This photograph is from Joe and Jessie’s granddaughter, Jesse Lancarte.
On July 4th, 1935, Joe T. Garcia and his wife, Jessie, opened a Mexican restaurant with the capacity to seat 16 people (pictured above).
Eighty+ years later, Joe T. Garcia’s & Esperanza’s Restaurant & Bakery is a Fort Worth, Texas, institution. They owe their success to Joe T’s big, warm personality and Jessie’s handmade tortillas and enchiladas. Their daughter, Hope, and Jessie kept the business going after Joe T. passed away in 1953. It is now one of the most popular restaurants in Fort Worth and can seat more than 1,000 people. Independence Day is about all Americans having the freedom to make their mark. It is appropriate that this Fort Worth success story got its start on Independence Day over 80 years ago. Successful businesses, like Joe T. Garcia’s, are an important part of the history of Fort Worth.