Gaby Cueva doesn’t mind being seen as a disruptor.

In fact, she wears the label with pride. A disruptor was formerly referred to as an individual who causes disturbances or chaos. Today, the term also denotes a person who causes a noticeable or even radical change in a market through innovation.

Cueva has been disrupting the taco and café scene in the upper Rio Grande Valley in recent years, and she’s just getting started. She is a McAllen native and graduated from McAllen Memorial High School. Cueva went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in fine art from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She was a college graduate at only 20 and knew a traditional nine-to-five job was not for her.

“I have the mindset that I have to love what I do,” she said. 

In college, she learned a wide range of theory, but she knew it would take relevant practice to develop her skills. She sees herself as a perpetual student, always wanting to learn as much as she can about food, photography, business, marketing and, of course, innovation.

Being Consistent

After college, Cueva created her own studio, focused on branding and marketing restaurants.

Branding involves selecting a logo, colors, a vibe you want customers to feel and even a smell. 

“The key is to always be consistent,” Cueva said. “You want to show the voice of your business and the only way to do that is through your branding.”

Cueva built her clientele, offering her new-media skills and creativity. Cueva developed invaluable insights while working for her clients.

“I thought about what I would change, how I would make customers feel special and how I could offer products no one else has,” she said. “I knew I would make my products from scratch, handcrafted.”

Branching Out To Business

In the early 2020s, many companies cut costs wherever they could, including marketing, amid economic difficulties.

Cueva is a master baker and began selling six-packs and 12-packs of cookies, as well as premium cakes. Her customer base, which included local restaurants, surged throughout 2022. 

“It got crazy,” she said. “My dad would wake up at 4 a.m. to help me.” 

Cueva traveled whenever she could. Each trip ignited her inner foodie and that always seemed to interconnect with innovation. She visualized her own business, researching names with friends. 

“There’s always been a battle between the French and the Italians over who makes the best pastries,” Cueva said. “I liked the aesthetics of rossina, which means rose.” 

Rossina is synonymous with elegance and grace. Cueva spent hours on YouTube and on Adobe programs, creating the packaging for the business she envisioned. A good friend urged her to launch her endeavor. It was the push she needed. In December 2022, Cueva opened her first Rossina location along Expressway 83 in McAllen, featuring pastries, cakes and coffee drinks. 

Traveling in Mexico inspired Cueva’s passion for taquerias. She opened her own version in May 2024 with Los Cuates in Mission. A month later, Rossina joined the mix of restaurants at La Plaza Mall in McAllen with a cafe. In October 2024, Cueva further expanded her business portfolio. She opened a third Rossina location in McAllen on North 10th and Jonquil, transforming a one-time Whataburger into a comfy café.

Positivity Vibe 

Cueva is determined to disrupt what many people may think when they see taqueria. 

She focuses on quality, great customer service and atmosphere. 

“Our cuts of meat are high quality,” she said. “We make all of our own salsas, our peanut sauce and our tortillas. And our ambiance is completely different than a traditional taqueria. It has all the vibes.”

Customer favorites at Los Cuates in Mission include the papa asada with fajita, trompo tacos, street-style corn in a cup, aqua frescas and micheladas. She aims for the same kind of quality at her Rossina locations.

“We use agave from Jalisco (Mexico), matcha from Kyoto (Japan), coffee from Chiapas (Mexico), and chocolate from Belgium,” she said. “All of our products are sourced from their origin. The food here is comforting. It’s something your abuela would make.” 

At Rossina, customers crave the blondie drink, the strawberry mostachón and the club sandwich, the café’s top seller. They also serve up smoothies and bowls, avocado toast, bagels, pastries, lattes and much more. You can see Cueva’s branding expertise in everything at Rossina and Los Cuates. It’s in the consistency of the colors she uses, the packaging of her products and in the distinct energy in each location. 

All of Cueva’s locations are pet-and people-friendly. Friendliness resonates at Rossina and Los Cuates.

 “I send my positivity to all my people, and that is reflected in how they treat people,” she said.