I Love Micheladas Brings Mexican Drinking And Snacking Culture To The Mall

Forbes Lifestyle Dining I Love Micheladas Brings Mexican Drinking And Snacking Culture To The Mall Andy Wang Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I write about dining and nightlife in Los Angeles and beyond. Following May 23, 2023, 08:00pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Micheladas are ideal for day drinking.

I Love Micheladas “We’re creating the culture,” says Bricia Lopez, who runs legendary Los Angeles Oaxacan restaurant Guelaguetza alongside her family and has branched out into bars and consumer packaged goods with I Love Micheladas . “When I was approached with the idea, I was like, holy shit, this is going to be the first michelada bar at a mall. This is so huge because it speaks so much to the importance and influence Latino culture has in this country.

I feel like sometimes it’s a battle to prove our worth. So for me, this means so much. ” Lopez is referring to the I Love Micheladas bar that recently opened in the new Topanga Social dining-and-drinking destination at the Westfield Topanga shopping center.

And because micheladas are made with beer, they’re low-ABV concoctions that are ideal for day drinking in a mall. “I think malls are great because you’re kind of shopping, you’re hanging out with your friends, you’re having a michelada,” Lopez says. “It’s something that’s very culturally attached to us.

As Mexicans, having a michelada at 1 p. m. doesn’t make us feel guilty.

” I Love Micheladas is pouring Common Space Brewery’s Sonrisa Mexican lager, Ogopogo Brewing’s Harmonia mango wheat ale, Brouwerij West’s Bounce IPA and 10 Barrel Brewing’s Cucumber Crush, with plans to rotate in different seasonal craft beers. The bar also serves hard-seltzer micheladas and alcohol-free Topo Chico micheladas. One of Lopez’s goals is to show the masses that micheladas are a distinct part of Mexican drinking culture.

“There are a lot of non-Latino-owned brands that are going to a co-packer and saying, let’s repurpose bloody mary mix and relabel it as michelada,” says Lopez, who runs I Love Micheladas with siblings Fernando and Paulina. “I think that’s giving micheladas a bad name. ” MORE FOR YOU ‘XO, Kitty’ Immediately Dethroned In Netflix’s Top 10 List By A New Show New MacBook Leak Reveals Apple s Disappointing Decision Dodgers Reverse Decision Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence Included In LGBTQ Pride Night Over Objections Lopez stresses that I Love Micheladas, which has a beer garden at Smorgasburg LA and has its drink mix at stores including 83 Costcos in California, isn’t serving tomato-forward concoctions.

Yes, there’s some tomato sweetness/acidity in the mix, but the driving force is a secret blend of spices with deep notes of saltiness and umami alongside a citrus burst from lemon and lime. It’s an impressive balancing act. I Love Micheladas has a prime Topanga Social location next to Mini Kabob and Katsu Sando Topanga Social The Topanga Social michelada bar also features a tightly edited menu of food that’s made at Guelaguetza.

The snacks include taquitos, molotes, a tostada, a barbacoa taco and chips with mole, all of which might encourage visitors to keep drinking. Lopez, who hopes that licensing I Love Micheladas at Topanga Social will lead to more michelada bars at malls, airports, stadiums and other locations, is on a mission to expand the range of Mexican food and drinks in America. She recently released Asada, her second cookbook with co-author Javier Cabral.

“This cookbook is really in line with this moment in my life,” Lopez says. “For a long time, I was known as like the woman who knows everything about mezcal. And I didn’t want to be just known for that.

I also didn’t want to get pigeonholed into just being about Oaxaca, because there’s so much more to Mexican food. I grew up in LA, so Asada was really like tapping into my LA girl, how I was brought up. When my friends invited me over for their birthday parties, there was always an asada.

So this is me living my best LA girl life. ” And just so you know, the juicy and smoky grilled meat at Mexican barbecues pairs nicely with micheladas. Follow me on Twitter .

Andy Wang Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.