| Revision as of 04:17, 15 October 2005 editDaven1214 (talk | contribs)153 editsNo edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 22:04, 15 October 2005 edit undoDaven1214 (talk | contribs)153 editsNo edit summaryNext edit → | ||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
| ==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
| Anna's is a casual and inexpensive chain which has gained widespread acclaim from customers and critics alike. The food is tasty, fresh, and relatively authentic, modeled after U.S. ]-style Mexican cuisine. It's also strikingly inexpensive; the "super" burrito uses a 12 inch tortilla, weighs over a pound, and costs just $3.75. | |||
| The Anna's menu is simple, offering only ], ], ], and Mexican plates. The food is widely renowned for its pricing: the "super" burrito uses a 12 inch tortilla, weighs over a pound, and costs only $3.75. Still, customers and reviewers alike praise the chain's freshness, taste and quality ingredients. Its appeal is furthered by the ] style ordering process, which makes for extremely quick service but can, at first, be an intimidating experience . | |||
| Anna's is known for its efficiency. Its menu (see it at amazon.com ) offers only four core items, and the ]-style ordering process is very quick and famously intimidating to first-time customers. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | The restaurant has become a cult favorite for many who eat there every day of the week, and some customers have gone so far as to develop their own series of rituals and mythology regarding the restaurant. Primary among these is the desire to achieve ]: the completion of a meal without spilling one piece of food. | ||
| ⚫ | Anna's has locations in ] (on both Harvard and Beacon streets), ] (in ] and at ]), and ] (]). A sixth location near ] in Boston's ] district is said to be in the works, and the chain's owner has publicly stated his interest in ]. | ||
| ⚫ | Anna's has locations in ] (on both Harvard and Beacon streets), ] (in ] and at ]), and ] (in ]). A sixth location near ] in Boston's ] district is said to be in the works, and the chain's owner has publicly stated his interest in ]. | ||
| A good deal of the chain's business comes from students at Boston's many colleges and nearby high schools. | A good deal of the chain's business comes from students at Boston's many colleges and nearby high schools. | ||
Revision as of 22:04, 15 October 2005
Anna's Taqueria is a chain of highly successful Mexican restaurants in the Boston area.
Overview
Anna's is a casual and inexpensive chain which has gained widespread acclaim from customers and critics alike. The food is tasty, fresh, and relatively authentic, modeled after U.S. West Coast-style Mexican cuisine. It's also strikingly inexpensive; the "super" burrito uses a 12 inch tortilla, weighs over a pound, and costs just $3.75.
Anna's is known for its efficiency. Its menu (see it at amazon.com ) offers only four core items, and the assembly line-style ordering process is very quick and famously intimidating to first-time customers.
The restaurant has become a cult favorite for many who eat there every day of the week, and some customers have gone so far as to develop their own series of rituals and mythology regarding the restaurant. Primary among these is the desire to achieve "Flawless Victory": the completion of a meal without spilling one piece of food.
Anna's has locations in Brookline (on both Harvard and Beacon streets), Cambridge (in Porter Square and at MIT), and Somerville (in Davis Square). A sixth location near Mass General Hospital in Boston's Beacon Hill district is said to be in the works, and the chain's owner has publicly stated his interest in Kenmore Square.
A good deal of the chain's business comes from students at Boston's many colleges and nearby high schools.
The name "Anna's" comes from no girl in particular, but was chosen because it is easy to remember, sounds motherly, and would promise prime placement in alphabetical restaurant guides. Of note, the name is rather inauthentic to the Spanish language, which does not use the apostrophe to indicate possession and vastly prefers the spelling Ana.
History
Japanese-American entrepreneur Michael Kamio opened the first Anna's in Brookline's Coolidge Corner in 1995. Over the next several years, he opened the second Brookline restaurant and the locations in Porter and Davis Squares. In February 2005, Anna's opened its fifth location at MIT's Stratton Student Center.
An interesting sidebar to the Anna's saga is the ongoing feud between Michael and his sister Markio, as captured by local media . Markio had originally assigned the younger Michael to manage her own Boca Grande chain of Boston Mexican restaurants. But their relationship quickly soured, for reasons neither will publicly explain, and Michael soon left to found Anna's. The two have reportedly not spoken since 1996.
Competition
Beyond Boca Grande, Anna's competes with both Boston-area taquerias such as Picante and El Pelon Taqueria, and national chains including Qdoba Mexican Grill. Chipotle Mexican Grill, a fast-growing national chain, is expected to enter the Boston market in the near future and will provide further competition.
Sources
- Beacon Hill Times report on Mass General-area Anna's
- MIT Tech interview with Michael Kamio
- Boston Magazine article on Anna's history
- Sample Anna's menu from Amazon.com