Poca Madre

There’s something about a demure, desert oasis-inspired venue interior that makes us immediately want to hit that ‘book now’ button, and after one peek at South Bank’s new Mexican spot, we’ve already got our date night outfit ready to go. 

Coming to us from Alemré Hospitality Group, the team behind neighbouring Calida Argentina, Vici Italian, Olé Restaurant and more, Poca Madre has taken over the space that was previously home to Mucho Mexicano (yes, another Alemré venue), with Unita giving it a fresh, on-trend makeover that extends to more than just the interiors. 

Featuring hand-painted murals, intricate tiled floors, caci planters and plenty of warm, pink-hued earthy tones, Poca Madre is all about bold Mexican flavours and signature margaritas, which you can sip while you dine or over at the standalone Margarita Bar next door. If it’s the former, expect to feast your way through shared plates of snacks, tacos and hearty, flavoursome mains—the birria tacos with queso fresco and bone broth are a must try. 

If you consider  yourself an agave aficionado, or you want to pretend for a night to really get into the spirit, you’ll also be able to sample agave spirits in a flight of three curated sips from some of Mexico’s most renowned distilleries, though of course, there’s plenty of margarita variations for the less hard core. 

Image credit: Supplied