Unless you live under a rock, you already know that today is Cinco de Mayo! Something feels more special about the holiday this year as bars and restaurants have opened back up—at least with limited seating and expanded outdoor service. We really didn’t get to go out for Cinco last year, so it’s great that this year will feel a little bit more “normal” again.
In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I wanted to feature a few of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley. These are my go-to spots when I want some of my favorite dishes like pozole verde, carne asada, carne adobada and, of course, some delicious flan for dessert!
Urbano Mexican Kitchen • Pasadena
Urbano Mexican Kitchen is a relatively new restaurant. They are family owned and operated, fusing contemporary Mexican cuisine with classic dishes inspired by the ranches of Zacatecas. Urbano offers an open concept kitchen with hand-made corn tortillas being pressed every day. They provide gluten-free and vegetarian options, and their bar is home to the largest selection of Mexican craft beer in the area. They have some signature cocktails you’ll want to try, as well! Learn more about Urbano Mexican Kitchen.
Maestro • Pasadena
Maestro is currently open for outdoor dining, so be sure and make a reservation if you plan to go there. Seating may be limited. The good news is they have a convenient online reservation calendar to make it easy. Maestro is a great place for brunch, dinner or after-work cocktails. They offer an excellent menu of both classic and modern Mexican-inspired dishes.
La Cabanita • Montrose
La Cabanita has been an institution in the Montrose community for 30 years. This restaurant has been mentioned in movies and is often frequented by Hollywood stars. Their menu features authentic Mexican flavors and they offer a casual and inviting dining experience that brings traditional Mexican hospitality to your table. They also have catering services for special events.
Great Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Speaking of my favorite Mexican dishes, I wanted to share a couple of great recipes I have found. First, is this Green Chile Pork Pozole (Pozole Verde) from La Piña en La Cocina. You’ll want to gather fresh ingredients ingredients, but the recipe is pretty easy to prepare. Then, you’ll just want to allow for a few hours to slow cook the pork to make it as tender and delicious as possible.
Click here for the full recipe.
For dessert, you can never go wrong with flan. Here is a simple and delicious flan recipe from A Cozy Kitchen that only takes about 15 minutes to prepare and an hour to cook!
Click here for the full recipe.
I hope you all have a wonderful Cinco de Mayo with your friends and family!
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