LOCAL FLAVOR

La Finca GainesviLLe

Inspired by “The Farm”

By Amy Falkofske | Photos by Brenda Wolfe

La Finca Mexican opened its doors at 11 a.m. on January 25, 2021, with a sizable lunch crowd and an even bigger dinner crowd. The following day was even busier for Gainesville’s newest authentic Mexican restaurant. Although COVID restrictions didn’t allow for a typical grand opening, it’s safe to say that La Finca made an impression on Prince William residents right off the bat. “Awesome food, really nice staff. Can’t wait for it to be warm enough to eat outside. Definitely a spot to try if you’re in the area,” said RJ, Facebook reviewer.

“Excellent food and service. I will be back,” said Paul, another Facebook reviewer.

La Finca’s Second Location

The original La Finca restaurant is located in Arlington and has been so successful owner Shawn Clark and his partners jumped at the chance to open in the Gainesville/Haymarket area.

“My partners and I saw an opportunity to bring that [success] to the Gainesville/Haymarket area and we jumped on it! We live here, we work here, we raise our children here and we wanted to be a part of this economy as well and give Prince William County a place they could depend on for quality authentic Mexican food,” said Clark.

Inspired by “The Farm”

La Finca is Spanish for “the farm,” and that’s the inspiration for both La Finca’s food and its décor. According to Clark, many facets of the name are intertwined with the business. “Farmers are the backbone of our nation. They work hard until the last task is complete. They are genuine and thorough. They represent the genesis of the food on our tables — the freshness. These are all things that we hope people feel and experience while they dine with us,” he said.

Once you step inside La Finca, you’ll be instantly transported to a farm with a western feel. There are pictures of horses and even a wagon wheel on the wall. The counters look like a cabinet out of a farm house and the tables have wooden tops.

La Finca’s house salsa and bean dip with chips.

Authentic Mexican Food

Clark said he anticipates a lot of tacos, burritos and fajitas being served.

“I may be biased, but they are all great and yes, I’ve tried them all personally! ... but what I really hope is that we can make folks comfortable enough to know that we can make their go-to Mexican dishes so well that they are confident enough to expand their horizons and try an authentic dish,” he said.

He specifically mentioned the Molcajete, which he said is “an absolute work of Mexican art.”

“When you order [this dish], you’ll get to taste every protein from a thin strip of steak off the grill to a grilled chicken breast that has been marinated in our special seasoning. We begin by topping the hand-crafted rock bowl with mouth-watering grilled vegetables and fresh Pico de Gallo, then finish by adding the exquisitely cut and marinated steak strip and grilled chicken breast. It’s a plate that will truly give you a taste of Mexico’s cuisine,” said Clark.

Another authentic Mexican dish that you can get at La Finca’s is the Alambre, which is “a delicious fiesta for your taste buds as you get to experience the tasteful mix of grilled steak, chicken and delicious Mexican ham. Every piece of this plate is perfectly matched to perfection with the side of rice and beans,” said Clark.

Finally, the Camarones a la Diabla is “a tastefully put together plate with sautéed shrimp drowned in our signature homemade Diablo spicy hot sauce. This plate is spicy, tasty and is guaranteed to fulfill that craving for spicy that you have. For seafood with a spicy twist, you can’t go wrong with the Camarones a la Diabla,” said Clark.

La Finca’s Cheese Steak Double Burrito.

experience excellent and every customer satisfied. If for any reason they aren’t, I would hope they would give us the opportunity to improve any shortcomings,” he said.

“Whether you were customer number 1 or number 1,000,000, we hope you’ll find the experience and the quality to be everything that you’d hope for. We look forward to serving you and your family the best Mexican dishes in the area,” said Clark.

Hope for the Future

Although La Finca has only been open a short time, Clark hopes the restaurant will become a staple in the community.

“I want La Finca to be the answer when the question is ‘What do you want for dinner?’ I want La Finca to replace the ‘I don’t know’ reply that we have all given and received,” he said.

La Finca Gainesville Mexican is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. It’s located at 7615 Heritage Village Plaza in Gainesville.

Top-Notch Customer Service

Clark said his goal, and the goal of his staff, is for every customer to leave satisfied. Amy Falkfoske is a freelance writer and photographer. She has a Master’s degree in Film-TV with a concentration in screenwriting. She lives in Bristow with her husband, two boys and two Beagle dogs.