Owner, Casa Vega
Christina “Christy” Vega is a third-generation restaurateur and the owner and chief executive of Casa Vega, a Sherman Oaks landmark her family has stewarded for nearly 70 years. The Vega culinary tradition began in the mid-1930s, when her grandparents, Rafael Sr. and Maria “Mary” Vega, immigrated from Tijuana and opened Café Caliente in downtown Los Angeles. Her father, Rafael “Ray” Vega Jr., established Casa Vega in 1956 at age 22, and it quickly became a famous hangout for Old Hollywood’s elite, including Marlon Brando and Cary Grant.
Vega took over operations in 2012 after initially pursuing a career in public relations.
Marking the restaurant’s 70th anniversary this year, Vega has overseen significant expansion, unveiling the Ray Vega Patio – the establishment’s first major addition. Further cementing the restaurant’s status as a Los Angeles landmark, the City of Los Angeles officially renamed the corner of Ventura and Fulton “Vega Square” during a ceremony attended by Mayor Karen Bass.
Beyond the restaurant, Vega has emerged as a powerful voice in the Los Angeles business community, using her platform to advocate for small businesses and the immigrant workforce.
Favorite charity or cause: This Is About Humanity
Favorite book: “The Agony & the Ecstacy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo” by Irving Stone
Favorite pastime or hobby: Traveling
Favorite quote: “At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.”
– Frida Kahlo