Mestizo Kitchen and Café to Open in Downtown Cleveland
Owners Jessie Mendoza and Armando Llamas are bringing a new fusion restaurant to Rockwell Avenue in the coming weeks.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Mexican Food
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Mestizo Kitchen and Café will open in downtown Cleveland at 2162 Rockwell Avenue in the coming weeks. The new restaurant replaces the former Sichuan Hot Pot space with a unique fusion concept.
Why it matters
The owners selected this location in Asiatown to bridge Filipino culinary traditions with the downtown area. The project brings a new dining option to the neighborhood following the closure of the site's previous tenant in spring 2026.
Located at 2162 Rockwell Avenue, the site occupies the former home of Sichuan Hot Pot. The space has undergone a complete interior remodel to accommodate the new kitchen and café operations.
The players
Jessie Mendoza
Jessie Mendoza is a co-owner and founder of the new Mestizo Kitchen and Café concept.
Armando Llamas
Armando Llamas is a co-owner of the upcoming restaurant who is partnering to introduce the Mexipino fusion menu.
The details
The menu highlights a blend of Mexican and Filipino cuisines known as Mexipino, featuring items like birria-stuffed lumpia and chicken adobo-stuffed burritos. Additionally, the establishment will function as a café in the mornings, offering Mexican breads and Filipino cheese bread.
Timeline
Sichuan Hot Pot closed in spring 2026.
Mestizo Kitchen and Café is expected to open in the coming weeks.
Culture Shift
The establishment follows the rise of fusion dining in urban culinary districts as restaurants increasingly blend cross-cultural flavors to attract diverse city center demographics. This trend marks a shift away from traditional single-cuisine dining models in favor of creative, experimental hybrid menus.
Residents in the downtown and Asiatown area can expect a new morning café destination and a unique dining menu in the coming weeks. The remodel of the former Sichuan Hot Pot space provides a refreshed venue for local social gatherings.
The takeaway
The addition of this restaurant offers locals a fresh culinary perspective through its unique Mexipino fusion concept. Visitors should look forward to trying signature items like the kamayan feast once the doors officially open.
Further reading
For more on the local culinary scene, explore the latest Mexican Food trends in Cleveland.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Cleveland Scene.
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Do you prefer restaurants that serve fusion cuisine over traditional single-culture menus?
