Salvador Avila, patriarch and founder of Avila’s El Ranchito restaurant empire, passed away from natural causes in Newport Beach on July 28. Avila and his wife Margarita opened the first Avila’s El Ranchito Mexican restaurant in Huntington Park in 1966 and the business eventually expanded to a dozen more locations, all in Orange County.
Born in Michoacán, Mexico, Salvador Avila was celebrated by his family for his determination — working two jobs, laboring 14-hour days, and helping family members open their own restaurants. In a statement the family said, “his children were always a priority.” He immigrated from Mexico to the Central Valley, then to Los Angeles and eventually to Orange County, where his family business thrived.
His wife Margarita, who was the matriarch behind the O.C. restaurant group came from Guanajuato, Mexico, and was celebrated for her cooking. She passed away in 2019 after suffering a stroke 12 years earlier. Margarita Avila’s health had waned over the years and she succumbed to another stroke. The couple spent decades together. A year before Margarita’s passing, she and her husband celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary.
Margarita Avila was known as the natural cook who perfected the restaurant’s beans, enchilada sauces, moles and her signature Mama Avila’s chicken soup. Salvador Avila will be remembered for inspiring solidarity.
“My dad’s legacy was family unity,” said his daughter Margarita Avila, who oversees the original Avila’s El Ranchito location in Huntington Park. “As he reflected in the later years of his life, he expressed satisfaction that three generations of the Avila family were working united in the 13 restaurant locations.”
Salvador Avila remained vibrant throughout the years.
“He loved working at the restaurant and had no concept of retirement,” recalls his daughter Margarita.
Salvador Avila took up running at age 50 and completed his first marathon when he was 75. He continued to run the Los Angeles Marathon until he was 81 years old. A picture of Salvador shows him sporting a purple-and-white sleeveless runner’s shirt with “Avila’s El Ranchito” printed on the front. The image shows him in mid-stride with a determined look in his eyes.
“He worked until he was 90,” Margarita Avila said of her father’s vitality. Another picture of Salvador shows him with a wide smile on his face as he celebrated 40 years at the Huntington Park restaurant. This is how most people will remember him. “He loved visiting all the locations and interacting with the employees,” she said.
Salvador Avila’s determination inspired many. He worked 14-hour days to support his wife and six children. He labored as a farmworker and held other jobs until an injury led him to seriously consider an offer from a friend. In 1966, just eight years after he moved to the United States, Salvador bought the Huntington Park space for $2,000. The couple had no restaurant experience, but the family persevered.
What started out as a family-owned taco shop with a few picnic benches grew to 13 southern California restaurants. Now each Avila’s is individually owned and operated by members of the family. Three generations of the Avila family work in the business, which include locations such as Corona del Mar, San Clemente and Seal Beach.
“He was proud of his Mexican heritage and wanted his children to value it as well and never forget where they came from,” the family said in a statement. “His value of family unity solidifies the Avila family. His legacy will be carried on from generation to generation.”
Salvador Avila was preceded in death by his son, Jose Luis, and his wife Margarita. He is survived by daughters Maria Elena and Margarita, sons Salvador Avila Jr., Victor and Sergio. He has 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
The family will hold a private memorial service.
