Chef Alexa Numkena-Anderson grew up cooking on the Yakama Reservation in Washington. Photo: Courtesy of Javelina
Javelina, the much-celebrated Indigenous restaurant known for its fry bread tacos, Hopi corn tamales and tribal-caught salmon, was named one of the best new restaurants in America in 2025 by Esquire.
State of play: The magazine celebrated chef and owner Alexa Numkena-Anderson's educational and enthralling menu, which features blue-corn bread, elk meatloaf and three-bean salad with an elderberry vinaigrette.
"Sometimes a backyard picnic is the best way to honor the ancestors," food and drinks editor Jeff Gordinier wrote.
Zoom in: Earlier this year, Javelina made the transition from pop-up to brick-and-mortar, taking over the former Yonder space on Northeast 42nd Avenue.
Shortly after, Numkena-Anderson launched her tasting menu concept, Inɨ́sha, which explores cuisine and ingredients sourced from local tribes and hosts fellow Indigenous chefs.
