One can easily say that Mezcal is the unofficial national drink of Mexico. Distilled from the agave, or maguey in Spanish, a grass-like plant which grows abundantly in the country, it has its origins in the country’s Pre-Spanish era, but mezcal as we know it today, really took off once hordes of colonisers from the Old Continent started settling here. A four-hour car drive west of sprawling Mexico City, the historic city of Morelia sits at the heart of an area where Mezcal is widely produced, and unsurprisingly, there are many places where to kick back and sip the coveted liquid, but none are as stylish as the newly opened El Maguey bar and restaurant in Villa Universidad, a neighbourhood in the south of the city. Occupying a 70 sqm. (754 sq.ft.) unit on the premises of Plaza W shopping centre, it features an interior design by architect Daniela Bucio Sistos and Taller de Arquitectura y Diseño.
Offering patrons an immersive experience, the setting intentionally contrasts with the generic design codes of the shopping centre. The vaulted space is largely captured by red bricks, creating a strong sense of homey seclusion, and full of references of the prized distillate. A bar sits in the middle of the vault and comes with a back wall featuring hand-worked cavities which references the process of digging up Mezcal and offers peeks of the kitchen situated behind it. The central seating section is flanked by two more intimate side rooms on either side with additional seating, but more importantly, they’re each primarily intended to present a selection of regional mezcal concoctions. The menu at El Maguey lists various Mezcal concoctions, cocktails and other drinks, in addition to a wide range of tasty Mexican bar bites.
El Maguey
Plaza W, Avenida Universidad 1968 (Villa Universidad)
58060 Morelia
Telephone; +52 443 1465785
Mon-Sat 4pm-12am
Sun 10am-5pm
Publishers Note
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