El Granjero Cantina Brings Mexican Cuisine to Farmer’s Market

El Granjero Cantina recently opened at the original Farmer’s Market bringing traditional Mexican flavors and fresh ingredients to the famous location.

Housed in the former Ulysses Village space on Market Plaza, the new casual restaurant features a bright mural based on traditional Mexican Otomi embroidery and bold pops of color throughout. Diners can choose to sit in the inviting indoor area or people watch on the patio.

Executive Chef Jenni Sklar’s menu teams fresh ingredients with Mexican flavors and features a variety of antojitos (snacks) including house made guacamole with smashed avocado, cilantro, lime and scallions; their famous fiesta nachos with fresno chiles, black olives, guajillo cheese sauce, salsa verde and pico de gallo and papas fritas with aji verde, fried potatoes and salsa macha.

Salads include a unique Caesar with whole Romaine lettuce leaves, sunflower seeds, breadcrumbs and cured egg yolk and a kale salad with avocado cheese, corn and black bean salsa and pickles. Diners can choose between two huge quesadillas, a cheese and a hibiscus with sautéed hibiscus flowers.

Tacos include a chili braised beef and cheese with juajilo cheese sauce, a tomatillo chicken and cheese with salsa verde, crispy avocado with chipotle aioli, carnitas with salsa crudo and crema and a soyrizo and vegan cheese for vegetarians. They also offer the same selection in bowls for diners who choose to forgo the shell and pile on proteins and veggies atop herbed rice and romaine or cauliflower rice.

There’s also chili beef and carnitas burritos and sides including black beans, corn tortillas and herbed rice. A bunelo sundae rounds out the meal.

The bar menu features traditional agave based spirits from Mexico with a specially curated list of tequilas and a variety of delicious house made aqua frescas. We loved the traditional margarita and sangria.

El Granjero Cantina is open Sunday through Thursday from 10am to 8pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 9pm, reservations at 323.879.9324 or www.CantinaLA.com.