If you’ve ever taken a bite from a Tango Mango burrito and thought the taste was heaven-sent, it might be because its inspiration was an act of divine intervention.

When Shirley Spinetta, the owner of the Newton Centre burrito joint, first tried the Mexican delicacy after her daughter brought one home, she felt that her faith was leading her toward opening a restaurant of her own.

“If you believe in God, I’ve been very protected by God,” said Spinetta. “I’m a practicing Buddhist, so I had to [chant]. I was having cold feet … So we chanted from eight to four in the morning. I laughed and waited. I was like, I have to do this.”

When Spinetta found herself grappling with the prevalent loneliness of her new empty-nester lifestyle 20 years ago, she decided to immerse herself in the Newton community with her explosive spirit and a newfound love for burritos. She wanted to cultivate the loud and energetic environment she knew all too well from her Italian family. 

“Nothing makes me feel better than when I have a full house,” said Spinetta. “I get it from my parents who were Italian, and made lots of big family dinners. We know about eating and family and yelling and making noise.” 

To augment this atmosphere, Tango Mango moved from its previously smaller location on Beacon Street to a bigger one just down the street on Langley Road in the summer of 2024. With its new space, Tango Mango is positioning itself as a hub for live music, hosting a guitarist who goes by the stage name Armando, on Fridays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.. 

“We want to let people in the community know that they can come in and dance and listen to music and have a beverage and make this a date night, not just a fast food location,” said Erica Barber, a business consultant for Tango Mango. 

Spinetta added Armando to the Tango Mango team when she was dining at a different restaurant and was compelled to stay longer amid the spells of his guitar-playing.

“The reason why we stayed so long is because we were listening to his music, so I went over, and I asked him for a business card,” Spinetta said. “I called him a couple of weeks before Cinco de Mayo, and I said, ‘Can you play?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ The rest is history.”

Armando said he appreciates that he is able to add to the Tango Mango ambiance and work with someone like Spinetta. 

“I think [Tango Mango] is a staple for Newton,” said Armando. “The place is changing. It’s evolving … Shirley is generous, you know, adding extra content to the restaurant. She appreciates the people.”

According to Barber, Spinetta is so generous sometimes that Barber has to be strict with her when considering the restaurant’s finances. 

“​​[When] I came to meet Shirley, I fell in love with her,” said Barber. “I think she’s the sweetest, kindest woman I’ve ever met. Every time that I work beside her, she gives somebody something for free. She’s overly generous. If she’s lacking in any success, [it’s] because she gives her profits away.” 

Spinetta’s generosity and care for the community extend beyond the colorful walls of Tango Mango into family traditions and 10-year-olds’ pastimes. 

“A family, which I thought was adorable, created a tradition about eight or nine years ago, where they do burritos on Christmas Eve,” said Barber. “[The mom] puts the burritos in their stockings … There was also a lovely kid in the community that’s about 10 years of age, and he wrote an essay on Tango Mango.”

New customers from Boston College Law School remarked on how Tango Mango supersedes the iconic and trusted Mexican fast food restaurant, Chipotle. 

“You don’t have to wait [as long],” said Nathaniel Scheinman, BC Law ’28. “I like that about it … It feels cozier. More like a small business and family sort of thing. It’s nicer.”

Spinetta hopes that Tango Mango has successfully danced its way into the heart of the Newton community with its vibrant atmosphere and inventive flavors. 

“I make a burrito so when it’s four in the morning and you say, ‘Can we go back and get one of those burritos?’” said Spinetta. “Steve Martin has a quote. It says, ‘Be so good they can’t ignore you.’”