You guys have no idea how excited I am to tell you about Hijos del Maiz, a NEW food truck in Rockville that is about to blow your freakin’ mind. Owned by Chef Saul Zelaya, and I’m not exaggerating when I say his food is phenomenal. He’s worked in Michelin-star kitchens and also spent time at one of the best pizza spots in the DMV (shoutout to Boogy & Peel). Now he’s doing his own thing…and Rockville is the luckiest.
This food truly hits different in the best way: everything is made from scratch (yes, everything), and the tortillas are the star of the show. They’re made from fresh-ground heirloom corn that’s cooked through nixtamalization, then ground in a stone mill. If you’ve ever had tacos where the tortilla is just “a tortilla,” this will change you.
What I Ordered at Hijos del Maiz:
- Tacos (3 for $15): I tried three tacos – chicken asada, bistec, and carnitas – and every single one was delicious. The proteins were cooked to perfection and served on those fresh-ground heirloom corn tortillas, topped simply with cilantro and onions..
- Torta Milanese ($16): This was probably the best torta I’ve had in a minute. Imagine telera bread piled with refried beans, escabeche, lettuce, tomato, avocado, mayo, Oaxaca cheese, and the crispiest milanesa cutlet. It’s massive, like, “save half for later” massive (which I did… and yes, it was still fire at dinner).
- Barbacoa Quesadilla (2 for $16): Okay. This was my favorite dish of the bunch, and I’m not saying that lightly. You get two 8” fresh tortillas filled with Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, onions, and the most tender barbacoa I’ve ever had the pleasure of devouring. The meat genuinely melted in my mouth. It’s ridiculously tasty. And the toppings?? The habanero pickled onions + crema that come with it take it over the top.
Hijos del Maiz is one of the most exciting new food finds I’ve had in a long time. The scratch-made tortillas alone are worth the trip, but then you add in the perfectly cooked meats, that unreal barbacoa quesadilla, and a torta that’s basically a work of art… and it’s game over. If you’re anywhere near Rockville (or even if you’re not), put this on your must-try list immediately.
If the Mexican food kick has you wanting more in MoCo, Mi Casa Taqueria in Gaithersburg is a new fast casual spot doing birria tacos, chicken tinga, and a birria pizza that just landed and is already worth the trip.
📍 12151 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852
⏰T-Th 11-8pm, Fr 11-3pm, Sa 3-8pm, Su 11-8pm
For more on yum Rockville eats, click here!