Inspired by the majestic public town square of the same name in Mexico City, Zocalo is more than just a jazzy title for a modern-yet-authentic Mexican eatery: It relates a contemporary extension of Mexico’s proud heritage and distinct culture.

For hundreds of years, the Zocaloan urban plaza, similar to Sacramento’s own Capitol Mall, has been the center for political and social gathering in Mexico, the largest of which is in Mexico’s capitol. As the nucleus of one the world’s most populated cities, what happens in the Zocalo is a reflection of what is simply happening.

Virtually every aspect of your experience at Zocalo is an authentic, original, artifact of Mexico from the exquisite artworks, compelling furniture, unique serviceware, and of course, the delectable cuisine. Nothing has been duplicated or imitated. Instead, all was carefully and painstakingly collected and created in Mexico, then imported to create an experience unlike that of any other Mexican eatery.

Zocalo’s incomparable collection of artworks are from Guadalajara’s Ernesto Cruz, a world class architect/sculpture/poet/artisan-deluxe. Cruz’s one-of-a-kind talents grace the restaurant. After countless months of intense scrutiny over most every detail, Zocalo is now a primo casa for Cruz’s indigenous crafts that simultaneously praise his origins and offer an irresistible seductiveness.

The building, designed by the legendary Leonard Stark (who created many of Sacramento’s most beautiful schools, monuments, and buildings), has been faithfully restored to its original glory–and then some.