A new 109 diner has a focus on freshness and a taste for authentic Mexican flavor.

Pegaso Mexican Diner opened on Bluebonnet Circle in August. Since then, owners Monica Greene and Jay Coates have been serving up daily “Mex-Tex” specials.

“Tex-Mex is your hard shell taco with cheese on the top,” Coates said. “But as our society, especially Texas, is developing, there’s more influences from the Mex-Tex side, which is freshness. It’s about the ingredients more than the seasonings.”

To go along with their “Mex-Tex” flavors, Greene and Coates also champion Pegaso’s natural, sustainable food philosophy and purchase their ingredients from local sources.

“[In restaurants] there are a lot of things being done behind the scenes in the kitchen, and we just trust the chef,” Coates said. “Here, we have food in front of you, prepared in front of you, fresh. We don’t have a freezer.”

But more important than the food are the customers, according to Greene and Coates. The pair chose the Bluebonnet area location because they wanted a restaurant with a neighborhood feel.

“We’re in a grey area between the TCU campus and the neighborhood,” Coates said. “We want to focus in on families. We have an expanded kids’ menu … so people can grow up with us.”

The restaurant’s focus on families doesn’t mean TCU students are excluded. Student discounts are offered, and menu items can be adapted for a vegan or vegetarian diet.

“I think students can have a good time at Pegaso, especially on the outdoor patio,” said Alette Gamez, a TCU senior who is double majoring in political science and economics.

As far as the community’s response to Pegaso, Coates said it is better than he could have ever imagined, and the people are amazing.

“We can see a lot of potential [in the Bluebonnet area], and we want to be a part of it,” Coates said. “We came here and wanted to embrace the community, and it turns out they embraced us.”

To learn more about Pegaso, visit the restaurant’s website or Facebook page.