Ever since it opened in 2018, Hyde Park’s Virtue has made shining a light on Chicago’s South Side a priority, earning James Beard Awards for chef and owner Erick Williams and chef de cuisine Damarr Brown and their soulful Southern cooking. With the November 29 opening of neighboring spot Cantina Rosa, that light will shine even brighter.
This sultry Mexico-inspired cocktail lounge is the brainchild of Williams and his longtime colleague Jesus Garcia. Tropical cocktails spotlighting agave spirits are the focus and they’re buoyed by a compact menu of Mexican-inspired bites. “It’s going to be difficult initially for people to wrap their heads around a chef who has a bar where the alcohol comes first,” Williams says. “But like at Virtue, Cantina Rosa is about the culture of kindness and hospitality first, which opens the way for a delicious experience.”
Read on for what that means at Cantina Rosa, and make a booking on OpenTable.
What to drink
With Mexico as inspiration, agave spirits play a leading role on the cocktail menu by celebrated mixologist Paul McGee. Playing it safe isn’t an option here with many of the cocktails taking a playful, tropical approach. The La Joya pairs mezcal with blanc vermouth, Genepy (an alpine herbal liqueur), and celery juice, while Rosa’s Paloma has some woodsy notes thanks to cinnamon.
Sotol, a close relative of tequila and mezcal, gets the chance to shine here in the Desert Spoon Swizzle, which pairs the not-often-seen regional Mexican spirit with rum, sorrel, lime, and mint.
Mexican whisky and gin are represented, too, the latter of which you can get in the Royal Hawaiian with pineapple, almond, and lemon. Get the rum-based Guava Colada if you’re into frozen drinks.
What to eat
Start with serrano chile-spiked guacamole while you peruse the cocktail menu. Then, move on to the tostada de pescado with sea bass in a refreshing, lime-forward leche de tigre sauce or go for the camarones a la plancha topped with pepita salsa. Tamales, empanadas, and ceviche make appearances on the tightly curated menu, too.
Finish on a sweet note with Mexican chocolate wedding cookies. They pair best with the Slow Rush, a fun riff on an espresso martini with a mix of rums, espresso, and banana.
Where to sit
Renowned interior designer Erin Boone led the charge on the transformation of this former laundromat into the stylish bar that it is today, and Mexican culture is woven throughout. Think warm earth tones paired with shades of pink, a nod to the restaurant’s name as well as iconic Mexican architect Luis Barragán.
The space has a mix of terracotta tiles and mesquite-style woodwork, plus fabric draped along the ceiling makes it all feel extra cozy. Lush Mexican flora by a local horticulturist adds to the tropical vibe. Settle in at one of the eight half-circle booths or get an up-close view of the cocktail-making action at the bar. An elevated center island nearby offers the best of both worlds.
“Cantina Rosa allows another amenity in our portfolio [of restaurants] that’s meaningful on many levels, including honoring the Mexican culture of spirit-making in an underserved market,” Williams says.
Reservations are now open for Cantina Rosa, which officially debuts November 29 at 5 pm.
Lisa Shames is a writer focused on travel and food culture in Chicago. She has covered Chicago’s restaurant scene for publications including CS, Chicago Tribune, and Time Out and is the U.S. contributor for Sogoodmag.
