Along Mulberry Street in Downtown Macon, Georgia stands the historic facade of the brick building housing one of the city's best authentic Mexican restaurants. Near the corner of Third Street, you’ll notice the two stallions surrounding its logo and black painted brickwork. La Bella Morelia has been a Macon staple even before their relocation to Downtown.

The story begins in the Michoacan region of Mexico, where the family originates. La Bella Morelia directly translates to “the beautiful Morelia.” Giving a nod to the capital city of this central Mexican state. 

When the family opened their first location at Smiley’s Flea Market, off SR 247 in Macon, they brought authentic regional foods to the table. The restaurant gives locals and visitors a genuine taste of Mexico. 

The family restaurant relocated to Downtown Macon in 2017.

“We did start at Smiley’s… We were there for at least four or five years,” German Marin told 13WMAZ in an interview. “We just got the opportunity to move downtown and we took it, and here we are.”

Marin is the manager at La Bella Morelia.

Guests can find intriguing menu options like shrimp cocktails, cheese dip with chorizo, Mexican-style chicken soup, enchiladas, tostadas, gorditas, street tacos, and elite. The restaurant prides itself on using “the freshest ingredients in preparing our food to provide the best quality and taste. ”This Macon favorite was awarded the title of “best place for tacos” by Macon Telegraph readers in 2019. Restaurant patrons can enjoy the option of ordering traditional tacos served with chopped onion, cilantro, lime, and homemade salsa. Or, they can take a bite into a supreme taco; which includes lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo, and sour cream.“Pretty much, people like everything. Because, when they come in here, people just like to try new stuff. Whenever the customers come in here they just want to get one of each, or a little bit of everything.” Marin said in the interview. One of their best under-the-radar menu items is the elite or Mexican street corn. Served on a stick, this corn on the cob is slathered with butter, then mayo, and topped with squeezed lime juice, grated cheese, and chili powder.



Anyone who has had the privilege of ordering from the “corn man” in Mexico, knows the magical powers of the famed elite. It packs a punch with fresh citrus, creaminess, cheesiness, and a little bit of heat.This National Travel and Tourism Week, Visit Macon is celebrating the Power of Travel and our wonderful cross-cultural community that makes us so special. We salute our local Macon business owners and the 3.800 jobs our tourism industry provides. In Macon, the Power of Travel is about creating good jobs, lifting up our local economy, and saving families money on taxes every year