Tonantzin Brings Oaxacan Flavors to the Farmers Market

March 20, 2026

Tonantzin, founded by Amalia Bernabe and operated with her family, was created to bring Oaxacan food to the Bay through carefully crafted dishes. Born in Mexico City and raised in Oaxaca, Amalia learned the recipes on Tonantzin’s menu through her parents and grandparents. Now, at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and Mission Community Market, shoppers can enjoy her seasonal tamales, salsas and moles, café de olla, horchata, and much more. 

When One Door Closes, Another Door Opens

Amalia grew up in Oaxaca, where she sold tamales and atole (a thick and warm drink made with corn dough or flour, milk, and sugar) with her mother and sisters. Each recipe on Tonantzin’s menu is a family heirloom, carefully seasoned to match the familiar smells and flavors of her childhood. 

“My family is my greatest inspiration, and thanks to them, I preserve the Oaxacan culture defined by the aroma of roasted chiles, firewood, and corn,” Amalia wrote in an email, “Our menu and recipes are a direct legacy from my grandparents and the traditions of my home.”

The name of her business, “Tonantzin,” refers to a strong woman figure. Amalia said in an interview, “Tonantzin significa Madre Tierra, mujer fuerte. Y en los católicos significa Virgen de Guadalupe. Y yo escogí Tonantzin porque me identifico con ella como mujer fuerte y me encantó ese nombre.” Her son, Ubaldo, who works alongside her, paraphrases that Tonantzin means Mother Earth, a strong woman. Amalia chose the name because she identified with that sense of strength. 

Amalia’s business began during the 2020 pandemic, when she lost her job.

“Cuando me quedé sin trabajo, cuando no había recursos para mi familia para pagar la renta y comida. Empecé a vender comida con mis amistades… Me dijeron que mi comida era muy sabrosa, que tenía que empezar a vender comida.” Ubaldo translates, “She lost her job, and when she lost her job, she didn’t have money. She didn’t have resources. So, she started selling food to her clients, who were her friends and her family members. They told her, ‘Hey, your food is really good! You should sell your food.’”

That same year, Amalia applied to join La Cocina, a nonprofit that helps women, immigrants, and people of color food entrepreneurs formalize their businesses. They worked with her to create a business plan for a restaurant based on recipes she learned from her family in Oaxaca. She says, “Me recurría a La Cocina en el 2020 y fue un proceso largo porque me pidieron un business plan y empecé a trabajar con recetas a mi propia comida que de niña cociné con mi mamá en Oaxaca.”

Though her application was rejected in 2021, she kept applying and was accepted into La Cocina’s Food Business Incubator Program in 2022. During this time, she also worked with MEDA (Mission Economic Development Agency) to formalize her business.

Crafting a Farm-Fresh, Oaxacan Menu

After a month-long pop-up residency at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market through La Cocina in 2024 and participating in a Pop-Ups on the Plaza event in 2025, Amalia was asked to join the Mission Community Market and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. She is currently on the “Pathway to Permanent” as a participant in the Building Equity program, which provides opportunities, technical assistance, and financial support for early-stage BIPOC entrepreneurs at Foodwise’s farmers markets. Today, the majority of their revenue, around 80%, comes from farmers markets, and another 20% comes from catering.

Tonantzin sources local and fresh ingredients like tomatoes, onions, and red bell peppers from Ferry Plaza farms like Green Thumb Farms. They also purchase fruits and vegetables from other local farmers at the Heart of the City Farmers Market. What they can’t find at farmers markets, they purchase from Cervantes Produce in Oakland. Some spices and beans, as well as their café de olla (a coffee spiced with cinnamon and piloncillo) and moles, are sourced from Oaxaca. 

Their menu is also seasonal, based on what farmers have available during the year. During strawberry season, Amalia purchases from Yerena Farms to make strawberry tamales and aguas frescas. 

Amalia’s vision for Tonantzin is to open a Oaxacan restaurant that becomes one of the best in the Bay Area. Her dream is to bring her culture and traditions to the table at an establishment known for its flavors. Or as she says, “Mi visión de llegar a darme a conocer en toda el área de la bahía, que sea uno de los mejores restaurantes en Oaxaqueños por su tradición y su sabor.”

Visit Tonantzin at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Tuesdays and at the Mission Community Market on Thursdays. You can also try more of their menu, including tlayudas and quesabirria, at Pop-Ups on the Plaza: Celebrating BIPOC Women Makers on March 28.

Topics: Building Equity program, Entrepreneurship, Farmers market