2014 Food & Drink Awards nominees: Best new Mexican restaurant

Before entering PettyCash Taquería, you may note "RIP Playa" tagged right outside the door; this would be a nod to the Beverly Boulevard space's previous occupant, John Sedler’s Playa. Save for that reminder, though, you may fail to recognize its old self: Gone are the dim lighting and the intimate tables. Instead, the bright, open space is filled with graffiti dancing on the walls, communal tables and, as is fashionable for painfully cool places these days, very loud music. This is PettyCash—Mexican street food as reinterpreted by Los Angeles chef Walter Manzke (Bastide, Church & State).

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Gracias Madre not only comes with a straightfoward menu—executed by chef Chandra Gilbert—but with quality Mexican cuisine. To begin, it should be said that the restaurant is beautiful. A cross between Mexican chic and Palm Springs casual, Gracias Madre is decorated with festive cushions and tiles, a gorgeous courtyard and, inside, high ceilings and a comfortable bar. Wherever you choose to sit, order the guacamole—it, too, is fantastic; some of the best we've ever had.

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When the "artisan taquería" Tinga opened in a tiny space on La Brea in 2010, it was an interesting distraction from the street tacos reigning supreme at that moment: Tinga’s tacos were unabashedly more refined, upscale and cheesier than almost anything off the most popular trucks, with the prices to match. Three years later, Tinga's expression of the taco has not only persisted, but it also has just expanded westward. Tinga's Santa Monica outpost is a sprawling, multi-room funhouse: There's a bar everywhere you turn (three in total), all of which flank a beautiful courtyard that makes for great patio dining.

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With its newest location on 3rd Street, Mercado is bringing an inventive mix of food, atmosphere and tradition to the Beverly Grove neighborhood. The second restaurant for partners Jesse Gomez and chef Jose Acevedo, this location offers a covered patio space and an open air bar—perfect for relaxing with a margarita and taquitos, or indulging in their popular brunch (helloooo Chipotle Bloody Marys). Take in the colorful artwork, the relaxed atmosphere and, yes, the tequila, and it's like your own private Mexico.

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