Many were left shocked when Twilight star Kristen Stewart, who is worth an estimated $80 million, chose a budget-friendly Mexican restaurant to wed her partner Dylan Meyer in a very relaxed ceremony last week.

However, DailyMail.com can reveal that the venue holds a hidden meaning for the happy couple, as it has long been considered a haven to the LGBTQ community of Los Angeles, and has quite the Hollywood backstory.

Decades before Kristen publicly came out as queer in 2017, Casita del Campo was a refuge for the gay community to dine in a ‘safe space’ including legendary screen actor Rock Hudson who famously kept his sexuality a secret from the public for his entire career. 

The intimate family-owned eatery was opened in 1962 by West Side Story actor Rudy del Campo.

Unmissable with it’s vibrant pink exterior, the restaurant is located in LA’s hip Silver Lake neighborhood and is known as an LGBTQ haven where drag shows have been held at it’s very own underground theater, The Cavern Club. 

‘Our supportive relationship with the [queer] community started with my parents… and continues every single day,’ owner Robert del Campo, the son of founder Rudy, told The Infatuation in 2020.

The late Rudy opened the doors to Casita del Campo with his family in 1962 following a showbiz career that spanned Broadway, Las Vegas, and the big screen.

Rudy, a dancer and actor, appeared in Singing in the Rain, An American In Paris, A Star Is Born, and even played a Shark in the musical film West Side Story – his last movie before he pivoted into the restaurant industry. 

Casita Del Campo was launched with the paycheck Rudy earned from West Side Story, according to KCRW.

‘West Side Story was [Rudy’s] last film. He had a small business administration pamphlet and just went down the list of businesses. And when he got to [the word] restaurant, it’s like, ‘I think we can do this. Let’s give this a shot.’ It was a very practical solution,’ Robert told the outlet.

Rudy, whose friends included those in Hollywood who had not come out, wanted his pals to feel free to be themselves at Casita Del Campo, according to Opentable. 

The restaurant has served as a retreat as other LGBTQ establishments in the area became the target of raids. 

In the 70s, Rudy even built privacy curtains on the bar booths so his LGBTQ diners could feel safe, according to the outlet. 

‘Word spread quickly that this is a safe space to enjoy your lives,’ Robert told Opentable in 2023. ‘We live for the camaraderie of all these human beings— providing for each other—to make another day better for everybody.’ 

Several years after Rudy launched the restaurant, he met the woman who would not only become a colleague but his wife – Nina del Campo.

The couple ‘instantly fell in love’ following their meeting in 1965 and were married until Rudy’s death in 2003.

The restaurant remains in the family, with Rudy’s son Robert becoming owner the same year his father died. 

‘This place was made with love, and that is the most important ingredient of how it still runs to this day,’ he told The Infatuation. 

The menu boasts mouth-watering Mexican staples such as freshly made guacamole, enchiladas, taquitos, carne asada, and margaritas. 

The restaurant has attracted A-listers such a Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani, Robert Pattinson, and St. Vincent, who have all eaten there. 

Stewart and Dylan were reportedly regulars at the restaurant before they tied the knot on Easter, People reported. 

The couple said ‘I do’ in front of 170 guests and the celebrations lasted after midnight, a source told the site.

Stewart, who came out as gay in 2017, has been dating Meyer, a screenwriter, since 2019. 

They announced their engagement in 2021. 

The day before the wedding, the restaurant announced they would be closed on Easter for a ‘private event.’

Alongside a photo of a camellia in bloom, the eatery posted to Instagram: ‘Easter Sunday 4/20/25 we will be closed for a private event day and night. Blessings and Love ❤️… Open on Monday 11am… Viva la Vida.’