Hopkinton residents Elizabeth and Mauricio Bremermann were thrilled to be able to open a Mexican restaurant, Orale, in their hometown. They had been looking for a good opportunity for years and were able to leverage Elizabeth’s prior experience in the field. Mauricio runs a construction business and wanted to do something more.

The restaurant offers in-house dining and takeout, plus delivery through standard services. It serves authentic Mexican fare people are familiar with, like tacos, enchiladas and flautas with beef, chicken or pork, plus beans and cheese as vegetarian options. “Burritos are the most popular, along with the fajitas,” Elizabeth said. “What people most appreciate is how fresh our food is. It might take a little longer to prepare because of that, but it’s worth it.” Patrons at the counter can see vegetables being sliced and cooked for their orders.

“We start the day very early buying the food and end it very late cleaning up,” Mauricio said. “There’s no rest in between. It’s surprising how much work there is. We could save time by making food in advance, but it wouldn’t taste as good.”

Orale is a bright and inviting space, with warm red walls, decorative plants, colorful paintings and fixtures that give it an overall contemporary look. “An artist we know in Mexico made the paintings for the restaurant,” Elizabeth said. “The wood for the tabletops came from Franklin, and we finished them ourselves.” The couple painted the walls, applied the wainscoting and did much more to complete the interior decoration, with Mauricio’s construction skills and Elizabeth’s keen eye for design put to good use.

An attractive bar in the back is ready for serving beverages. “We’re expecting to receive our liquor license any day now and have an experienced alcohol server trainer lined up,” Mauricio explained. “Some guests have told us they look forward to relaxing here with a margarita over dinner.”

For times when dining in isn’t convenient, takeout orders can be placed online and picked up or delivered via DoorDash and Uber Eats. Elizabeth shared, “We have been getting a lot of orders for delivery.” It is likely that when alcoholic beverages are available and construction work on Main Street is completed, in-house dining will increase.

Around town, diners are speaking highly of Orale. Online, it has received top ratings and reviews. “Seriously the best Mexican food we have ever had,” wrote a Google reviewer called L.F., who is joined by dozens with similar compliments. Portion size and the atmosphere get enthusiastically positive comments, as does the service.

Staff at the restaurant includes family members, with Elizabeth providing direction. “We like being able to work in town and seeing people we know,” she said. “We are very appreciative of people from Hopkinton for coming to our restaurant and for all the good things they have to say about the location, the service and the food.”

Orale is located at 22 Main Street in Hopkinton. For hours, the menu and ordering information, visit oralemexrestaurant.com or call 508-603-2900.

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