El Mercado Mexican Kitchen | Our Story
El Mercado Mexican Kitchen, Balboa Island
From Michelin-recognized El Mercado Modern Cuisine to a father-son-led kitchen on Balboa Island — the story behind El Mercado Mexican Kitchen.
From Santa Ana to Balboa Island
El Mercado Modern Cuisine built a following in Santa Ana around a seasonal, technique-driven menu and earned recognition from the Michelin Guide along the way. When that chapter closed in 2024, it wasn’t the end of the idea – it was a rethink.
El Mercado Mexican Kitchen is what happened next: the same scratch made technique and standards, brought to Balboa Island in a relaxed, everyday format. No tasting menu, no special occasion required – just carefully made Mexican food, the way it should be.
Today, Jose M. Cerrudo and his father lead day-to-day operations, working alongside a team of 10 to keep those original standards intact. The tortillas are still pressed by hand. The rice, beans, and salsas are still made from scratch, every day. What’s changed is the occasion – this is food for a Tuesday night, not just a celebration.
Chef-driven Mexican cooking on Balboa Island
El Mercado is a from-scratch restaurant on Marine Avenue in Newport Beach — bold flavors, handcrafted tortillas, and fresh-squeezed margaritas in a setting that feels like a celebration.
The kitchen
Hand-pressed corn tortillas, house-made salsas, crispy Brussels sprouts in an ancho chile reduction, margaritas built on fresh-squeezed citrus — nothing here comes out of a bag or a bottle.
The menu
Every dish starts with the basics done right: hand-pressed corn tortillas, scratch-made rice and beans, and salsas made fresh daily. Creative and comforting, with something for everyone at the table.
A place to celebrate
Birthdays, anniversaries, business lunches — El Mercado's festive dining room is built for it. Steps from the Balboa Island Ferry on Marine Avenue, El Mercado draws neighbors in for post-beach bites, weekend brunch with bottomless mimosas, and lively Tuesday taco nights.
