Amalia and Victor Castillo pictured at Senor Tortas. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

How to get to the Hideout Cafe in the Lobo Center, Building 2 at UNM-LA. Courtesy photo

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Victor and Amalia Castillo first introduced their popular and tasty Mexican food to the Los Alamos community in 2021 with their food truck and quickly went on to open Senor Tortas Restaurant at the American Legion premises off Diamond Drive while all the time seeking a location with more foot traffic.

On January 8, 2023 they moved to their location at Smith’s Marketplace, where Senor Tortas really took off, celebrating special events with special menus and entertainment on the patio, and becoming a great source for catered food for local events.

In February 2026, the Castillos took over the cafeteria area at the UNM-LA campus where they offered an extensive menu at The Hideout Cafe, catering to college students and staff, as well as folks from Los Alamos High School across the street, and of course their regular diners from throughout the community who follow them wherever they cook!

June saw two big changes for the business, with the decision to close Senor Tortas at Smith’s Marketplace and concentrate on The Hideout Cafe at UNM-LA. The decision was made to take a break and upgrade the UNM-LA kitchen to include a commercial grill and other equipment, which would allow the cafe to upgrade its menu and serve diners more efficiently.

“The upgrades will take a little time, and with school out for summer and the back parking lot at UNM torn up, this seemed to be the best time to get the work done,” said Victor Castillo. “We’ll be back soon with a new and improved Hideout Cafe.”

Watch for notice of the reopening of the Hideout Cafe on the Los Alamos Reporter!