Los Carnalitos

Los Carnalitos is a Mexican restaurant in Hayward, California, that grew out of a Redwood City taco truck run by two brothers and has held a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand since 2021.

History

Brothers Luis and Alfredo Santos launched Los Carnalitos as a taco truck in 2015, parking it at 2907 El Camino Real in Redwood City, and added the Hayward restaurant in 2017, according to Palo Alto Online. The San Francisco Chronicle later included the Redwood City truck, known for Mexico City-style carnitas, cabeza and lengua, among the Bay Area's best food trucks. In 2021 the brothers announced a third business, La Fonda de Los Carnalitos, in Redwood City.

The MICHELIN Guide named the Hayward restaurant a new Bib Gourmand in its September 2021 California selections, and it kept the distinction in the 2025 and 2026 editions.

Menu

The kitchen emphasizes antojitos from central Mexico built on house-made tortillas and masa. Michelin's inspectors singled out huaraches and quesadillas, including a quesadilla de huitlacoche, the corn fungus prized in Mexican cooking, and a squash-blossom version with queso fresco and tomatillo salsa. The name is Mexican slang for close brothers or buddies.

Reviews

See also

• Huitlacoche
• La Fonda de Los Carnalitos

References

1. "2021 California New MICHELIN Bib Gourmands". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
2. "List of Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants in the United States". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
3. "California's Most Affordable Restaurants in 2026". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
4. "Owners of Los Carnalitos taco truck to open Redwood City restaurant". Palo Alto Online (Peninsula Foodist). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
5. "The 20 best food trucks in the Bay Area". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2026-10-10.