There’s lots to love on the revised menu at La Lupita. Quesabirras is a flavor sensation. The dish is made of marinated goat meat, cooked in a rich broth. The tender meat is then folded into a tortilla nestled with cheese. The reserved broth is served as a side for dipping.
The owner Sal Figueroa says, “When we added the quesabirras, there was a video that went viral on TikTok and Instagram. We have been bombarded with people who want to try it.”
Back when Covid shut down the dining room, Figueroa opened an al fresco patio on the sidewalk out front and made good use of the downtime to renovate inside. A new kitchen was built in the back, allowing the dining room to expand, and that made room for a full bar.
Two hits have emerged from the expanded drink offerings. One is the margarita flights. Pick from a selection of guava, mango, lime, tamarind, cucumber, and strawberry. Another is mescal-based options. The liquor’s smokey profile adds a depth and complexity to classic drinks, but it also opens up new options like the popular hijas por dios: a combination of berries and a house-made mezcal and organic agave syrup. And just added – a variety of mojitos.
But that is not all that’s new. Brunch, Mexican style. French toast leads the menu filled with favorites like chilaquiles and huevos divorciados. A mimosa flight makes it a celebration.
Elsewhere on the menu are vegetarian and even vegan options waiting to be tried: Bistek de Soya a la Mexicana, Nopalitos Azteca, Chilies Rellenos de Queso, and many more.
“We are, I believe, the only Mexican restaurant in the area with vegan options,” he says.
Each weekday La Lupita features a different happy hour drink special from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. And one more new feature in the works is a lounge on the second floor, which is slated to open at the end of the year.
Change is fun, but don’t worry. Lupita, Figueroa’s mom whom the restaurant is named for, is still there, handmaking her signature blue and yellow tortillas.
Details
6539 Cermak Rd., Berwyn
Hours:
Monday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to midnight
Sunday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
