In 1995 Roberto Rendon opened Taqueria La Mexicana in Somerville. He had never worked in restaurants before, but his wife, Carolina, is a talented cook. “I opened it for her,” says Roberto. The Union Square spot was a small takeout restaurant with a swift lunch business where local contractors, grad students, and Latin-American families would come for chile rellenos and handmade tamales. These were specialties of Roberto’s hometown, Matamoros, in northeastern Mexico.

Twenty years later, after a major expansion to a full-service restaurant and bar, and a rebranding as Cantina La Mexicana in 2008, Roberto 55, and Carolina 50, have decided it’s time to pass the torch to 21-year-old Robert, known as “Junior.”

“Kids that used to come here when they were little are now all grown up, coming with their own babies,” says the dad. For now, you can still find Carolina in the kitchen, hovering over cilantro-spiked batches of warming chicken soup, and tomato-flecked pots of yellow rice. Roberto will continue to head up catering, and sometimes take on the role of expeditor.

Meanwhile, Junior is taking the reins as operations manager. He witnessed the neighborhood grow and change, and plans to install more draft lines for craft beers (especially local ones), upgrade the cocktail program, and bring in new staff. “We have a good, homemade, authentic Mexican product, served in a casual environment. That won’t change,” says Junior.'

Karina Rendon, the couple’s 25-year-old daughter, was helping out waiting tables one night recently. “Somerville is a good mix of people and I want the restaurant to continue to reflect that,” she says.

 She’s delighted her younger brother is taking over. “I have faith in him. He’s smart. The maturity. . . I worry about that. But the brain is there.” Their father shakes his head and laughs. Cantina La Mexicana, 247 Washington St., Union Square, Somerville, 617-776-5232.
CATHERINE SMART