Tequila Cantina: Traditional Mexican Cuisine With a Modern Twist

Downtown Sarasota is already buzzing with rave reviews about its newest tequila bar and Mexican restaurant, , which opened its doors to the public just less than two weeks ago.

Located next door to in the space formerly occupied by The Olive Tree, the self-described “Mod-Mex” cantina has been an instant hit with locals, with its delicious Latin-inspired meals, impeccable service and extensive tequila selection.

With 101 varieties of tequila to choose from at the bar, Tequila Cantina currently boasts the largest tequila selection in Sarasota – but it’s not just the drinks that keep customers coming back for more.

The lunch and dinner menu is filled with Latin-inspired meals developed by the restaurant’s executive chef, Dino Reed. Reed explained that each of his dishes follow what he calls a “Yin and Yang philosophy,” in which cool, fresh salsa or guacamole accompanies a steaming entrée or spicy plate of tacos.

While the restaurant’s entrées, such as the filete a la parrilla (chargrilled tenderloin steak with a demi glaze, accompanied by Cuban black bean risotto) and the grilled mahi-mahi are popular dishes, both Reed and Tequila Cantina owner, Milo Milkovich, agree that most of the rave reviews the restaurant receives are about the tacos.

Taco fillings listed on the menu range from classics such as grilled chicken, steak, vegetable and fried white fish to more adventurous choices like beef brisket braised with Mexican coffee, fried oyster and tequila duck.

In addition to unique and exciting taco flavors, Tequila Cantina offers a variety of guacamoles unheard of at other Mexican restaurants in Sarasota. Of course there’s traditional guacamole, but the menu also offers bold and exotic options such as Honeycrisp Apple-Mango Guacamole with Chile Verde, Goat Cheese-Tomato Guacamole with Chile Poblano and Jicama-Pineapple Guacamole with Chile Serrano. 

“People love it because it’s so different,” said Milkovich. “We knew we wanted to open a tequila bar but we felt like traditional Mexican is overdone. We wanted to make sure the menu was full of things you can’t find anywhere else, so that’s why we came up with our modern Mexican – ‘Mod-Mex’ – menu.”

Milkovich said that the food at Tequila Cantina – the tacos in particular – is intended to be shared. Tacos are served with the filling and the tortilla plated separately so that customers can make their own creations and mix and match with their dinner mates.

The dessert menu, like the guacamole and salsas that accompany each entrée and plate of tacos, is designed to fit in with Reed’s “Yin and Yang” culinary philosophy.

In addition to Cuban rice pudding and vanilla bean and Mexican chocolate flan, Tequila Cantina offers an exceptional selection of frozen treats from locally-based gourmet popsicle supplier, Pop Craft.

“Pop Craft uses all fresh ingredients and makes for the perfect dessert after the spiciness of the food we serve,” said Reed. “Since we’re all about presentation here, we like to serve them up with Cuban rice pudding or in a favorite margarita.”

Pop Craft pops come in a variety of seasonally-fresh flavors, including Pineapple-Cilantro, Mexican Chocolate, Raspberry-Balsamic, Caramel-Sea Salt and Strawberry-Lavender, to name just a few. Tequila Cantina rotates the selection of popsicles on a weekly basis based on what fresh, in-season flavors Pop Craft has to offer.  

In addition to offering a solid menu packed with adventurous choices, the restaurant, which Milkovich said is oriented primarily toward the 30-something demographic, is also putting its best foot forward in engaging the nightlife scene in downtown Sarasota.

Tequila Cantina currently hosts a live DJ every Friday and Saturday night, featuring lounge-style house music. Rather than competing with the raucous jukebox next door at Smokin’ Joes, Milkovich hopes the music at Tequila Cantina on weekends will foster a more relaxed lounge environment. Milkovich also said he plans to introduce acoustic performances daily from 6-10pm in the near future.

In addition to a variety of music offerings, Tequila Cantina offers a late-night menu that makes it one of the few in a growing number of restaurants downtown where customers can grab a bite to eat after hitting the bars, rather than succumbing to a “Fourth Meal” from the Taco Bell drive-thru. 

Although the entrée and appetizer menus are only available during lunch and dinner, customers can order from Tequila Cantina’s taco and guacamole menus until the bar closes at 2:00am.

Whether you’re craving tequila or tacos; guacamole or popsicles or simply a great atmosphere to kick back and hang out with friends, Tequila Cantina has a little bit of everything to offer – just make sure you show up with a big appetite.