Mezcal Mexican Bar & Kitchen, a restaurant in Ferndale, has opened a new 3,400-square-foot location at 51 W. Forest Ave. just west of Woodward Avenue in the former Savant space in Detroit’s Midtown.
Mezcal Mexican Bar & Kitchen was launched by the brother and sister duo, Jose Granados and Sandra Haro, who were born in Mexico. The siblings draw their culinary inspiration from their father, who owned a small restaurant in their hometown during their childhood.
“Midtown Detroit has a great vibe and Midtown Detroit Inc. has been especially supportive of us,” says Granados. “Detroit is flourishing, and we want to be a part of the revival.” Granados, a graduate of Wayne State University, is currently offering Wayne State students and staff a 15 percent discount on food purchases when they show ID.
Mezcal Mexican Bar & Kitchen’s Detroit menu includes tacos, quesadillas, tortas, and carnitas. Head Chef Jaime Flores masters the Mexican cuisine at both the Ferndale and Detroit locations. Flores brings a wealth of experience to Mezcal after opening several restaurants in Texas.
“The new Detroit restaurant showcases a menu distinct from its sister counterpart. It is a different experience from Ferndale where there is an emphasis on Mexican street food. In Detroit, with a much larger kitchen, we were able to spread our wings and expand our menu, adding even more sophisticated, yet affordable authentic Mexican fare,” says Haro.
The menu also includes Torre de Mariscos, a seafood tower, Carnitas inspired by the co-owners’ father’s cooking, and Tacos Al Pastor. Restaurant goers can also enjoy empanadas, nachos, ceviche, esquites, pesto de aguacate, and chicharron ribeye. The authentic Mexican restaurant menu also includes tacobirria, taco gobernador, taco alambre, aguachile de ribeye, and the classic taco de pollo for entree dinner options.
Desserts include flan, tres leches, cheesecakes, homemade ice cream, and its very own mezcal dessert.
Mezcal Detroit offers a wide selection of alcoholic beverages. Named after the distilled alcoholic beverage made from a variety of agave plants, Mezcal seeks to bring the essence of Mexico to Michigan. While the coastal regions of the United States have embraced mezcal, Granados and Haro recognized the limited availability of this unique spirit in Michigan and sought to introduce it to local enthusiasts and create new ones.
Mezcal is a flavorful drink that can be used in foods like burritos, tacos, and soup. Other drink options with mezcal include Palomas, Margaritas, Oaxacan Old Fashioned, Mezcal Mojito, Dead Sea Mule, Carajillos, Ella Baila Sola, and Mezcal Negroni.
The new restaurant features picturesque murals created by Elton Monroy Duran. The Mexican born, southwest Detroit-based visual artist is known for his viaduct murals across the city of Detroit.
In addition to the Wayne State staff and student discount, all restaurant visitors can enjoy $5 margaritas throughout the month of July. Additional pop-up promotions will occur throughout July, too.
Mezcal Detroit is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed Mondays. The restaurant also offers a weekend brunch.
For more information about Mezcal Ferndale, visit mezcalferndale.com/. The Detroit website will be available shortly.
