Mixteca, the New York agave bar from Jeff Bell and Victor Lopez, is opening in Philadelphia's East Kensington neighborhood in August 2026, taking over the former Martha space, with agave riffs on the Clover Club and Fish House Punch.
The bar is set to occupy 2113 East York Street, the address where Martha operated for roughly a decade before closing. It marks the first expansion beyond Mixteca's West Village original, which opened in New York's West Village last July, with a limited food menu from Tacos 1986 next door. The project marks the Philadelphia debut for both Mixteca and Apres Cru Hospitality, the New York-based investment and management company behind the expansion. Apres Cru, which also works with such chefs as Marc Forgione and Ludo Lefebvre, initially announced that Martha would become a Philadelphia outpost of Pig & Khao, the Thai and Filipino restaurant from Top Chef alumna Leah Cohen, before switching concepts. Apres Cru's vice president, Chris Quinlan, said the deeper the team got into the neighborhood and the space, the more Mixteca felt like the right fit.
What Mixteca will pour and serve
The roughly 100-seat venue will spotlight tequila, mezcal, Bacanora, and raicilla with 10 margarita variations, agave twists on classic cocktails, and zero-proof drinks alongside contemporary Mexican fare featuring handmade tortillas, ceviche, tacos, and family-style pork al pastor. An earlier report on the buildout described a roughly 75-seat indoor room including a lounge area, with about 50 additional seats on the patio. Signature cocktails carried over from New York include the Sandita, made with vodka, watermelon, lime, Aperol and cinnamon; the Cantarito, featuring reposado tequila, lime, citrus, Squirt, petróleo and chili-lime seasoning; and the Carajillo, a blend of cold brew, reposado tequila, coffee and Licor 43. The team plans to continue its daily Margarita Hour tradition in Philadelphia, featuring discounted margaritas for guests. The Philadelphia-specific additions are agave interpretations of two 18th- and 19th-century Philadelphia drinks: the menu will incorporate Philadelphia influences through agave-based interpretations of local classics such as the Clover Club and Fish House Punch. The beverage program will also include a substantial selection of nonalcoholic drinks. On food, while tequila and mezcal remain the focus, the Philadelphia version will lean more heavily into food than the New York original, with house-made tortillas, tacos, guacamole, esquites, and other street-food staples, alongside larger dishes designed for groups and families. Bell described the shift in terms of a sliding scale, saying that where New York runs roughly 80 percent drinks to 20 percent food, the Philadelphia location is likely to land closer to 55/45 or 50/50.
Who are Jeff Bell and Victor Lopez
Bell and Lopez first worked together at the influential East Village cocktail destination Please Don't Tell, known as PDT, where Lopez joined shortly after its 2007 opening after five years at the bar's associated hot dog joint, Crif Dogs. PDT won the Beard Awards' first award for Outstanding Bar Program in 2012. Mixteca's concept grew out of conversations Bell and Lopez began nearly a decade ago about creating a venue centered on agave spirits and Lopez's Mexican heritage, and the bar was inspired by Lopez's roots in Puebla, Mexico. The gestation took years longer than planned: Bell has described it as an eight-year process, tracing an idea back to 2017 that was delayed by the pandemic and a flood. Mixteca's West Village flagship on Cornelia Street opened in the summer of 2025 alongside Tacos 1986.
The former Martha space and East Kensington's restaurant district
Martha, the low-lit bar in East Kensington with a sour beer menu and an 80-seat patio, closed in November 2024 after 10 years. Owners Cary Borish, Michael Parsell, and Jon Medlinsky said at the time that they had decided to allocate their energy elsewhere or focus on other existing projects. Martha was a semifinalist for a 2017 James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program and had built a following around fermented, local ingredients and natural wine. Martha's building was part of the long-gone Weisbrod & Hess Brewery on Martha Street, a side street just off of Frankford Avenue, and Borish and Parsell had bought the property in 2013. Mixteca inherits a corner of a district that has filled in quickly since Martha first opened: the site sits across from Picnic and beside Zig Zag BBQ, down the block from Philadelphia Brewing Co. and around the corner from the Monkey Bar, with Emilia, Bar ILU, Fiore, and Little Walter's all within a short walk. Mixteca is expected to retain Martha's indoor-outdoor layout while reworking the interior significantly.