BUDA, Texas — On Tuesday, Hays CISD dedicated its child nutrition center to honor Helen Alcala, a longtime district employee who became a well-known face in Buda.
The Helen Alcala Child Nutrition Center, located at 5750 Dacy Lane, serves as the hub for preparing meals for more than 24,000 students daily across the district. The dedication ceremony featured the presentation of ceremonial keys to Alcala’s eight grandchildren, son-in-law and daughter-in-law.
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Alcala, who died in 2017, spent decades working in Hays CISD cafeterias before retiring and opening Helen’s Casa Alde in 1980 — the first Hispanic, woman-owned restaurant in Buda. The establishment became a beloved fixture on Main Street.
Born Helen Rodriguez in 1923 in Goforth, Alcala was the eldest of 10 children. Her father and grandfather had immigrated from Mexico a decade earlier to work on local farms, according to the district.
Alcala left school after junior high to help support her family by working at a local grocery store. She married Pedro “Pete” Alcala in 1947, and the couple had three children: Ernest, Rene and Linda.
During the first half of her career, Alcala worked in the cafeteria of the historic Buda School, where she became a daily presence in the lives of thousands of students. After retiring from Hays CISD, she worked at the Texas School for the Deaf before opening her restaurant.
Helen’s Casa Alde earned a loyal following over the years. In a 2005 interview with the Hays Free Press, Alcala attributed the restaurant’s success to customer service and quality food.
“I guess it’s just the way we treat customers,” she said. “We know nearly everybody that comes in here. If they’re new, we try to tell them that they’re welcome here, and they should come back. And they do, they come back.”
When pressed about the restaurant’s popularity, Alcala modestly added, “Well, everyone says the food is great. My favorite part is when somebody says, ‘This is the best meal I’ve had.’ Oh, it makes me feel so good.”
Following Alcala’s death, her granddaughter Remy Alcala Fallon told the Hays Free Press that customers didn’t visit just for the food. “You didn’t come here just for the tacos. You came here for Helen,” she said.
This year, Alcala was posthumously named one of Buda’s 2025 Local Legends. She shares the honor with her son, Rene.
The Hays CISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously in 2023 to name the nutrition center in Alcala’s honor, recognizing her contributions to both the school district and the broader community.
The nutrition center is located next to McCormick Middle School.