Meet Angela & Mariam El Haj | Sisters and Co-founders of Calaca Mamas Cantina

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angela & Mariam El Haj and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angela & Mariam, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The foundation of our restaurant is centered around Día de los Muertos, a holiday we fell in love with during our travels. We wanted to open a business where the value of celebrating life is at the core of everything we do, which is why we started Calaca Mamas. In every decision we make, we strive to ensure that every person who enters feels free to express themselves—because life is truly too short not to enjoy every little moment.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our original concept, Calaca Mamas Cantina, founded in 2022 in Anaheim, is a sister-led organization that specializes in bringing families together to celebrate love and unity through food. Feeding people is our love language, and the Calaca Mamas concept reflects that with our amazing homemade dishes. As second-generation restaurateurs, we are deeply grateful to our parents for paving the way for us. The restaurant business is certainly not easy; it can be both rewarding and challenging, but we’ve learned many valuable lessons along the way. Above all, the biggest lesson has been to trust our instincts and just go for it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If our best friends were visiting for a week, we’d want to show them the best time ever with a mix of all of our favorite things. For a more adventurous trip, we’d plan a few days full of parks: kicking off with a visit to Disneyland, followed by a magical evening at the Magic Castle, and a day exploring Universal Studios. Some of our other personal favorite activities include strolling through the shops and galleries in Laguna Beach and taking scenic drives along the Pacific Coast Highway from Laguna to Malibu – some of the most stunning coastal views we’ve ever seen. In between all of the adventures and outings, we’d spend some time hanging out at home, cooking together in the kitchen and lounging by the pool.

As for food, there are so many spots we’d recommend: first and most obvious, Calaca Mamas, but we also love Dave’s Hot Chicken for a spicy kick, Detention for a fun night out, Fat of the Land for bold flavors, and Manaao for delicious Thai food. Other favorites include Class 302 for boba, Kokis for a family-friendly outing with the kids, as well as Sushi Wasabi, Sidecar Donuts, Zankou Chicken, and Kareem’s Mediterranean.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Wow, this is a tough one. Obviously, our parents, but most importantly, the teams that stand behind us—whether it’s our family, like our husbands and kids, or individuals like Linda, Margaret, Gaby, David, and many more (sorry, I can’t name them all; the list is too long). They truly make everything happen for us, and we are so grateful to be supported by such an amazing group.

Website: https://www.calacamamas.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calacamamascantina/