This is definitely one of NYC’s secrets worth sharing! The façade doesn’t tell much, but La Esquina offers an innovative rendition on tasty Mexican inspired street food.
At La Esquina’s flagship spot, on the Soho-Nolita border, you can expect an amazing selection of Mexican food – from Mexican style grilled corn to ceviche and the traditional tacos.
Established in the year of 2006, its popularity is certainly worth the wait.
The menu is fantastic, so if you’re in doubt about what to try, fear not! You can order some dishes to share, so this way you’ll have a great time tasting a bit of it all.
If you want to take home a bit of their “Mexican taste”, they sell 4 salsas/dips that will spice up your day! You might find them “sold out”, but that’s probably a good sign, right? They are:
- Roja: A charred salsa famous at the restaurant for its fresh, yet smoky taste featuring fire roasted tomatoes, garlic and onions;
- Roja Hot: A spicy (but not too hot) version of their original salsa roja;
- Verde: This refreshing salsa is zesty and features tomatillos, fire roasted onions, serrano peppers and cilantro;
- Black Bean Dip: This smoky dip is one of Food & Wine Magazine’s favorite snacks! Smoky, yet sweet, this dip features black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, serrano peppers and cilantro.
Now, the secret!
Through a disguised door that reads “Employees Only” you’ll find an entrance to their famous basement restaurant. Some people get mistake by their café which is just around the corner, but that’s not it! The only way of going in, is with a reservation so be sure to do that.
Plus, they offer catering service and also have a few amazing products for sale at Goldbelly, like different salsas and black bean!
They opened a second place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, named “Café de la Esquina”. But, they didn’t stop there. They have a total of 4 locations for everyone’s delight!
We do recommend calling for reservation, so you can have a seamless experience, since it does get quite crowded.
What the NEW YORK TIMES says: “Speakeasy-channeling pantomine of illicit, exclusive pleasure.”
As we mentioned, definitely one of NYC’s secrets worth sharing!
We know that SoHo and Nolita are neighborhoods with never ending spots to explore, we we will help you out a bit.
- Perfect for the summer: Cha Cha Matcha and Morgenstern’s Ice Cream
- A place to relax after a (very) long day in the city: Aire Ancient Baths
- For the shop-a-holics: Reformation, Tracey Tooker or simply walk about to see it all
Have fun!
Hours: Check website for each location.
Locations:
114 Kenmare Street, Soho-NoLita
225 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg
200 West 55th Street, Midtown West
1402 2nd Avenue, Upper East Side
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Lucas Noonan and La Esquina
*Last Update on Feb/2020.*
