Fiesta Café is the newest addition to South First Street’s line up of Mexican restaurants and is a gem sitting under the glow of the Polish moon of Rockwell Automation. You can’t miss the big orange rooster out front enticing you to come in for a Fiesta Café experience of good food and the hospitality that is prevalent in this cuisine and culture.
The big clock piece on the ceiling reminding us to take time for good food and friends around the table is a conversation piece that adds to the spirit of this restaurant. The friendly and accommodating staff brings a basket of colorful conchas (shell-shaped sweet bread with colorful sugar-crust topping ) that is common in Mexico for breakfast with coffee to start off the meal. The options for cold, fresh-squeezed juices ($6) are amazing, and when I couldn’t decide between them, our server returned with shot glasses of each one for me to experience. The Mean Green with kale, spinach, romaine, green apple, cucumber and lemon was fresh, bright and refreshing, as were all the juices we tried. The coffee bar also has a variety of options from chai latte espresso and nitro cold brew. They even offer almond milk upon request.
There is a full bar and a wide range of local beers and some wines to choose from. Fiesta Café’s signature Bloody Mary ($10) is spicy and plentifully garnished. If Bloody Marys aren’t your jam, try one of their special cocktails, like the Walking Spanglish ($10) made with jalapeño-infused tequila, pineapple, lime and herbsaint (an anise-flavored liqueur that resembles absinthe). Don’t forget to ask the server for the seasonal mimosa with a fresh-pressed juice.
The menu consists of both breakfast and lunch dishes available all day. Breakfast includes traditional items like pancakes, waffles and French toast. The pancakes are fluffy and light and some of the best in the city and come with different fruit choices, chocolate chips and multi-grain ($9-$11). Same goes for waffles; there is even a dessert option with the addition of a scoop of ice cream. You have choices of French toast, too—original to Cinacrunch and Churros ($12)—a must for the sweet-tooth breakfast lover. Crêpes range from the savory Florentine topped with a lemony Hollandaise, fruit or Nutella for the chocolate lover in the crowd. They are thin and delicate with just the right amount of filling.
On the savory side, I’ve tried to eat my way through the list of Mexican offerings, and each one is better than the last. The divorced eggs ($10) boasts green and red salsa accompanied by crunchy, cheesy chilaquiles. Enfrijoladas ($10) are filled with black beans, scrambled eggs and chorizo wrapped in three tortillas, all delicious and prepared with heart.
But the enchilada omelet is crazy good—a three-egg omelet wrapped around shredded, Mexican-seasoned chicken, onions, tomato and peppers, topped with green salsa, fresh slices of avocado and a sprinkle of cilantro. It comes with fresh fruit, well-seasoned potatoes and choice of toast ($11), but I opted for corn tortillas, and it was a perfect combination of flavors. The portion was so generous that I had it for breakfast and lunch later that day. You can also choose one of their skillet selections or create your own from the list of ingredients offered ($11-$12). Also on the menu are eggs benedict ($10-$11), frittatas ($12), as well as more traditional egg dishes ($10-$13).
If lunch is what you are craving, Fiesta Café offers a tremendous variety, with healthy salads, soups of the day, several sandwiches and burgers ($10-$12), not to mention Mexican dishes. Fiesta’s menu is a melting pot of good flavor and selections and truly has something for everyone.
Whether breakfast or lunch, sweet or savory, vegetarian or carnivorous, each bite creates a celebration—or should I say a fiesta—of flavor. Everything is made with fresh ingredients and organic eggs with thoughtful preparation and passion for them all. Indeed, every day is a fiesta and celebration of flavor and culture at Fiesta Café.
