Mexican Restaurant Institution Pedro’s in Los Gatos Returns With a Mexico City Vibe

Anyone who grew up in Los Gatos knows and probably dined at least once at Pedro’s. The Mexican restaurant opened its doors in 1972, under the owner Peter Ramirez, who added more locations as the years went by. In 1990 the Kapoor family, currently of Saison Hospitality, purchased the chain. Of the two remaining locations, one in Santa Clara and one in Los Gatos, the latter had closed its doors in February this year for a redesign and a menu refresh. Reopening its doors on Wednesday, November 20, under chef Julio Aguilera, previously of Saison and now-shuttered Copas, Pedro’s Cocina & Cocktails in Los Gatos aims to reinvent itself for a new era of dining.

The menu, according to Aguilera, is “what Mexican American restaurants have been doing for the last 40-plus years, mashed with what chefs have been doing in Mexico City, Puebla, and Tulum more recently.” He refers to the style as cocina de autor (author’s cooking), or “taking the Mexican pantry and being creative and personal with it.”

While some of Pedro’s beloved classics will remain untouched, like the carne asada nachos with guacamole and cheese, and the sweet corn tamales with roasted poblano and green tomatillo, Aguilera had populated the menu with new ideas as well. In some dishes, ingredients that diners won’t automatically associate with Mexican food make appearances, and others flip the script with technique and presentation. “Having fun with interpretations of traditional dishes,” was the direction, Aguilera says.

Examples of this approach are plentiful on the menu. The pescado del dia features black cod with avocado puree and broccolini marinated in ancho chile marinade. The “Caesar” salad is made of zucchini and green papaya and sprinkled with cotija, with Thai basil Caesar dressing. In the pulpo dish, Spanish grilled octopus is accompanied by fruity mole, red onion, radicchio, raisins, and pineapple. The nixtamalized masa for the tortillas is sourced from Bolita Masa, a small and stellar operation by Oakland chef Emanuel Galvan, who has dedicated the past few years to researching and implementing the intricacies of fresh masa.

The menu makes it easy to see why some of Aguilera’s key local inspirations are the two-Michelin star institution Californios, Oakland’s Tacos Mi Reynita, and La Vaca Birria in San Francisco. “They’re doing things how they’re supposed to be done,” Aguilera says, referring to the restaurants’ traditional and tradition-bending ethoses.

A full redesign by LA-based John Sofio of Built Inc — the design firm behind the swanky charm of the West Hollywood establishments Poppy, the Peppermint Club, and Deliliah — matches the atmosphere with the cuisine. While nostalgic diners can still head to Pedro’s Santa Clara for the restaurant’s original look and feel, the Los Gatos location aligns itself with the vibe of the Bay Area’s more recent Mexican American wave; Elena’s in Cole Valley and Flores in the Marina come to mind, with their clashing textures, warm lighting, and touches of greenery.

One key inspiration is Mexico City and its culinary gravitas, Sofio says. “Mexico City is a prime global culinary destination. Pedro’s is a beloved legacy restaurant. Los Gatos is an upscale tight-knit community,” he says. “I wanted to elevate Pedro’s experience through design and encompass the above, all with a coastal, breezy vibe.” The various rooms and vignettes around the bar and lounge area — some named after Pedro’s most prominent, loyal team members — “are villages around the town center,” he adds, “transporting you to walk through the Mexican coastline into Mexico City.”

At the restaurant, this translates into an abundance of indoor plants, intricate perforated lighting, wood paneling, textured banquet seating and clay floor tiles; all make for a warm, sophisticated new look. “Something Los Gatos can be really proud of,” Aguilera says.

The cocktail menu, by Leo Gonzales, playfully weaves in Mexican ingredients. The aguacate margarita, which features fresh avocado, cilantro and lime, is an on-trend savory and spicy concoction, while the coctel de temporada (aka Señor Parrot) — a seasonal cocktail served in a whimsical parrot cup — is a sweet blend of rum, mango, condensed milk, and mamey, a fruit native to Mexico and the Caribbean.

With the reopening, Aguilera hopes to honor Pedro’s long-standing, reliable role in the Los Gatos dining scene, while also offering patrons something exciting. “You have mom and dad becoming grandpas and grandmas, you have the kids becoming parents, which is nice about being in the middle of a small town,” he says. “People had their birthdays here, and wedding anniversaries. They will come into the reimagined space and gain a new understanding of it.”

Pedro’s Los Gatos is located at 316 N Santa Cruz Ave.