Mission Statement

Picante Cocina Mexicana celebrates the regional flavors; traditions and artistry of Mexico.  Our food is made from scratch and served quickly in a place that's as affordable as it is friendly.

The story of Picante is a story about love.  Long before Laura and I opened Picante back in 1994, we were two Berkeley natives who happened to meet in Mexico and fall in love.  With one another - that was great.  And with Mexico - that was great, too.  Everything about Mexico captivated us.  The art, the history and particularly the food.  The problem was when we came back home we couldn't find the flavors we'd savored traveling from one Mexican region to the next.  And it was the flavors that triggered our memories of the country.  So, after years of cooking Mexican food for our family and friends using ingredients we'd stashed in our bags during our many trips south, Picante was born. 

Picante is an expression of love for Mexico.  A celebration of real Mexican cuisine, not of those imposters that are poured out of cans.  Love is why we grind corn daily for our tortillas, import Mexican herbs, spices and chiles, and have local artisans craft cheeses that replicate the nuances of fresh Mexican cheeses.  Love also explains everything from the naturally raised meats we grill, simmer and stew for some of our dishes, to the Mexican folk art we sleuth out for our walls.  Now, the traditional food at Picante may not be coming from a grandmother's kitchen somewhere in Mexico.  But, judging from the reactions we get, it's pretty close. 

Jim and Laura Maser, owners