Refreshed Restaurant Ready To Serve

The name might seem familiar, but a Nelson hospitality business is promising a refreshing take on Mexican cuisine at its newest venue.

The former Nicola’s Cantina in Church St has reopened as Cantina Nicola under new owners Nelson Dining Group, which also owns the Boat Shed Cafe, Urban Oyster Bar & Eatery, Hopgood’s & Co, and Bar Rosa.

Managing director Dan Monopoli said the company enjoyed bringing new dining experiences to the city.

The restaurant would keep the festive atmosphere enjoyed under the previous owners, he said.

“Nicola’s has always been a big, fun environment and it’s full of colours and flavours.”

But, there had also been a refresh of the venue and menu, Monopoli said.

“While the former restaurant was much loved, we felt it was time to offer something a little different. We’re keen to welcome old friends of the restaurant, but also attract some new faces to this important part of town.”

That included introducing new cooking techniques such as charcoal and fresh raw dishes, he said.

The venue has a new streamlined kitchen and reconfigured bar area, and the relaunch will lean heavily into the taqueria culture, where groups gather for meals built around shared plates, tacos and bold flavours.

Corn tortillas will be made fresh in-house daily, and consultant chef, Zane Heemi said the menu would celebrate the elements that made Mexican food a global favourite.

“We’re introducing more traditional ingredients and dishes with incredible flavours.”

The drinks list will also reflect the focus on traditional Mexican flavours, with tequila and mezcal cocktails supported by an extensive agave spirits list to complement the crowd-favourite slushy margaritas.

Monopoli said he fell in love with the cuisine while travelling in Mexico.

“The flavours, the food, everything about that type of cuisine is just pretty magical.”

He hoped fans of the old restaurant would give the refreshed venue a go.

The hospitality scene in Nelson was a tough business to work in, with big seasonal peaks and troughs, which made it difficult to maintain staff through the year, he said.

Having multiple venues gave their business the scale to be able to take on a new venture, because they were able to share staff and resources across venues.

“With scale it allows me to provide decent jobs for everyone and decent hours for everyone,” he said.

Cantina Nicola is currently open for dinner 4.30pm to late.

By Warren Gamble, Nelson Mail