A new culinary hotspot is sprouting up in Detroit's Midtown, bringing with it the bold flavors and traditional cooking methods of Mexico City. Vecino, the innovative brainchild of Adriana Jimenez, a Mexico City native, Lukasz Wietrzynski, and Detroit designer Colin Tury, is setting the table for its grand opening this Friday. The restaurant, which translates to "neighbor" in Spanish, aims to create a community vibe with shared plates and open-hearth cooking. The gastronomic oasis will also introduce Michigan’s first corn nixtamalization program—a method of processing maize that's a staple in Mexican cuisine.
Located in a previously vacant 1926 corner building at 4100 Third Street, the venue seats 66 with extra space for 16 at the bar. For those who crave the night breeze, an outdoor patio will unveil its charms in late spring. "We consciously look for ways to connect through shared experiences like unique foods, cultures, and traditions — all of which inspire the ways we eat, drink and share stories with our friends and neighbors,” Jimenez stated, according to a Detroit News release.
The menu is a celebration of Michigan produce married with Mexico City's culinary delights, served up by Executive chef Ricardo Mojica, formerly of Sava's in Ann Arbor and the youngest head chef in P.F. Chang’s history—achieving the title at age 19. Joining Mojica is head chef Stephanie Duran, a Texas native with a palate perfected in several Mexico City restaurants and the Aviary in Chicago, as reported by the Free Press. Heirloom corn gets center stage in a variety of dishes including tortillas, and tostadas to esquite beet ensembles.
Beyond its food, Vecino pours out an "agave-forward bar" with a selection that includes small-batch, artisanal tequilas, and mezcals. Not to be outdone are wines sourced from Mexico and other Spanish-speaking regions. As described by a ClickOnDetroit report, Jimenez’s vision is that Vecino will embody the spirit of Mexico City while rooting itself firmly in the Detroit dining scene.
Vecino will run its dinner service from Wednesday to Sunday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., with promises of adding brunch and late-night offerings down the line. Those eager to snatch a seat at this cultural crossroads can make reservations through the Resy app, and for more savory details, the restaurant's website at vecinodetroit.com is the place to go. With Vecino's launch, the world of Detroit dining is poised for a lively injection of Mexico City soul.
