Bite Of The Day: Elegant Oaxaca Cuisine And Spirits At La Loba Cantina
La Loba Cantina, Kensington’s Oaxaca-style Mexican eatery, is not just a great dinner and brunch stopover — it’s a serious contender for the best new neighborhood bar.
The restaurant, located at 709 Church Avenue between East 7th and East 8th streets, has an eclectic design, an authentic menu with fresh ingredients, and traditional Mexican liquors. Plus, from the front door, it looks like a tropical hideaway.
I’d been planning to stop in for dinner this week, but was lured in earlier while walking home from a late-night pizza at Rocky’s. It was midnight on a Monday, the block was mostly closed, and I was surprised to find an open door, soft lighting, and a friendly bartender serving beers.
For me, the real jewel of this cozy eatery is the well-crafted decor. With a mix of fold-away chairs and cinderblock benches, there’s a “just thrown together” feeling. But clearly, there’s love in every detail of this place; the bright sculptures, mismatched tile patterns, exposed wood panels, and plants reaching out from every corner of the dining room. All together, it made me feel like camping out for the entire night.
For a small place, they also have diverse seating options. You can sit down for an intimate meal, pull up a bar stool, or gather with a group on the window-side benches overlooking Church avenue. In addition, it looks like they’re opening a back room with an attached garden for outdoor seating.
The dinner menu is on the small side, with almost every dish featuring their signature fresh-made tortillas. I tried the Napales Tlayuda ($11), which looked almost like an Oaxacan-style pizza. Although the menu says “crispy tortilla” this one was thick, soft and grainy, covered with a delicate layer of dark beans and white cheese; sprinkled with avocado slices, arugula, gooey Napales (cactus), radish, tomato, onion, and parsley.
In January, local owners Jeff James and Meredith Sheehy told us that the handmade tortilla machine is “the heart of the kitchen” — and now I can see why: this corn tortilla added a strong backbone, and was so thick I struggled to cut it with a knife and fork. I ended up ripping off thick slices and rolling it into finger food — maybe not the most sophisticated choice, but it made for a fun dinner.
Their drink menu is even more robust and colorful, with a sampling of margaritas ($9 for the original, $10 for the spicy raspberry or watermelon flavors), cervezas ($5-6 per beer), and the real show stopper — a four-page Mezcal menu (prices range from $8-15 for a 10oz glass).
Mezcal is the smoky-flavored cousin of tequila, as both are made from agave. La Loba is clearly the place to go for an expert selection of this complex Mexican spirit, and with the one-of-a-kind decor plus a friendly bar staff, it’s also the perfect place to relax, sip slowly, and pick out each surprising flavor to hit your tongue (wild apples, caramel, plantains, and celery — just to name a few).
La Loba Cantina is located at 409 Church Avenue, between E. 7th and E. 8th streets. The kitchen is open daily between 5pm and 11pm on weekdays, and 12pm to 4pm Saturdays and Sundays. But stay late for drinks at the bar, Monday–Thursday until 1am; Friday–Saturday until 2am; and Sunday until 1am. Visit their website for more details, great pictures, and a full menu.