"With a big menu of dishes from Puebla and Oaxaca and a bright blue interior, this restaurant on Hope Street brings the sunshine year-round. Come with a group and start the night with a pitcher of sangria with pomegranate seeds swirling around. Dolores also has an extensive cocktail list replete with Mexican spirits that go beyond tequila and mezcal (like sotol and Oaxacan rum). Foodwise, there’s a lot to choose from, but the mole pistachio and chile relleno are two rich dishes worth saving stomach room for. Even if you don’t want a full-blown meal, though, you can still come here to snack and drink. Get the tetela filled with goat cheese and serrano peppers and topped with spicy salsa roja or a round of tostadas with salsa, paired with a Sotol sour." - grace kelly