Mesa Verde: Level 6, 252 Swanston Street Melbourne

Mesa Verde has a great relaxed vibe and is a perfect place for groups to meet, particularly given many of the food options work well to share. The restaurant also comes up trumps for their cocktails and imported drinks list.

I went to Mesa Verde with a group of friends. Between us we ordered quesadillas, tacos, scallops, the Mexican charcuterie plate and a couple of the sides. It was difficult to gauge how much to order and the waitress we had wasn’t very helpful in offering guidance. Those who ordered three tacos or a quesadilla plus one other option were content with their portions. The scallops, while apparently very tasty, were not enough to be filling as a main and would require at least a quesadilla or other similar sized option.

I had the large size charcuterie to myself, but without the cheese. It was filling enough for me, even though I wasn’t game to try the terrine looking thing. It reminded me of braun, also known as head cheese. Since I know these things often contain liver I wasn’t willing to go there. My friend finished it off on my behalf and since he kept diving in it couldn’t have been bad…

Mesa Verde would also be a great place just for drinks. It is way better than the rooftop bar upstairs, which feels like a cage.

All in all I’d give it a thumbs up (roughly translated to two ticks). For any group occasions I would recommend it. That being said, we are really spoiled for great Mexican places in the city. Other good ones to try are Touche Hombre and Mamasita, the latter being particularly vegan friendly.