Longtime Pearland Mexican Restaurant Lilas to Relocate After 37 Years

The family-owned Tex-Mex institution will move about a mile away to a larger space in the Pearland Plaza shopping center.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:10pm

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After 37 years at their current 2704 S. Main Street location in Pearland, Texas, the owners of Lilas Mexican Restaurant have announced they will be relocating the family-owned Tex-Mex institution to a new space about a mile away in the Pearland Plaza shopping center. The move is driven by factors like limited parking and the financial costs of maintaining their current building to city code, though the owners plan to keep the same name, menu, and overall homey feel when they reopen at the new location, likely in May.

Why it matters

Lilas Mexican Restaurant has been a Pearland institution for nearly four decades, serving the community with its Tex-Mex fare. The relocation highlights the challenges small, independent restaurants can face in maintaining a long-term presence, even when they have a loyal customer base, as rising costs and limited growth opportunities can force tough decisions about the future of the business.

The details

Lilas Mexican Restaurant has operated at its current 2704 S. Main Street location in Pearland for 37 years. However, the restaurant's manager, Linda Abarca, whose father opened the eatery, cited multiple reasons for the decision to relocate, including limited parking and the financial burden of keeping the building up to city code. Abarca said the move will allow the restaurant to grow, though they plan to maintain the same name, menu, and overall homey feel when they reopen at the new Pearland Plaza shopping center location about a mile away.

  • Lilas Mexican Restaurant has operated at its current location for 37 years.
  • The restaurant plans to relocate to a new space in the Pearland Plaza shopping center in May 2026.

The players

Lilas Mexican Restaurant

A family-owned Tex-Mex restaurant that has operated in Pearland, Texas for 37 years.

Linda Abarca

The manager of Lilas Mexican Restaurant, whose father originally opened the restaurant.

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What they’re saying

“In the meantime, we invite you to come enjoy your favorite meals with us over these next couple of months and share your special memories made here throughout the years. This building holds so much history, laughter, and love. We are incredibly grateful to have shared it with all of you.”

— Lilas Mexican Restaurant

“Leaving this space is certainly nostalgic for our family, but we are excited for what's ahead. We promise to continue serving you with the same warm smiles, happy spirits, and delicious food you've come to love.”

— Lilas Mexican Restaurant

“We're going to try to keep it as homey as it is here and not really [change] anything big. We're going to try to keep it how our customers are used to—coming in here and just feeling like they're at home.”

— Linda Abarca, Manager

What’s next

Lilas Mexican Restaurant has not yet established specific dates for when their last day at the current location will be, but they are hoping to move into their new Pearland Plaza space in May 2026.

The takeaway

The relocation of Lilas Mexican Restaurant, a beloved Pearland institution for nearly four decades, underscores the challenges small, independent restaurants can face in maintaining a long-term presence, even with a loyal customer base. However, the owners' commitment to preserving the restaurant's homey atmosphere and signature Tex-Mex fare suggests they are determined to adapt to changing circumstances and continue serving the community.