A new restaurant that pays homage to Mexico City, Chilanguita Mexican Kitchen, is slated to officially open in the former River’s Edge Social and Afandi Sweets & Cafe space, at 6997 Chippewa in the Lindenwood Park neighborhood, this Friday, July 14. Here’s what to know before you go.
The Atmosphere
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Festive and fun, with a Day of the Dead–style theme, the 140-seat dining room includes a colorful floral entry, eye-catching graphics, and Mexican art and artifacts. “I went to Mexico last December and brought back all of the stuff on the walls,” says co-owner Oscar Elias. “I picked up the masks on the dining-room wall in Tulum and the jaguar on the mantlepiece in Oaxaca.”
Elias got the idea to use oversized photographs customized with Dia de los Muertos themes from the trip as well. “A friend made the large-scale files for us to print,” he says. “We tried to make everything festive, like placing bright flowers on the walls.”
The co-owners did simple things to create a more unified feel throughout the sprawling space. Customers enter through the patio to a common entryway that divides the dining room from the bar. It’s a family-friendly place with a number of selfie stations that include such backdrops as a heart-shaped flower arrangement on the patio, as well as wings and a crown in the bar.
The cozy brick bar seats 49 and exudes a different vibe than the dining room. The glow of neon signs adds light, color, and humor to the intimate space. One reading “Feed me tacos and tell me I’m pretty” casts deep blue shadows in a cozy corner. A pink neon sign at the bar reads “Arriba, Abajo, al Centro, y pa’ Dentro,” a proper tequila toast and fun song. (Glasses up, glasses down, glasses to the front in a wish for good health to all, and y pa dentro—the tequila goes down.)
The patio, which seats 49, brings new meaning to the words ‘patio umbrellas.’ Elias saw colorful long-handled umbrellas strung upside down across a patio in Mexico City and brought the idea back to St. Louis. Although it took a while to figure out the installation, Elias approves of the results. “They went through that wind storm a while back just fine,” he says. The day-to-night change as the umbrellas light up is also something to see.
And a private space with a capacity for 49 can be reserved for parties.
The Menu
The extensive menu covers all of the basics and much more. House specialties include Birria Pizza (with house-made beef birria, onions, and cilantro on a thin crust brushed with consommé) and Tacos Chalingo (with steak, bacon, cheese, house-made spicy sauce, and cilantro). El Torito is composed of house rice topped with pieces of steak, chicken, bacon, and shrimp.
The full-service bar offers all of the standards and a large selection of tequilas and whiskeys, in addition to Mexican and domestic beers. Choose from 15 flavors of margaritas including pomegranate tamarino, prickly pear, hurricane, pina colada, and jalapeno, or choose one of the premium margaritas, which come in multiple sizes: small, jumbo, and monster, as well as by the pitcher.
The Team
Co-owners Oscar Elias and Marco Belmont first met in Mexico City, where they grew up. They maintained their friendship when both moved to St. Louis and worked together at Dos Primos in O’Fallon, Missouri, as well as El Burro Loco in the Central West End. Elias has been in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years and long wanted to open a restaurant.
Two years ago, Belmont introduced Elias to Jose Vladimir Ramirez, and the three became friends and business partners. The trio made plans to open a Mexican kitchen that featured the authentic flavors and atmosphere they loved in Mexico City—in fact, the restaurant’s name, Chilanguita, refers to a person from Mexico City.
Chilanguita Mexican Kitchen is open daily, from 11 a.m.–1:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Sunday.
