The college football season is well underway, and every weekend the Sun Devil Stadium is full of ravenous fans fueled by passion and cheap, greasy sideline food. Fans bored with the typical fare of hotdogs, hamburgers and nachos have reason to celebrate, however, because the stadium now welcomes fresh, authentic Mexican food to its menu.
Someburros, a locally-owned and ASU alumnus-run restaurant chain, opened a new location in the stadium at the beginning of the 2015-16 season.
The franchise has a rich history at ASU that spans three generations. Owner Tim Vasquez graduated in 1998. His father is also an alumnus, and his daughter is a sophomore at the University. The family and the restaurant have been heavily involved with ASU athletics for decades.
"I've been going to ASU football games since I could walk," Vasquez said. "That used to be our Saturday night thing, so it feels kind of like coming home to have a Someburros at the stadium."
Vasquez's grandparents started their first Sonoran-style Mexican food restaurant, Poncho's, in 1972. Fourteen years later, their son and his wife opened the first Someburros. The brand became a local hotspot, and now their three children operate six Arizona locations, in addition to the new venue at Sun Devil Stadium.
"We were approached by ASU because they were trying to bring more local food to the (football game) experience," Vasquez said. "Since Someburros is local and has ASU ties, it was a perfect fit."
Its history isn't the only thing that separates Someburros from national chains. The food they make distinguishes itself through fresh ingredients and unique recipes, Ty Largo, head of Someburros' marketing firm, said.
"These are family heirloom recipes passed down through generations," Largo said. "The same recipes that were cooked 29 years ago are the ones being served today in the stadium. Everything's made fresh — it's a very different approach than Chipotle."
Someburros joins Chick-fil-A and Streets Of New York in catering to the Sun Devil Stadium crowds. As the only locally-owned restaurant, it hopes to set itself apart from the other vendors. That was part of the reason it was invited to open a location in the stadium.
Ben Burke, Director of Sponsorships at Pac-12 Sales and Sun Devil Sports Properties, said the notoriety of Someburros' brand makes the restaurant a good fit for the stadium.
"Someburros has been in the market for a while, and a lot of people know about them," he said. "They provide a good product for our fans at a reasonable price, and they're already a partner of ASU athletics."
The restaurant offers a large menu featuring a variety of burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas and more. In addition to the stadium, they also have a location near the Tempe campus on Baseline Road.
"We're always looking for ways to reach new customers," Largo said. "This way we can reach Sun Devil students and alumni in a new environment as they enjoy the Sun Devil spirit."
Related Link:
The Valley's Best Mexican Food
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