La Palapa's co-owners and co-executive chefs are Barbara Sibley, who grew up in Mexico City and Margaritte Malfy, who has traveled extensively throughout Mexico. Sibley and Malfy opened La Palapa Cocina Mexicana in November of 2000. Their second restaurant, La Palapa Rockola, opened in September of 2003. The partners met fifteen years ago, while working in other restaurants. In 1997, Sibley and Malfy traveled to Mexico City for an art exhibition consisting of several New York City artists. Their work was also included in this show. It was during this time that the team began making plans to open an authentic Mexican restaurant in New York City.