"Cantina Rosa was born from the bar program at Virtue, a restaurant celebrating Southern cuisine by James Beard Award–winning chef-owner Erick Williams. Williams and Virtue general manager Jesus Garcia noticed a demand for cocktails in the city’s Hyde Park neighborhood and decided to open a bar just around the corner in a former laundromat space. The name is an homage to the duo’s grandmothers, Rose and Rosa. While Virtue focuses on Southern cooking, Cantina Rosa will spotlight Mexican culture and Garcia’s heritage. Beverage whiz Paul McGee is helping to curate a drinks menu with agave- and sugarcane-derived spirits, bourbon, and charanda. There are drinks like the Jushu, a frozen mezcal-based cocktail with acacia honey, lime, and mango vinegar, or the Royal Hawaiian made with Mexican gin, fresh pineapple, orgeat, and lemon. Bar bites like chicken tamales and refried bean sopes with crema and queso fresco will round out the experience." - ByKate Kassin
