Milpa Kitchen
Latin American restaurant · Boyle Heights ·
Fresh bowls, taquitos, salads, soups, and coffee drinks
Fresh bowls, taquitos, salads, soups, and coffee drinks
"The breakfast burrito at Macheen’s residency inside of Milpa Grille in Boyle Heights has developed something of a cult following, thanks to its technique-forward design with soft-scrambled eggs, extra-crispy tater tots, and surprising use of Swiss cheese." - Rebecca Roland, Eater Staff
"Boyle Heights’ Milpa Grille takes influences from the pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica timeline, but the result is modern, historic, and tasty all at once. Order the standard Milpa bowl with black beans, grilled corn, veggies, and meat. It’s a warming, satisfying, and timeless meal." - Eater Staff
"Macheen at Milpa Grille’s community fridge is an excellent model for reducing waste and giving back at the same time." - Eater Staff
"Named after the Mesoamerican milpa system of cultivation, Milpa Grille was opened by Deysi Serrano in 2018. In addition to serving a menu chock-full of corn, beans, and squash — the trifecta of the milpa system — the restaurant welcomes up-and-comers, including Macheen and Cafe Cafe, to operate under its roof." - Cathy Chaplin
"A small, woman‑operated Mexican kitchen in Boyle Heights that rejects rice in favor of corn‑forward, pre‑Columbian ingredients inspired by the Mesoamerican milpa system. Corn is central throughout the menu: the signature Milpa Bowl combines grilled corn, black beans and cubed summer squash topped with pickled onions, while thick, slightly toasted yellow and blue corn tortillas sourced from the local Kernel of Truth Organics carry succulent shredded pork especially well. The menu emphasizes indigenous vegetables and techniques, treats pork and chicken as supporting stars rather than mainstays, and features tightly rolled, deep‑fried taquitos filled with shredded chicken, pork or potatoes — dishes that signal a reshaping of “traditional” Mexican cooking toward ancestral ingredients and flavors." - Mona Holmes