Sylvia’s La Canasta Mexican Restaurant at 7th and Missouri avenues closed its doors for good on Jan. 7, according to a brief message on the company’s website. The message indicated that the second location, at 38th Avenue and Indian School Road, remains open.
A Phoenix native, Sylvia Menchaca is one of seven children of the La Canasta Mexican Foods family. All of the children were involved in the family’s restaurants or tortilla manufacturing factory at some point in their lives. Menchaca made a career in the restaurant and catering side.
In 1988, Menchaca leased a restaurant from Appetitos and called it Sylvia’s. She later purchased the facility at the northwest corner of 7th and Missouri avenues. In November 2004, she expanded the eatery and opened the upscale Mateo’s Cantina, named after the owner’s son, next door to her Sonaran restaurant.
No reason was given publicly for the abrupt closure, and Sylvia’s Facebook page, while still up, has not been updated since May 2017.
