If authentic tacos, spicy margs and guacamole with a caviar kick sound like your ideal day, then there’s a revamped McLaren Vale venue calling your name.
From May 28th, local favourite Joe’s at Sabella is saying goodbye to pizza and hello to a bold new Mexican-inspired identity, with a new moody, flavour-packed dining experience inspired by Mexico City after dark.
After taking to social media, the team behind Joe’s Mexico City Kitchen announced the change with a tongue-in-cheek post that left locals laughing. “McLaren Vale has enough pizza joints. Respectfully. Some of you are out here one woodfired margherita away from developing a personality disorder,” wrote the team.
The post continued with references to tequila-fuelled revelations, burnt forearms, meat juice running down elbows and “unhinged hospitality”, setting the tone for what’s shaping up to be one of the Vale’s most exciting venue shake-ups this year.
Behind the humour, owner Timmy says the move has been on his mind for a while. “We just wanted to move away from pizzas,” he told Glam Adelaide. “We have a really good reputation for our pizzas, but it’s a very saturated market and we wanted to do something different. We were getting a bit bored, honestly.”
If you’re familiar with the stunning church venue, you might remember Taco José, which is their more casual courtyard offering. Timmy says the new Joe’s concept will take things further, combining street-food energy with a more refined dining experience inside the venue.
“Taco José is like a street food concept in the courtyard,” Timmy said. “The new interior will just be Joe’s. We wanted to marry the two concepts together, so Taco José will stay agile and fun, while inside we can be really creative with proper Mexican cuisine.”
The shift also marks a return to the style of hospitality Joe and partner Lilli originally envisioned for the venue, after operational challenges forced them to simplify the offering over the summer. “We turned the church into a pizza and spritz bar because we knew we’d have a busy summer,” he said.
“But I didn’t want to just ride that out through winter and let it become stale and mundane. Now we’ve got a really great team and we want to bounce back into something more cohesive.”
At the new Joe’s, expect a concise menu focused on quality over quantity, with around a dozen dishes showcasing bold flavours, fire cooking and authentic techniques inspired by Timmy’s time living in Mexico.
“We’re going to be doing proper Mexican food,” he said.
Among the dishes he’s most excited about are fresh-baked cornbread, rich braised dishes, mole, aguachile and dangerous little sauces, alongside tacos, tequila and mezcal-heavy drinks lists.
There’ll also be some playful luxury touches. “Maybe a $50 guacamole with caviar,” Timmy said. “We want to keep it approachable, but if people want to splurge and have fun, they can.”
As for the energy, “We want to be the place where locals can come a few times a week, have a drink and a feed, and walk out fifty bucks later,” shared Timmy. “But if you want to sit there all day drinking good tequila and eating Mexican food in a beautiful old church in McLaren Vale, you can do that too.”
Joe’s Mexico City Kitchen officially launches on May 28th in McLaren Vale.
Joe’s Mexico City Kitchen
When: From May 28th
Where: 133 Main St, McLaren Vale, SA, Australia, 5171
For more information, click here.
