Here’s a First Look at Philly’s Newest Mexican Restaurant, Amá Featuring Dishes by Acclaimed Chef Frankie Ramirez
Philly’s newest Mexican restaurant, Amá, is ready to open its doors at the corner of Front and Oxford Streets (101 West Oxford Street) in Philly’s Fishtown/Kensington neighborhood on Wednesday, May 14th at 5 p.m. while reservations on Resy will be available on Wednesday, May 7th at noon. Those looking to book ahead can do so as far as 30 days out.
Chef Frankie Ramirez and his partners, Roberto Medina and Crisalida Mata,Reservations will operate Amá (pronounced “ah-MAH”) seven days a week, with operating hours of Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Bar seating will be available for walk-ins, and while reservations are encouraged for the dining room, walk-ins will also be accommodated when available. The bar will feature a limited food menu for the first month or so.
Ramirez, 38, is a self-taught chef from Mexico City who has led such kitchens as Stephen Starr’s LMNO and Parc, as well as Enoteca Tredici. He is opening the restaurant with his wife, Veronica, along with fellow husband-and-wife restaurateurs, Roberto Medina and Crisalida Mata, who own and operate La Catrina in Media, PA and are partners in Spasso Italian Grill in Media and Agave Mexican Cuisine in Chadds Ford, PA. Ramirez said his goal is to introduce his vision of Mexican-inspired cuisine to Philadelphia. He has logged experiences under revered chefs Francesco Martorella, who he considers his mentor, Marc Vetri, Marcus Samuelson, Masaharu Morimoto, Dominique Filoni, Alex Lee, and Juan Carlos Aparicio.
As for the partners, Medina was born in Puebla, Mexico, and grew up on a farm where he would help his mother prepare meals for the family. He came to the U.S. by himself in 1994 at the age of 17, immigrating straight to Philadelphia to live with a friend. He spent time in the restaurant industry working dishwasher jobs before working his way up to the chef position at Spasso in Old City, where he met his wife, Crisalida, who was bartending there at the time. Medina opened a new Spasso location in Media, PA in 2012 with partner Claudio Sandolo, and six years later opened Agave Mexican Cuisine in Chadds Ford, PA. In 2020, Crisalida and Roberto opened La Catrina in Media, PA. Opening the restaurant with her husband is Veronica Ramirez, who came to the U.S. with her family in 2001, and met Frankie when she was working as the pastry chef at Bliss on South Broad Street. She trained Frankie in his first line cook position since she was the only Spanish speaker at Bliss. The two became a couple in 2007, and now live in South Philadelphia with their two children.
Over the past several months, Amá has gone through a complete build of its 4,300 square-foot space. The restaurant, which will eventually have weekend brunch service, features 120 seats, including 20 seats at the bar and another 12 at a chef’s table beside the kitchen. There will be room for an additional 10 outdoor seats, weather permitting.
The space was designed by John Weckerly and Sal Guerrero of BoxWood Architects, who were inspired by the partners’ vision of traditional Mexican with a modern hand. White textured plaster walls with niches, rich wood beams, and terracotta accents create an environment reminiscent of traditional Mexican kitchens; blended with modern detailing to create an elevated yet familiar vibe. Large accordion doors open up the corner of the space to the outside, producing a patio-like experience, while white-painted masonry screens conjoin and define different dining areas within the restaurant. The bar features a concrete countertop with exposed aggregate that speaks to the rustic elements present throughout the design, including handmade red clay pendants from Mexico. An open kitchen connects the chefs to the guests, where patrons will be able to view the creation of fresh tortillas on the comal and take in the aromas from the coal and wood-fired grill.
The menu will provide an elevated dining experience that will be seasonal, featuring hand-pressed tortillas and 20-plus items inspired by the six main culinary regions of Mexico, which include the Yucatán Peninsula, the pacific coast, northern Mexico, central Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico and the Baja region. Most of the menu is intended to be shareable and rotated seasonally, with large-format entrees including whole grilled fish, coal roasted octopus, whole and half pollo a la brasa, head on prawns al carbon, and non-traditional cuts of steak for carne asada. Appetizers will include a variety of tacos, tostadas, crudos, ceviches, and aguachiles, and seasonal vegetarian options that will be prepared on a custom eight-foot-long charcoal and wood-fired grill from M&M BBQ Company in Texas, with Ramirez using both charcoal and wood to cook premium proteins and fresh vegetables. House made desserts will contain nostalgic flavors that virtually transport guests to Mexico.
The beverage program will offer craft cocktails while focusing heavily on tequila and mezcal, with wine and local beer available as well. Running the bar as the Beverage Director is Diego Langarica, who has spent time working at both a.bar and The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company. Langarica, 30, was born in Miami and raised in Madrid, Spain before moving back to the States at 18, having spent the last four years in Philadelphia.
Stacey Becerril, a Queens native who has spent her life in the restaurant industry, steps in as the restaurant’s General Manager. Becerril’s parents are from Mexico City and Puebla, respectively, and she said visiting Mexico in the summer are her favorite memories of growing up. “Amá is a project that is very dear to me and my heart, and I want Philly to see that there is more to Mexican food and more to Mexican spirits,” she said.
Guillermo Luna, who landed in the U.S. via Puebla, Mexico at the age of 13, was tapped to be the restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine. Luna worked his way up under acclaimed Philadelphia chefs Jose Garces, Chad Williams, and Dave Conn, eventually becoming Executive Chef at Amada, Tinto, and Village Whiskey.
