Mezcaleria Alma packs the energy of Mexico City into its narrow chef counter bar and a handful of small tables. Johnny Curiel opened the place in Denver just a few months after his next-door restaurant, Alma Fonda Fina, earned a Michelin Star. Now, less than a year later, Mezcaleria Alma has a star of its own—and an unparalleled bar program hyperfocused on the spirits and flavors of Mexico.
Whether you want help picking a bottle or have questions about what you’re drinking—which you will, because the list is filled with names that even those well-versed in Mexican beverages might not recognize—the staff here can deftly talk through it all without missing a beat in service. The selection runs the gamut: mezcal, tequila, raicilla, bacanora, pox, rum, whiskey, aperitifs, agave spirits that have no D.O. The cocktails, led by beverage director Jen Mattioni, lean on this selection for twists on the classics, like a colada made with raicilla and bacanora or a carajillo calling on Mexican fernet. The Corn Sour, the bar’s signature drink, uses the namesake ingredient five ways through five different Mexican spirits.
The food, like the drinks, reflects the global influences seen in Mexico City’s kitchens. It’s hard to say if Mezcaleria Alma is an incredible bar with great food or a standout restaurant with an unbeatable bar, and that’s kind of the point. “This is the way I like to dine: loud music, great mezcal list,” says Curiel. “Alma Fonda Fina is my heart and my family. Mezcaleria is me after midnight in Mexico City.”
Corn Sour
Maize is the backbone of Mexican cuisine, and of Mezcaleria Alma’s signature drink, which layers four corn-based spirits.
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The food menu runs from contemporary (like dry-aged toro tostada) to familiar; the empanada-like pescadilla is lovingly referred to as a Mexican Hot Pocket.
Order an off-menu flight of agave spirits, which is traditionally served with chapulines and citrus. Simply name a few things you like in a spirit and the staff will curate a selection.
Cocktails at Mezcaleria Alma highlight Mexican ingredients in classic builds, from Carajillos to Stingers and beyond.
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