As if spring temps and sunshine weren’t enough of an excuse for an al fresco margarita, Red Mesa Cantina is making it a downright must. The downtown hotspot recently released a new “Mercado’s Most Wanted” menu that brings outstanding Cali-Mex street food to the Cantina alongside a new build-your-own margaritas menu.
We’ll come back to the margaritas, as it’s the new food menu that has us particularly excited. All three of the Red Mesa concepts have been St. Pete favorites, and this menu incorporates some of the most popular menu items from Red Mesa Mercado, the fast-casual EDGE District and West St. Pete spot serving up fantastic Cali-Mex street food.
We’ve long had a soft spot for Mercado, and now some of those stars are getting the Cantina treatment, showcased in their tropical outdoor and indoor digs alongside one of the biggest tequila libraries in the state of Florida. Cantina is slowly rolling out the new additions over the course of the spring, with more unveilings teased for April and May.
So far, they’ve debuted three all-timers: the Puffy Tacos, the Cali Burrito, and the Chipotle Chicken Burrito. The Cali Burrito is what first got this writer hooked on Mercado. The hefty delight is a house-made flour tortilla stuffed with ground beef, refried beans, cheddar jack cheese, guacamole, crema, pico de gallo, and that ultimate Cali touch – skinny, crispy fries. As we’ve opined in this space before, it’s the kind of burrito they write songs about…