Johnny Curiel, who – along with his wife and business partner, Kasie – opened Alma Fonda Fina in 2023 – always wanted to open a space paying homage to the bar and restaurant scene of Mexico City. Naturally, when the storefront on 15th Street next door to their Michelin-starred exploration of homemade Mexican flavors opened up, it was the perfect opportunity to bring their vision to life. By November of last year, Mezcaleria Alma opened its doors, welcoming guests to a celebration of the “innovation, vibrancy and culinary diversity of CDMX.”
Not only have the few months since been a warm success from a number of angles, but the timeframe has also allowed the multi-restaurant team – with a new Cherry Creek concept, Alteño about to fill out their roster even further – to exhibit their range. Much more than Alma Fonda Fina’s little sister, Mezcaleria Alma has become its own Highland must.
“The support of our community, our team, our neighbors and our regulars has been outstanding. We also are fortunate to have an incredibly talented team who excel in the kitchen, behind the bar and when it comes to hospitality. Since we opened the doors in November, we’ve felt a special energy inside Mezcaleria Alma,” detailed Kasie Curiel on the experience since the start. It was never a doubt that opening another concept next door would mean good business, especially since reservations at Alma Fonda Fina are so challenging to come by. The challenge instead lay in how to find the right balance between differentiating the Mezcaleria experience from Alma Fonda Fina while also drawing throughlines to it that a guest may be looking for. Reminiscent yet removed with intent, Mezcaleria Alma has achieved that balance through its ethos.
“[It’s] an expression of my love for Mexico City,” mused Johnny, “and it’s a demonstration of our team’s growth and creativity across the food and beverage menus. For inspiration, we traveled to Mexico City with our [Chef de Cuisine] Jordan Tehrani and beverage director Jen Mattioni – showing them our favorite spots and eating incredible food. Our menu is a result of the shared perspectives and experiences, and Mezcaleria Alma is where we’ll continue to innovate in the spirit of Mexico City.”
And since the menu reflects the tenet of a traditional mezcaleria, “there are no sections like appetizers or mains which allows [the team] to lean into a seafood-forward approach.” The Crudo de Atún with jalapeno kizami, orange supremes, black garlic aguachile and crispy leeks is a flavorfully vibrant yet light bite to start off an experience on a more traditional note, while the Aguachile de Erizo with Santa Barbara uni, Hokkaido scallop, mandarin aquachile, crispy ginger and habanero mayonnaise experiments with the intersectionality of a Mexican dish done up with East Asian nuance. At its heart, both are displays of Mezcaleria Alma’s incredibly fresh seafood. Further down the menu and further inland from the sea, the Burrita de Chicharron with Sakura pork carnitas, salsa de chile de arbol, white pickled onions and guac is perhaps the most nostalgic bite on the menu, while the Arroz a la Tumbada de Hongos with wild mushroom, cured egg yolk, chive jocoque and crispy wild mushrooms feels like a much more modern risk to take without losing connectivity to the rest of the menu.
For the most part, the remainder of that menu is in orbit of agave in one form or another. With one of the most impressive selections of Tequila and Mezcal that a guest can find anywhere in Denver, Mezcaleria Alma lives up to its name and dives deep into the Mexico City bar scene for its cocktail menu. The Stinger with Leyendes Verde Mezcal, Chareau Aloe Liquor, Crème de menthe and celery bitters executes its green vision with a spirit that plays more vegetal than most of its smokey compatriots. Its Corn Sour has quickly become a neighborhood and staff favorite, while its classics are all unorthodox iterations, folding agave spirits into the Old Fashioned, the Carajillo and the Negroni.
As transportive as the menus are, Mezcaleria Alma finds even more CDMX nostalgia in its space. Working with Agatha Jane Interior Design, the vibrancy on the plate and the effervescence in the glass is matched by the mosaic behind the ladder-clad ceiling-height bar shelves, the embroidery of the floral booth backs, and the smattering of art. “We want Mezcaleria Alma to embody the essence of a traditional mezcaleria,” explained Kasie, “blending rich textures, native materials and vibrant greenery. Together with the design team, we’re able to do so by incorporating treasures from Johnny’s travels to Mexico City throughout the space and creating a focal centerpiece – a mural on traditional bark paper by local LatinX artist Maria Morante, a powerful homage to Mexican folk art.
To further immerse guests, we have the elongated bar as well as the 10-seat chef’s counter – both of which invite culinary connection. From the moment you walk in, we want you to feel like you’re part of it – feeling the energy and immersing in the atmosphere.” And behind the bar – hung adjacent to the shelves packed to the gills with bottles of agave spirits – a dry aging cooler for whole fish soon to find its way onto the plate.
“I’m looking forward to the ingredients and flavors that come with each new season,” said Johnny considering what the next couple of months will look like in reflection of Mezceria Alma’s first few. “We have some exciting things up our sleeves for the warmer weather. There are dishes and drinks I’ve been thinking and talking to the team about that will start to appear on the menu in the coming months.”
Mezcaleria Alma is located at 2550 15th St., Denver. Its hours are 4:00 p.m. to midnight daily, except for Tuesdays when it is closed.
All photography by Shawn Campbell