13214 Michigan AvenueM Cantina’s chef, Junior Merino, became known in the industry as an award-winning mixologist and spice master who goes by the name the Liquid Chef. He opened M Cantina in 2017 and nods to the local clientele by serving halal meat and offering menu items like Tacos Arabes, with spiced and marinated chicken drizzled with a cucumber-cilantro-yogurt-sauce and served in a gyro-style flatbread. It’s found alongside Mexican and Latin American street food classics like esquites corn, tlayuda, maduros sweet plantains, tacos al pastor, chapulines, and escamoles.How to order: Available for pick-up via their website.

At M Cantina, gourmet Mexican street food gets a sophisticated upgrade through the visionary lens of award-winning chef and mixologist Junior Merino, known as "The Liquid Chef." Specializing in Nuevo Latino cuisine, this halal-certified hotspot crafts tacos, tortas, and desserts that are as artful as they are flavorful—each dish a tribute to Merino’s roots in Central Mexico. The experience is heightened by a bar that boasts the region’s largest collection of 100% agave spirits, rare whiskeys, and handcrafted cocktails. With a stylish setting and a strict house policy encouraging respectful dining, M Cantina delivers a vibrant, upscale culinary journey that blends cultural authenticity with creative flair.

Participating restaurants include Avenue Brunch House, Baba’s Grille, Blue Fish, Brome Modern Eatery, Bulldog’s Cheesesteaks, Dave’s Hot Chicken (Dearborn), District 12, Famous Hamburger, Ford’s Garage, Gâteaux Pâtisserie, Haraz Coffee House, JB Bamboozles Pub & Grille, King’s Bakery, La Fork, La Pita, La Shish, Lue Thai Cafe, M Cantina, Malek Al-Kabob, Mocha Bistro, Modern Green & Salad Bar, New York Deli, Noah’s Smokehouse, Paradise Biryani Pointe, Prime Eatery, Roman Village, Sheeba Restaurant (East & West), The Great Commoner, The Himalayan Flames, and TRIA.

M Cantina is a relative newcomer to the Dearborn dining scene and the Mexican restaurant entices locals with a 100 percent halal menu and non-alcoholic juice bar. The restaurant’s “tacos Arabes,” reminiscent of a gyro with strips of moist chicken seasoned with chile ancho, chile pasilla, smoked chile peppers, and more spices, are a favorite. M Cantina has a wide variety of traditional dishes with contemporary twists ranging from Mexican street corn to a chips and salsa trio.

Southwest Detroit is known for its Mexican food, but if you go a little north into East Dearborn, there is a small cantina serving up a new elevated take on Mexican street food. They are most well known for their gourmet tacos -- these are not your average tacos. You can find some like their Churrasco with filet mignon and chimichurri, or their duck carnitas with guava chipotle sauce, chili oil, and crispy onions.

For a more upscale taco experience, M Cantina in Dearborn offers gourmet tacos with a modern twist. Their Duck Carnitas taco, topped with pickled onions and habanero salsa, is a standout dish that perfectly balances rich flavors with a touch of heat. M Cantina's innovative approach to traditional Mexican cuisine makes it a must-visit for taco enthusiasts.

This one is in Dearborn for anyone looking for new Metro Detroit bars and restaurants. For years, M Cantina’s non-alcoholic cocktails served their purpose for years. Now that the owners have secured a liquor license, you’ll want to check out the largest collection of agave-based spirits in Michigan, with more than 1,000 different bottles on hand.

M Cantina rounds out our list as a classy, discrete Mexican restaurant that modernizes the dining experience. Executive Chef Junior Merino is known as the “Liquid Chef” for his unique and singular cocktail combinations. When you order some drinks, be sure to try some tapas such as the Fajita Bites or Plantain Chips.

GENRE: Stylish “Nuevo Latino” street food with craft nonalcoholic cocktails. VIBE: Cozy neighborhood spot with urban-chic aesthetic featuring exposed brick walls, industrial lighting, open kitchen and dark granite-topped bar. GOOD FOR: Lunch, solo dining at the bar, delicious drinks without the guilt or the hangover

13214 Michigan Ave 313-399-9117 Nuevo Latino street food is featured at this Hispanic-inspired restaurant with a little flair. The different, unique tacos are fantastic, and booze-free cocktails grace the menu for a different kind of drinking from mixologist Junior Merino. Reservations are required, so call ahead.

M. Cantina in Dearborn: There's so much going on at this two-story, chef-driven Mexican restaurant that is brimming with boldness from the colors of the dining rooms to the deluxe cocktails. I loved experimenting with the huge menu and the countless house-made sauces and salsas.

The chef at M Cantina was born in central Mexico and his passion for his homeland is evident in the cuisine. On the menu, you’ll find gourmet nuevo Latino street food like fajita bites, Mexican street corn and a variety of different tacos. All food is cooked to order.

M Cantina brings a unique twist to the Detroit halal scene with its Mexican-inspired halal cuisine. This innovative spot offers everything from halal tacos and burritos to exotic drinks, all crafted with halal-certified ingredients.

In keeping with the name, the restaurant is designed to look like a cantina, with rustic brick walls and pops of color. While the restaurant does serve margaritas, they’re always non-alcoholic.