary, including a reservations-only event, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sept. 16.

Diners take lunch at La Posta de Mesilla in Mesilla on Jan. 16, 2024.