Erick Williams—one of our most Powerful People in American fine dining this year—is branching out from the Southern cuisine he’s best known for.
On Friday, the Chicago-based chef will open Cantina Rosa in the city’s Hyde Park neighborhood. The lounge will spotlight Mexican-inspired cocktails and spirits, including agave, with bites to accompany them. An homage to Williams’s late grandmother Rosetta and his colleague Jesus Garcia’s mother, Rosa, the restaurant is hoping to bring a little bit of Mexico to the Midwest.
Royal Hawaiian Cocktail
Huge Galdones
“This concept has deep personal significance,” Williams said in a statement. “Just as Virtue pays homage to Black culture, Cantina Rosa honors the rich traditions of Mexican culture. We’re excited to expand our footprint in Hyde Park and bring something new and exciting to the neighborhood that holds so much meaning to myself, Jesus, and our team.”
To devise the drinks menu, the Cantina Rosa team collaborated with mixologist Paul McGee. The cocktails largely feature spirits like tequila and mezcal: The La Joya combines the latter with blanc vermouth, Genepy, and celery, while the Paddle Cactus pairs the same spirit with prickly pear, pineapple, and chile. Rosa’s Paloma is a version of the tequila classic with added cinnamon. There’s also Mexican gin in the Royal Hawaiian Cocktail, with pineapple, almond, and lemon, plus Mexican whiskey in the Daydreamer, with tamarind, corn, and lemon.
Tostada de pescado
Huge Galdones
The small bites come from chefs Javier Perez and Jesus Martinez, who have worked with Williams at his other restaurants Mustard Seed Kitchen and Daisy’s Po-Boy, respectively. Tamales Oaxaqueños come with chicken and tomatillo salsa; camerones a la plancha pair griddled prawns with cilantro oil and salsa Huichol.
Just as the food and drinks are meant to transport you to Mexico, so is the design. Erin Boone has incorporated bright-pink hues inspired by Mexican architect Luis Barragán, complemented by terra-cotta tiles, mesquite-style woodwork, and embroidered details. Local horticulturalists were brought in to add natural Mexican flora, including acacia wood, bird’s nest ferns, and Monstera leaves.
Opening just before the depths of the Chicago winter, Cantina Rosa is a welcome respite where you can pretend you’re in the tropics instead. Williams and his team are doing both locals and visitors alike a favor—and a rather delicious one at that.
Click here to see all the images of Cantina Rosa.
