Vinyl team's Mi Cariño opens this month in South End
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Mi Cariño is a Mexican-Latin restaurant opening in South End. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Mi Cariño officially opens Jan. 30 in South End.
Why it matters: The highly anticipated Mexican-Latin restaurant fills the long-vacant former VANA space at one of South End's most prominent corners. Plus, it's by the team behind popular nightlife spot Vinyl.
The vibe: "We wanted to mature the place a bit because South End is getting a bit bar-centric," B-Side Group partner Ankoor Patel tells Axios. "Our focus is always food first — the intention is to come in and dine versus come in and drink."
- The 2,350-square-foot restaurant is designed to evolve throughout the evening, shifting from a dinner destination early on to a late-night spot for mezcal lovers and nightcap seekers.
- "Music drives the energy of the space," says partner Kamal Patel — but the goal is enhancement, not distraction. Eventually, DJs will curate the vibe on weekends without turning the restaurant into a club.
Dig in: The menu is seasonal and will rotate regularly. Executive chef Hector González-Mora, who's behind the now-closed Noche Bruta at Camp North End and the breakfast taco pop-up Chilito's, and culinary director Vince Giancarlo built the menu around storytelling.
- Apertura ("opening scene") features shareable starters like truffle corn dip and guacamole.
- Con tortillas signals tacos — but with the spotlight squarely on the tortilla itself.
- Con tostadas focuses on seafood dishes served with fried tortilla chips.
- Optima Cena is meant for sharing larger-format plates.
González-Mora recommends starting with an appetizer, taco or ceviche, then sharing something from the "Optima Cena" section.
- One standout he points to: camarones kora, a Nayarit-inspired shrimp dish cooked in citrus, chile and garlic butter and served with coconut rice.
B-Side Group beverage director Henry Schmulling created the cocktail menu, which is heavily influenced by agave spirits like tequila, rare mezcals and lesser-known spirits like raicilla, sotol and bacanora.
Stop by: Reservations are available for Mi Cariño, which is at 1440 S Tryon St., on the same strip as Pie.Zaa, Vinyl and Wooden Robot.
- Open Tuesday–Thursday from 5pm–midnight; Friday–Saturday from 5pm–2am.