| Maíz | |
|---|---|
_logo.png){kind=logo} | |
_-_01.jpg) The restaurant's exterior, 2022 | |
 Interactive map of Maíz | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Food type | Mexican |
| Location | Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Coordinates | 47°36′36″N122°20′33″W / 47.6101°N 122.3425°W /47.6101; -122.3425 |
Maíz is a small chain ofMexican restaurants inSeattle, Washington. The original nixtamaleria has operated atPike Place Market since 2021.Maíz Molino opened inDenny Triangle in 2022, andMaíz Taqueria opened in theBallard area in 2024. The latter has since closed permanently.
Maíz is a small chain ofMexican restaurants inSeattle. In addition to the original restaurant atPike Place Market, outposts operates in theDenny Triangle andBallard areas.
The Pike Place Market location's interior features white tile walls, mosaics of corn and the restaurant's name, andtalavera tiles depicting skeletons bathing, riding motorcycles, texting, and doing yoga.[1] Naomi Tomky of theSeattle Post-Intelligencer said the shop is "a modern feeling space that celebrates an ancient tradition".[2] The interior also has four stools for indoor dining.[3]
The menu includes nixtamaltortillas[4] andantojitos (Mexican street food) such aschalupas,[3]gorditas,huaraches,quesadillas,sopes, guisado-styletacos,tamales,tlacoyos,[5] andtostadas. The restaurant has also servedchilaquiles,pan dulce,champurrado,horchata lattes, and other Mexican-style coffee drinks.[5] In addition to chilaquiles, the breakfast menu was expanded in August 2022 to include egg tacos and fruit withchamoy andTajín.[6]
Maíz Molino's interior features a sign with text which translates to "Without corn, there is no country".[7] The menu has included pork cheeks in mole, short ribs with masa grits, and snake venom–infused sotol.[8]
Maíz Taqueria operated on 15th Avenue Northwest. The menu included nachos and tacos.[9]
Aldo Góngora, his wife Angelica Martin, and her sister Roxana Martin opened the originalbrick and mortar restaurant in a former Mexicangrocery store on November 2, 2021, with a ribbon cutting ceremony andDay of the Dead celebration featuring a livemariachi band.[4][7] The tortilla shop is the second in Seattle nixtamalizing its own corn, following Milpa Masa.[2][10][11]
"Sibling" restaurant Maíz Molino opened inDenny Triangle in 2022.[12]
In February 2024, Maíz Taqueria in the space previously occupied by Sazon Kitchen.[9] The location has since closed permanently.[13]
In 2022, Allecia Vermillion included Maíz inSeattle Metropolitan's list of best new restaurants.[3] She also included the business in a 2022 overview of "Seattle's great tacos and Mexican restaurants".[14] Megan Hill, Jade Yamazaki Stewart, and Harry Cheadle included Maíz Molino inEater Seattle's 2023 list of 16 "marvelous" Mexican restaurants inSeattle metropolitan area.[8]
