As the longtime culinary capital of Mexico, the city of Oaxaca boasts a long list of renowned eateries that pull gourmets from across the country, and as of late, a new design-led establishments has joined the ranks. Situated in the leafy downtown area of Reforma, the Moza’be restaurant was founded by husband-and-wife and hospitality entrepreneurs Carlos Garay and Brenda Espinosa who have a penchant for refined local cuisine. Occupying the site of an old paint factory with buildings huddled around a central patio, it sees an interior design by local practice Espacio 18 Arquitectura which used this configuration to its full advantage. The patio connects mostly with Moza’be‘s dining areas, but also adds to a sense of spatial fluidity and lightness. Additionally, the dining venue boasts administrative areas, services, storages, playroom, and obviously a kitchen which have been discreetly concealed.
The most striking intervention within the project is a steel roof around a retained olive tree of over 100 years old which adds a distinct contemporary element to the setting. The materials used are modest, comprising bricks, concrete, steel, quarry stone and a palette of earth-coloured paints, but it’s all applied in harmony with the local landscape, and consequently, the premises are dotted with native greens, such as cacti and potted yuccas and Aloe vera plants. As said, Moza’be is all about local flavours, but they come with a deep understanding and respect of local culture and the seasonality of the produce. The dishes on the menu include various types of Mole, a specialty of the Oaxaca region, enchiladas are stuffed with duck or fish, and the home-made Esquite is made with grasshoppers and Chintextle, a paste of smoked Pasilla chili and garlic.
Moza’be
Calle las Rosas 208 (Reforma)
68050 Oaxaca
Telephone: +52 951 5719290
Mon-Thu 8.30am-8pm
Fri-Sat 8.30am-10pm
Sun 8.30am-8pm
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
