Maderas Kitchen & Cantina

Maderas makes you feel comfortable the minute you walk in. The dining room of Maderas Kitchen & Cantina, a Mexican restaurant in Montrose, which is lit by the flicker of what feels like hundreds of LED candles, could easily be a Bachelorette date night venue. Because despite being housed in a bland strip center, the interior is cozy and overflows with tropical plants and massive floral murals. 

The approachable menu casually blends staple Tex-Mex and Mexican dishes together. Sure, you can get chips and queso to start, but you can also snack on paprika-spice trompo de pulpo tacos or serrano-spiced flor de calabaza quesadillas. Cocktails spiked with habanero syrup, tamarindo, and aged tequila feel like a tailored suit with a colorful handkerchief: classic, yet playful, and designed to compliment the food. Even better, a meal at Maderas doesn’t cost an entire paycheck. In fact, you might feel like you’re getting away with something when the bill arrives, especially after splitting a couple toasted marshmallow carajillos and fluffy churros with rich leche quemada.

photo credit: Liz Silva

Service is fun and friendly, somehow balancing being attentive but not overbearing, as though you’re at a familiar neighborhood spot. More dressed up than most Tex-Mex restaurants, but considerably less expensive than other high-end Mexican restaurants, like Hugo’s, Maderas is unpretentious yet stylish. You could literally bring anyone here—a coworker, a grandmother, a third-tier friend—and have a fantastic time. And with plush booths perfect for snuggling, the romantic and colorful Maderas is a great spot for date night, whether it’s your third or thirtieth.

photo credit: Liz Silva

photo credit: Liz Silva

photo credit: Liz Silva

photo credit: Liz Silva

Food Rundown

photo credit: Liz Silva

Elote

We’re not sure what’s cuter about these elotes: the fact that they’re mini corn on the cobs, or that they arrive on comically thin and tall sticks, as though you’re at some kind of very posh carnival. Honestly, we remove the sticks and chomp away. The buttery, spicy corn tastes the same—delicious—regardless.

photo credit: Liz Silva

Quesadilla De Flor Calabazas

The best part of this quesadilla is how unexpectedly spicy it is. Also the oregano-mint flavor from the epazote. Floral squash blossoms, serrano peppers, and Oaxacan cheese? Say less.

photo credit: Liz Silva

Trompo De Pulpo

Yup, that’s right: each taco comes with an entire, succulent, spice-rubbed tentacle. No, you’re not dreaming, nor are you dining on the upper deck of a yacht. Maderas just knows how to make you feel special—and how to perfectly cook octopus.

photo credit: Liz Silva

Churros

These churros are more soft donut than crispy fried pastry, but we don’t really care. Fluffy, pillowy, airy, sugary, light, moist—we could go on. Dunk those bad boys in buttery sweet leche quemada and sit a carajillo cocktail inbetween. Be decadent.