By Joe Bonadio

My first taste of anything resembling real Mexican food was as a 12-year-old growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Following in the steps of my oldest sister, my brother Jim had relocated to San Francisco the previous year, and when he returned to Florida for a visit, he brought along a fat sack of his absolute favorite Bay Area discovery: San Francisco burritos. It seemed that one of the city’s original taquerias, El Faro, was just a few blocks from his downtown office, and Jim had developed a pretty serious tortilla habit–one he was eager to share with his family.

For my family, it was a revelation. These foil-wrapped, forearm-sized behemoths were unlike anything we had ever eaten, and I was forever hooked. Upon visiting San Francisco for the first time the following year, I would have the chance to further explore this fascinating new treat. And as it happened, I would also fall in love with the city that would one day become my home.

Fast forward to 2024, and I’ve now spent two decades of my life in California. While I still enjoy a good burrito, my appreciation of Mexican food has grown far beyond the beloved food tube. And although the “Mission Burrito” quickly became a staple for millions of Americans, U.S. restaurants now offer authentic regional cuisines from every corner of Mexico, typically with nary a flour tortilla in sight. Indeed, the Mexican food landscape in the U.S. has utterly transformed, and Mexican cuisine has become one of the most popular in the country, with nearly 40,000 restaurants in California alone.

The chilaquiles at Cantina Los Mayas are the best version of the dish I’ve found. | Photo Courtesy of CLM

In 2016, my friend Juve Carrillo opened his very first restaurant, Panuchos, on Broadway in North Beach. Panuchos was about five blocks from my apartment, and I immediately became a fan of the little Yucatan-style taqueria. Juve and I met shortly thereafter, and before long he had enlisted me to compose his first menu. Soon the little restaurant became a regular feature here on the Joe Content blog.

The Yuu Baal Joven Pechuga Mezcal is just one of the rare mezcals on offer at San Francisco’s Cantina Los Mayas. | Photo: Joe Bonadio

Panuchos was a godsend to Mex-deprived North Beach, and within a year’s time Carrillo was opening his second location, Taqueria Los Mayas, on Clement Street in the Richmond District. All the while, the two of us were becoming good friends.

Carrillo is nothing if not ambitious, and when it came time for a third spot, he had something entirely different in mind. The young chef had long envisioned an upscale menu, and he wanted to create something no one in the U.S. had ever done: a truly Mexican wine bar. The wine industry in Mexico had been growing in leaps and bounds, and the way Carrillo saw it, the timing for his new project was just right. It was decided: the new restaurant would be called Cantina Los Mayas.

Over the last two and a half years, Cantina Los Mayas has become the most highly rated upscale Mexican restaurant in the entire Bay Area.

A very special spirit, the Mi Casa Tequila Anejo is aged for nine years. | Photo: Joe Bonadio

To make it happen, Carrillo was going to need some help, and in 2021 I took on the role of wine director for Cantina Los Mayas. Working with Carrillo and his partners, we worked to source and curate a list of over 70 exclusively Mexican wines. And in 2022, just three days after a blockbuster interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Cantina Los Mayas opened to a full dining room, television cameras and rave reviews.

Coming soon to the brunch menu, Chef Marco’s Chicken and Waffles is as good as it looks. | Photo Courtesy of CLM

Over the last two and a half years, the Cantina has become the most highly rated upscale Mexican restaurant in the entire Bay Area. When you consider there are over 1,200 Mexican restaurants in San Francisco alone, that’s beyond impressive. And the place only continues to evolve: Cantina Los Mayas now has a full bar, meaning you can enjoy your meal alongside some of the best tequila, mezcal, Mexican whiskey and Latin-driven cocktails available in the Bay Area.

The fresh and colorful fruit bowl at Cantina Los Mayas is perfect for those with lighter palates. | Photo Courtesy of CLM

Carrillo’s team also recently introduced a fantastic brunch on Saturday and Sunday. The brunch menu has everything you’re looking for and more: I’m talking plates like Yucatan-style French Toast, Mayan Chilaquiles, and some of the best Quesabirria I’ve had anywhere. I visited  with my family on a recent Saturday morning, and the hush that descended on the table when the food arrived was church-like. I ordered the Enchiladas Dzaneras this time, doused with Chef Marco’s unctuous black mole. It’s been a while since I enjoyed a plate of serious enchiladas, and these were transcendent.

They might be at the top of their game, but Carrillo’s team isn’t about to slow down. You don’t get reviews like theirs without constantly refining your game–and trust me, Carrillo never stops working. Next time, we’ll be talking about his newest project: Violet’s on Clement Street.

See you then!

Cantina Los Mayas is open for dinner from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM Wednesday through Sunday, and brunch from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on weekends.

Cantina Los Mayas
431 Balboa Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 571-8027
cantinalosmayas.com