Californios (restaurant)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | January 2015 |
| Founder | Val M. Cantu |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Key people | Val M. Cantu (head chef and co-owner) |
| Products | Mexican cuisine |
| Website | californiosrestaurant |
Californios is a Michelin-starred dining establishment located in San Francisco, California, that focuses on Mexican cuisine. The restaurant is directed by head chef and co-owner Val M. Cantu. It received its inaugural Michelin star in 2015 and was awarded a second star in 2017, making it the first Mexican restaurant in the United States to achieve two Michelin stars. Initially situated in the Mission District, the restaurant ceased operations there in 2020 before reopening in early 2021 within the SoMa area.
History
Before launching a permanent location, Val M. Cantu ran a series of Mexican pop-up restaurants under the name Californios for two years. The original Mission District venue opened in January 2015 and accommodated 24 patrons, featuring an eighteen-seat dining area and six seats at the chef’s counter. Its interior was characterized by a dark ambiance with tinted windows.
The Mission District site closed in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Californios resumed operations in early 2021 by relocating to SoMa, where seating capacity approximately doubled to fifty guests. This new venue covers , including an outdoor patio space, allowing for an enhanced fine dining experience centered on Latin American culinary traditions.
Menu (Mission)
Raised in Brownwood, Texas, Val M. Cantu’s family ran a Mexican restaurant there. His culinary creations blend northern California cuisine influences with traditional Mexican cuisine, drawing inspiration from his maternal grandmother Rosa. The menu offers a prix fixe format that changes seasonally according to ingredient availability.
Reception
Californios was awarded its first Michelin star in October 2015 and achieved a second star by October 2017, marking it as the first Mexican restaurant in the U.S. to hold two Michelin stars. As of August 2021, it remains the sole Mexican restaurant nationwide with this distinction.
Further reading
External links
- 2015 establishments in California
- 2020 disestablishments in California
- 2021 establishments in California
- Mexican restaurants in San Francisco
- Michelin-starred restaurants in San Francisco
- Mission District, San Francisco
- Restaurants established in 2015
- South of Market, San Francisco
- Restaurants disestablished in 2020
- Restaurants established in 2021
- Fine dining restaurants in San Francisco
- Michelin-starred Mexican restaurants