Photos by Christina Tickell
Seemingly overnight, a modern Mexican eatery appeared on the upper level of Town Center’s most recent build-out. The sleek Cantina Laredo resides next to Zeiders American Dream Theater and offers al fresco dining with sweeping views of nearby shops and the Fountain Plaza.
The international chain opened late last month and is already wowing locals with authentic Mexican flavor. Niraj Patel, operations manager at Cantina Laredo, explains that nearly everything is made from scratch. His team hand-squeezes lemons and limes, brews fresh margarita mix and makes tortillas fresh daily. The Laredo team also sources locally whenever possible. A large selection of seasonal produce and fish can be traced back to local farms and waters.
On Patel’s must-try list are the crispy carnitas bowl with a housemade chipotle wine sauce and the fire-charred steak fajitas. From the horseshoe-shaped bar, Patel suggests the house-favorite Casarita.
Enjoy weekly specials Sunday through Thursday and happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Town Center Cantina Laredo is the first Virginia location and is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
Grace Silipigni
Grace Silipigni is an elementary school Spanish immersion teacher based in Virginia Beach and a regular contributor to Coastal Virginia Magazine, covering a wide range of topics such as health and wellness, education and learning, food and drink, happenings and events, travel and getaways and more.
