Bernardo & Elvira Suarez – The Family Behind The Maya Restaurant

The Maya Restaurant – Valley Fair Mall’s Beloved Eatery

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, one of the most beloved restaurants inside Valley Fair Mall was The Maya, owned and operated by Bernardo and Elvira Suarez.

Bernardo Suarez Sr. (1919–2009) was the second of twelve children, born and raised in Garland, Utah. Known as “All Day Tough,” he worked 25 years as an equipment operator at Kennecott Copper Mine before retiring. He married the love of his life, Elvira Rodriguez Vasquez (1922–1986), in Eureka, Utah, and together they raised eight children. Bernardo loved spending time with his family—camping, hunting, playing baseball, buying five-cent hamburgers at Dee’s, and taking his sons to the Ritchie Theater to enjoy Mexican films.

Elvira was a remarkable woman in her own right. After 16 years as a nurse at the Veterans Hospital, an ailment forced her to leave the profession she loved. But she turned adversity into opportunity—drawing on her mother’s recipes, her experiences in El Paso and Juarez, and her training at Utah Tech and BYU—to create a new path. In 1978, the couple opened The Maya Restaurant at Valley Fair Mall, blending family heritage with community spirit.

In June 1984, Elvira was honored as Businesswoman of the Month by the Chamber of Commerce for her success and leadership in operating the restaurant.

Elvira also had a wonderful sense of humor. In a 1948 newspaper feature about party phone lines—a system where multiple households shared a single telephone line—she laughed about dialing wrong numbers: “Dialing wrong numbers is a good way to get acquainted. Sometimes we even have three others on the line together!” For her, even a simple mistake became an opportunity for friendship.

The Maya quickly became a community favorite. Families loved the authentic, generous plates—handmade tamales with rice and beans for $4.68, flautas topped with shredded beef, sour cream, and guacamole for $3.99, the taquito barbacoa (stuffed with bacon bits, cheese, onions, chilies, avocados, plus rice and beans) for $6.25, and the famous chili burritos smothered in rich enchilada sauce for just $4.20. Combo plates, loaded with flavor and tradition, were around five dollars—making The Maya both delicious and affordable.

Though both Bernardo and Elvira have since passed, their legacy lives on in the memories of those who gathered at The Maya to share good food, warm hospitality, and a piece of family tradition.

Jennifer Suarez Edgar - photos of her grandparents menu

Jennifer Suarez Edgar - photos of her grandparents menu