Hispanic Heritage Month, running from September 15 to October 15, is a time we nationally honor the rich cultural tapestry woven by Hispanic and Latinx communities. In Bellevue, the Hispanic and Latin communities make up the third largest demographic and play an integral part of the city's culture, celebrations, and cuisines every day of the year.
Celebrate
Fiesta del Maíz
October 5
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Fiesta del Maíz, a vibrant celebration honoring the rich cultural and ancestral significance of corn in Mesoamerican heritage.
Rooted in tradition, Fiesta del Maíz draws inspiration from tamal festivals, transcending national boundaries to bring people together through food, music, and art. The event is located at Bellevue's Crossroads Park, located in the most diverse neighborhood in the Puget Sound region.
The festival will feature five food vendors, offering mouth-watering dishes like tamales, tacos, and Mexican baked goods. Local favorites include Cafecito Mexican Bakery, Rice, Beans & Happiness, Alebrijes Oaxaca Kitchen, Elotador Food, and El Xalal Tacos.
Attendees can also explore the works of seven talented artisans selling
jewelry, paintings, and handcrafted items, including corn husk ornaments. Art vendors include Arte Ritual, Creative Mujeres, Mexicna Handmade Collective, and more.
The festival also features live Danza Azteca performances by Calpullia Nahui Ollin Tezcatlipocatl, a local group carrying on the cultural dance tradition that originated in ancient Mesoaemerica.
An educational component highlights the festival's deeper connection to the history of corn, with a presentation on the ancient method of processing corn, passed down through generations.
Eat
Explore the Latino and Hispanic cuisine in Bellevue, each spot offering a unique window into the rich cultural heritage of these diverse communities. It's a delicious way to foster cultural understanding and celebrate the vibrancy of Latino and Hispanic traditions.
Cantina Monarca
Downtown Bellevue
The Garcia family has a reputation for bringing authentic homestyle Mexican cuisine to the Puget Sound, with their longstanding restaurant Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar in Tacoma. 44 years after his father opened Moctezuma's, Bernie Garcia took Mexican food to new levels in the Northwest with Cantina Monarca.
The Bellevue Way restaurant is a stunning display of Tulum, with vines imported from the Mayan jungle. With a modern take on traditional Mexican cuisine, Cantina offers pescatarian, vegan, and gluten-free options alongside the wagyu carne asada and slow braised duck carnitas options. The margarita flight is a great option to taste the menu, and the bar spotlights over 100 world-renowned tequilas.
Adrian's Restaurant & Tequila Bar
Main Street
Chef Adrian Lopez's business on Main Street was the stuff of his childhood dreams, while enjoying the smell of traditional Mexican dishes at home in Mexico. Adrian's Restaurant & Tequila Bar changed the narrative of Mexican food in Bellevue, bringing elevated ingredients and refined Mexican cooking to the forefront, representing the dishes he grew up with.
Try the bone-in chicken breast with mole sauce, the grilled marinated salmon with a secret sauce, the braised lamb in adobo sauce, and more.
Jocovine
Main Street
Chef Adrian Lopez's newest establishment is an alluring brunch hotspot and cocktail "living room" space facing the heart of Main Street. Jocovine is a combination of Jocotitlan, Lopez's hometown, and "vine," because he's a sommelier and he loves wine. The space features 100-year-old Manzanita branches, a tree that symbolizes Lopez's heritage and the flavors in the food.
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Jocovine brings Mexican flavors together with Northwestern cuisine and contemporary Bellevue flair. For breakfast, there's a smoked salmon benedict made with a nice tabasco hollandaise. The house soup is made with sofrito and a brothy vegetable consomme, and the dessert Jocovine Dulce de Leche Crepes is a must. There's live music Thursday though Saturday evenings.
La Chingona Taqueria Bellevue
Food Truck on 148th & Main
"Chingona" means "bad ass woman," and this family owned enterprise brings authentic Mexico City-style street tacos and accoutrements to Bellevue and beyond. The family recipes are a favorite in the Puget Sound, and it all started here in Bellevue. One of their most renowned tacos is the Keto one, made with grilled cactus instead of tortilla. La Chingona has two food trucks in Bellevue, and they're worth the hype. There's a cute little seating area.
