The team behind a new restaurant has said they want to be the “perfect escape”
Business partners Kate Meehan, Joe Wild, Sally Whitlow and Danny Murphy (Image: Picante)
A new Mexican cantina-inspired venue has popped up in the heart of Cains Brewery Village in Liverpool. Picante prides itself on bringing a “taste of Guadalajara” to the Baltic Triangle hotspot, having now opened its doors to customers.
The venture is the brainchild of a collective of the city’s independent hospitality figures: Joe Wild (Taco or Don’t), Kate Meehan (Gin Journey), and Sally Jo Whitlow (Jenny’s Bar). They teamed up with Danny Murphy, originally behind Jenny’s Bar and Botanical Garden, to bring Picante to vibrant life.
Found across two floors in the former Dockleaf site, Picante is said to “conjure the essence of Guadalajara and its bustling cantina scene”. The venue’s exterior bursts with bright white and blue and hand-painted signage.
Inside, the ground floor will retain the original features of the historic building—formerly a quality control site for Cains Brewery—with its baby blue tiles enhanced with baby pink trim and curated artwork.
Picante is found in the former Dockleaf site(Image: Picante)
Danny Murphy told the ECHO: “Picante is the collective vision from Joe, Kate, Sally and myself. We’ve long wanted to create a Mexican cantina-inspired venue, and the old Dockleaf site in Cains Brewery Village is the perfect place to bring this to life.
“Our food menu is focused on flavour-packed tacos and snacks alongside a wonderful range of agave-based cocktails and tequilas. Agave is fast becoming one of the UK’s most popular spirits, and we’re channelling that in Picante and bringing the story to life.
“Our aim is to create a high energy, fun and welcoming escape, perfect for the spring and summer months – Picante means spicy in Spanish, so we’re going to bring some much-needed heat to Liverpool.”
Just a small selection of Picante’s menu offerings(Image: Picante)
The food menu showcases six taco varieties, including Birria, Baja Fish/Phish and Carne Asada. These will be accompanied by playful bar snacks, including pickles, olives with grapefruit, and smoked salt, and sides such as bag-o-nachos and Elote ribs.
The drink offering is a margarita menu featuring frozen, classic and flavoured varieties. This sits alongside a rotating selection of over 40 tequilas and mezcals – all available by the flight.
Mexican beers, classic cocktails, and the statutory Guinness are also available. Starting in May, Picante will host Margarita Masterclasses led by drinks expert Kate for those eager to perfect their cocktail game.
Also launching in May, the first floor at Picante will be dedicated to the spirit of Mexican fiesta. Saturdays will host a bottomless Mexican brunch, featuring breakfast burritos, tacos and Margaritas, all sound tracked by DJs spinning Latin mixes.
Throughout the summer, the space will also host various daytime parties, including Cinco de Mayo, on its outdoor terrace.