![Chef Martin Carbajal pictured in the window of La Mesita Restaurante at 247 George Street North in downtown Peterborough. Chef Martin, who owns the award-winning restaurant alongside his wife Kelly, serves the authentic Mexican cuisine on which he was raised while growing up in Mexico City. Not only is he expanding the restaurant's menu, but La Mesita can also be found at four local farmers' markets, and Chef Martin also offers catering for events of all sizes, with customizable menus beyond Mexican fare. (Photo courtesy of La Mesita Restaurante) Chef Martin Carbajal pictured in the window of La Mesita Restaurante at 247 George Street North in downtown Peterborough. Chef Martin, who owns the award-winning restaurant alongside his wife Kelly, serves the authentic Mexican cuisine on which he was raised while growing up in Mexico City. Not only is he expanding the restaurant's menu, but La Mesita can also be found at four local farmers' markets, and Chef Martin also offers catering for events of all sizes, with customizable menus beyond Mexican fare. (Photo courtesy of La Mesita Restaurante)](https://kawarthanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/kyl-la-mesita-restaurante-feature-696x522.jpg)
Local diners already know Peterborough’s La Mesita Restaurante is a destination for authentic Mexican cuisine (including the best tacos in town), but Chef Martin Carbajal also serves up his dishes at local farmers’ markets and offers customizable catering to events of all sizes — and not just Mexican fare.
Alongside his wife Kelly, Chef Martin opened La Mesita in downtown Peterborough in 2017 to share the dishes he was raised on while growing up in Mexico City. At the restaurant, which offers a comfortable and cozy dining space overlooking the open kitchen, customers can find street-style and home-cooked tacos, quesadillas, tortas, fajitas, and other bites, available for dine-in or take-out.
Accessible for most diets, La Mesita uses 100 per cent corn tortillas and fresh ingredients that are gluten-free and locally sourced, with vegan and vegetarian options available. To make any occasion a fiesta, La Mesita also serves platters and combos for group dining, as well as daily specials. The restaurant’s menu will soon be expanding as Chef Martin adds more dinner plates, as well as a larger selection of sides and desserts.
![Every meal is a fiesta at La Mesita Restaurant in downtown Peterborough. Known for having the best tacos in town, La Mesita also serves up fajitas, quesadillas, tortas, and other Mexican dishes, all using gluten-free tortillas and ingredients, with both vegan and vegetarian options available. (Photo courtesy of La Mesita Restaurante)](https://kawarthanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/kyl-la-mesita-restaurante-02-696x464.jpg)
Chef Martin can also be booked to cater events across Peterborough and the Kawarthas — everything from private dinner parties to corporate lunches to weddings. La Mesita can bring a build-your-own taco bar or offer a completely customizable menu. As a professionally trained chef, Martin’s culinary repertoire is not limited to Mexican food and he will work with customers to curate a menu perfect for their special occasion.
You can also experience La Mesita at four local farmers’ markets: both Peterborough downtown markets, the Saturday market in the Morrow Building parking lot, and Thursdays at the Lakefield Farmers’ Market.
With so much to offer from restaurant specials to catering to farmers’ markets, it’s no surprise that La Mesita was the recipient of multiple 2024 CommunityVotes awards, including Platinum (the top award) in several categories including Mexican Restaurants, Latin American Restaurants, International Food, Catering, Vegetarian, Specialty Foods, and Sandwiches and Subs, as well as Gold in the Take Out category and Silver in the All Restaurants category.
La Mesita Restaurante is open at 247 George Street North in downtown Peterborough from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday. To view the menu and learn more about La Mesita’s catering options, visit www.lamesita.ca and follow then on Facebook and Instagram.
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