Get an inside look at The Story of Mi Cariño, a gastrocantina now open in South End
A new Mexican restaurant is now open in Charlotte, but it’s not your everyday taco and burrito joint.
The Story of Mi Cariño brings big expectations for culinary drama and suspense with an old Hollywood vibe in the South End space that’s sat empty since Vana closed in 2023. Reservations are now available.
The chief storyteller behind the scenes at the B-Side Group restaurant is chef Hector González-Mora, who is leading the kitchen at the gastrocantina and mezcalería while crafting food inspired by the places where California and Mexican customs and traditions come together.
Family, culture and roots have been built into the “Left Coast Latin” menu, which includes dishes such as Camarones Kora, a spicy citrus shrimp dish from the Mexican state of Nayarit, where González-Mora’s father is from.
“We’re going to take you on a journey, and the menu’s your road map,” B-Side Group culinary director Vince Giancarlo told CharlotteFive. “We want to transport you to somewhere that feels familiar, but also somewhere you’re willing to take some, some risks.”
Henry Schmulling, the beverage director at B-Side Group whose cocktails you may have sipped at Vinyl, plans to incorporate a few “fun things” he’s found in his travels to Mexico into the agave-forward drink selection.
The menu at Mi Cariño
Mi Cariño’s menu doesn’t look like that of a typical Mexican restaurant in Charlotte — it’s more refined and more elevated.
“Ultimately, this is a more of a creative rendition of what Mexican food actually is,” González-Mora told CharlotteFive.
“There’s a layer of cinematography to it, and kind of the way things are told on the menu from some of the decor. It’s very much a meant to transport you in that way, in that layer of storytelling where we’re drawing from cinema, from Hollywood, from the depiction of what California and Mexico is through the lens of cinema,” González-Mora said.
There are no nachos and no burritos — nothing basic at all. Instead, diners will find truffle corn dip and high-end ribeye and wagyu. Even the guacamole at Mi Cariño gets an entirely new look, with white onion, serrano chiles and tomato confit.
“We’re looking at each dish more like a canvas and building art upon it,” Giancarlo said. “Whether it starts with the tortilla or just the plate, kind of being able to show some of that cinematic feel at the table, as well.”
Locally sourced oysters come with creative twists such as the Madonna, a white chocolate emulsion with caviar, and the Bloody, bathed in smoky tomato sauce that’s been infused with mezcal.
Its tacos include the Taco Royale with a house-made sourdough tortilla, ribeye, griddled cheese, charred onion and potato batonettes; and the Taco Vaqueiro with picana steak and a bacon-wrapped banana pepper, stuffed with queso fresco. Locally made gluten-free corn tortillas are available.
Enchiladas and tostadas get a similar upgrade, with other entree options including Hatori Hanzo beef birria and Kan-Kan Carnitas that are sous vide in Mexican tea before being flash fried and topped with chicharron chili crunch and mezcal-infused caramel.
“Mexico is really deeply rooted in my identity, in my culture, and definitely in the way I see food. So this is kind of the formulation on all that,” said González-Mora, whose food you may remember from his start in breakfast tacos, his El Toro Bruto concept at Resident Culture or Noche Bruta at Hex.
The drinks at Mi Cariño
Run-of-the-mill cocktails are also off limits at Mi Cariño’s bar, where playful drinks will focus on agave spirits in unique ways and other Mexican spirits are incorporated.
A “con cane” section of the menu includes the Ocupado, with a traditional artisanal sugarcane rum, along with hibiscus, mezcal, ginger syrup, agave syrup, orange juice and herbal bitters; and the Pirata Tortuga, made with white rum, coconut, goat milk, pineapple and lime.
There’s also “Cariñitos, or Little Darlings,” such as Leche de Tigre ceviche shooters and a sizzling hot Holy Mole shot with mezcal, mole spices and chiles, plus Mexican dark roast, ceylon cinnamon and piloncillo (an unrefined sugar cane juice).
The house cocktail selection is just as bold and creative, with drinks such as the Yellow Bandana, a concoction featuring mezcal, creme de banana, sherry and mole bitters.
“We wanted to make a cocktail menu with some great respect for the culture as well, and respect for the food that Hector and Vince are putting together. So we pull a lot of inspiration from what they’re doing in the kitchen, but also kind of my own experiences in mezcal in Mexico,“ Schmulling said.
The dining atmosphere
The 85-seat restaurant offers a snug, intimate feel that’s packed with subtle details to match the theme.
The cozy color palette of tans and muted turquoises is accented with hand-painted tiles along the kitchen walls, booths and bar.
Details such as buckles on the chair backs tie into the theme of taking a journey, as does the photo turned into a graphic mural done on fabric by Cheyenne Randall that was installed by Huntersville company Fabric Images.
“We promise you with the service and the detail we’re providing with the menu, and with the drinks, you’ll have a really awesome time,” Gonzàles-Mora said.
The Story of Mi Cariño
Location: 1440 S. Tryon St., Charlotte NC 28203
Cuisine: California-inspired Mexican
Instagram: @micarinoclt
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This story was originally published January 15, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
