In honor of ... well, whatever it is we're celebrating on Cinco de Mayo, I thought I’d share my top five favorite Mexican and pan-Latin restaurants in north metro Atlanta.
Hunter and I have spent every Cinco de Mayo for the last three years here with our friends Caroline and/or Bryan (because rarely are they both in town at the same time). With locations in Suwanee and Cumming, there’s always a party and a good crowd at this hip, trendy restaurant, but the Cumming location also happens to have one of my favorite spots for al fresco dining in the suburbs, so we spend a lot of time here when the weather is right. There’s live music on weekends, a great view of the horse pastures across from Vickery Village, smooth agave margaritas and smoky salsa.
Caroline and I first ate here for a review I wrote for Points North a few years ago, and went crazy over their tapas sampler, a selection of smoked salmon tostadas, grilled hanger steak with chimichurri, prawns in chipotle butter sauce and more. Now that Andrea is working in Alpharetta, the restaurant’s location on Windward Parkway also makes a great meeting point for our frequent lunch dates. We always sit in the same booth and order the burritos especial (the very best in town) and Jose margaritas – heavy on the orange and a little creamy, this is one of my all-time favorite libations.
As the name suggests, this restaurant in downtown Roswell brings to life the street food culture of Latin America, with bright, bold graffiti decorating the walls (That’s me and the hubby at INC in my profile picture) and a menu inspired by roadside fare. I love the fried hominy in adobo seasoning with truffle oil that graces the table as soon as you sit down, and the exotic cocktail list is fun to explore. Favorites to date include the Tres Chiles Margarita with house-made jalepeno candy and Thatcher’s Pomegranate Paloma with Herradura, organic pomegranate liqueur and grapefruit juice. Read my past Points North review here.
I reviewed Cheeky when it first opened at The Avenue Forsyth, but with locations convenient to both work (at the Avenue) and home (on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Suwanee), Cheeky is quickly becoming one of my favorite hangouts. And no matter how many times I pore over the menu, considering trying something new, I always go back to a few tried-and-true favorites – the stuffed poblano pepper with mixed cheese and cherry tomato sauce and the taco trio (my favorite fillings are the crab cake and the veggie). There’s beer on tap at a few special tables, and a “Tricked Out” margarita list with unusual offerings like the Pink Lady (Asombroso “pink” tequila that has been aged in red wine barrels, lime mix and muddled strawberries).
Los Rios
This is definitely one of those hole-in-the-wall Mexican joints, but Los Rios in Cumming honestly serves up the best Mexican food around, plus it holds sentimental value because this is where I gather with a multi-generational group of some of my favorite women in the world - we even have a group picture on the wall! (Sadly, I don't have a copy of it to share here.) Los Rios makes a mean Texas Margarita, which we order by the pitcher, and delivers delicious chicken fajita quesadillas, black bean soup and pollo fundido.
Where will you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
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