Mexican in New Milford: Momma's Tacos Reopens One Year After Fire

When CTbites last left Momma’s Tacos in March 2024, little did we expect that more than two years later, we’d be back writing a part two.

Last April, Momma’s, namely its owner, Alejandra Aguilar Gonzaga, and her daughter, Alissa Swantek, took to social media to inform their loyal fans that the restaurant suffered fire damage.

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Gonzaga and Swantek back when I photographed them in 2024.

But they promised to rebuild and that they’d return.

Time ticked away.

As a fan myself, I started to wonder if they would reopen.

Through some text messages and by paying attention to Instagram, I, like all of you, was reassured that we’d all one day get to have Momma’s authentic Mexican food again.

It took roughly 13 months, but as of May 17, 2026, Momma’s comeback is now.

The space, still casual and welcoming, is a bit more open, and table service is now a thing.

“It was like a whole year,” Gonzaga says. “Inspectors still don’t know what happened. One report says it started outside because there were a lot of leaves and maybe someone dropped a cigarette. But I don’t know. One (cigarette) doesn’t do that, no matter how dry it is, it’s always a little wet or humid. Another report says it was a wire in the wall (behind the counter in the dining area). We don’t know for sure.”

Another problem arose after her landlord hired a company to take out and remodel the ceiling, floor, and the wall where the fire came through.

“This place was destroyed,” she continues. “It’s an old building, so they found asbestos in the wall, so they had to take care of that.”

All those classics you loved, they’re staying put, like these enmoladas—fried corn tortillas with shredded chicken, covered in poblano mole that’s made from over 30 ingredients. It’s a dish Momma is proud of.

“You won’t find another mole like mine around here,” she says, smiling confidently.

Cochinita pibil, a slow roasted pork dish from the Yucatan Peninsula has long been popular at Momma’s, and comes with rice, beans, and either piping hot tortillas or chips.

“I like to take the pork and some beans, put it on a chip, and eat it like that,” Gonzaga says.

When all was said and done, destroyed, then rebuilt, Gonzaga said she never once considered not coming back, despite it being extremely difficult to do so.

“It was harder than opening for the first time,” she says. “There were so many inspections and that costs a lot of money. Insurance didn’t cover some of the damage either. And there’s an emotional toll it takes. It was very hard. I believe in God more than anything. He’s first in my life. I said to him, ‘It’s your will. Just tell me what to do.’ I felt guided the entire time. I feel good. It’s not just for me. This place generates love for a lot of people.”

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Momma’s, version 2.0, she says is “better than before.”

They made the kitchen a little bit bigger. The large community tables are gone and there’s more seating for smaller parties. It’s now full table service, whereas before you’d approach the counter, place your order, and they’d call your name when your food was ready. And there’s also bar style seating if you’re coming in just to smash a bunch of tacos and be on your way.

As far as what’s new on the menu, not a ton. Gonzaga and her new chef, Alberto Garcia, who she claims “is even better than me,” are running back everything that made Momma’s so great since 2021; tacos, cochinita pibil, pernil, tortas, burritos, flautas, empanadas, enchiladas, and so much more.

If there are a few differences, birria is at the top of the “Momma’s Specialties” subsection of the menu where you’ll spy birria tacos and birria fries. Occasionally, you’ll catch quesabirria (that means with cheese, if your Spanish is rusty) on special, too.

“Birria is from my home city of Mexico City,” Gonzaga says. “During the fire, I traveled back to Mexico and all over New York just to see what other places were doing (I saw places serving tacos on metal trays, so now we do that). Lots of places, the birria has no flavor. The flavor has to get inside of the meat, not just beef taste, but spices. We did lots of experiments before we got it right. I want to make sure we have the best recipes for this place.”

Soon, Momma’s will roll out more that they didn’t offer previously. Carnitas, molcajete (typically an array of grilled meats, shrimp, cactus, and cheese), and an iconic dish from Puebla that represents Mexican patriotism, chiles de nogada, a roasted poblano stuffed with ground pork and beef, dried and fresh fruits, walnuts, (sometimes raisins), and goat cheese, topped with walnut sauce, pomegranate seeds, and parsley, matching the colors of the Mexican flag.

And while the liquor permit will take some time, it’s in the works. But hold your horses, Momma’s isn’t becoming a neighborhood bar.

“Just margaritas, beer, and wine,” Gonzaga says. “We don’t want to get into cocktails a lot. I don’t want it to be a bar and I don’t want people to think it’s a bar. It’s a family place. But tacos go with a Modelo. It’s good to have tacos and beer together.”

Desserts shine more prominently on the menu than they did previously. Churros, flan, Maria cake (lime curd and Maria cookies), and tres leches can all be had for under $6.

Now that Momma’s is fully back, I couldn’t resist asking about something Gonzaga has brought up over the past few years that we’ve known each other…

Would she entertain opening a second location even though she just reopened?

“The day that we reopened, a lot of people came; we had mariachis, the mayor came, and people were happy and thanked us for coming back,” she says. “New customers are finding us and our loyal ones, too. But at this moment, no. I have dreams in the future. I want to grow, but we still have a lot to learn. It’s not the only one we want to have. Time will tell.”

17 Church Street, New Milford
860.717.4196, mommas-tacos.com