Edwin Martinez opened his Irving restaurant 14 years ago, bringing authentic Puerto Rican food straight from his homeland.

"When I serve the food, I like to be right there on the counter to see the people saying, like, ‘Yes, this is what I’m looking for,’” said Martinez, owner of Adobo Puerto Rican Cafe .

Watch NBC 5 free wherever you are WATCH HERE

But since the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, prices have gone up, pushing him to charge more, too.

A new state law is supposed to help push back on costs.

Create a free account with NBC 5 DFW to save articles and videos. LEARN MORE

"This bill is going to help those local restaurants save a little money at a time when they really do need that help," said Kelsey Erickson Streufert, spokesperson for the Texas Restaurant Association.

The

See Full Page