Mount Pleasant’s Main Street soon to be home to El Gato Gab Gab
The team behind award-winning restaurants Published on Main and Bar Susu are opening a modern Mexican cocktail bar & botanero on Main Street – El Gato Gab Gab.
This summer, Boxset Collective, the team behind acclaimed restaurants Published on Main and Bar Susu, is opening El Gato Gab Gab, a modern Mexican cocktail bar and botanero. The menu features dynamic flavours from the food and cocktails, as well as a dedicated agave spirits list and ice-cold cervezas.
A botanero is a beverage-forward snack bar typically found in the southern region of Mexico. Located at 2650 Main Street, the 3,200 square foot space, reimagined by the in-house design team at Boxset Collective, will have 78 seats, including 14 at the bar.
“We are big agave fans and wanted to open a spot where guests can experience an agave-forward program in a fun, creative, and exciting space,” says Cody Allmin, co-founder of Boxset Collective. “We’ll be celebrating agave and other spirits in all forms, through cocktails and tastings, with fun, imaginative food that will pair well with our drinks – we’ll also be offering a great selection of non-alc options.”
El Gato Gab Gab’s team is headed by beverage director Joe Casson, who has created a delicious and playful menu featuring fresh flavours inspired by the culinary spectrum of Mexico and a few other muses.
“At El Gato, we want our cocktail list to be a no-fuss, maximalist snapshot of rotating familiar pours along with some more extroverted refreshments while being approachable and simply delicious simultaneously,” explains Casson. “We’re still R&Ding the menu, but it’s tasting great. We are incredibly excited to have our friends and guests join us very soon.”
The cocktail menu will include the likes of the Pinoy to Pińa, a tropical mezcal and rum highball with banana soda and ube ice cream; the ¿Que Pasa, Folks? a warming reposado tequila fizz with pasilla chile, carrot and marigold; and the Gatorita, a refreshing ‘on the rocks’ take of a classic margarita.
In the kitchen, executive chef Christian Chaumont (previously Tultepec, Cuchillo, and Mexico City’s Máximo Bistro) will bring the flavours of modern Mexican cuisine from his home country, delivered through a Pacific Northwest lens. Menu development is still underway but expect to see dishes like Dungeness Crab Flautas Ahogadas and Sweetbread Tostadas.
Casson utilised his design background to bring El Gato to life. The new space has been imagined to reflect the flavours of the menu – bold and punchy but abundant with nuance and depth for guests to be immersed through a mix of texture, pattern, and colour. The room, anchored by aquamarine-teal and burnt orange, features painted walls curated by local artist Dominique St. Jean. Light walnut handmade tables offer a sense of hacienda warmth, while impactful, contemporary upholstered and tiled elements use tones that help tie the details together.
“We want guests to feel transported when they step foot inside El Gato when leaving busy Main Street,” adds Casson, who previously worked in the architecture industry in the UK and Australia. “Guests can relax in a dark corner for quiet conversations or sit at the bar and be part of the hustle & bustle.”
At launch, El Gato Gab Gab is expected to be open daily for evening service and have extended weekend hours.
El Gato Gab Gab is currently hiring! For those interested, they can visit its website at www.elgatogabgab.com. More information and details on the opening date will come soon.
About El Gato Gab Gab
El Gato Gab Gab is a vibrant new Modern Mexican cocktail bar & botanero by Boxset Collective, the team behind award-winning restaurants Published on Main and Bar Susu. This summer, guests can expect big flavours in every sip and bite from its food and drink menu, a dedicated agave spirits list, and refreshing cervezas.
El Gato Gab Gab | 2650 Main Street
www.elgatogabgab.com | Instagram: @elgato_gabgab
