Mixto: Philadelphia, PA

Tucked inside an unassuming two-story exposed brick building on Philadelphia's antique row, a neon "Mixto" sign marks the destination on the east side of downtown Philadelphia. In the warmer months, sit outside and enjoy the South Beach-style ambiance. In the cooler months, take your party inside for a dazzling scene of colors, bold and sensual Latin music, and fragrant Latin American, Caribbean, and Cuban dishes.

Chef Freddy Mosquera prepares a large menu of homestyle Latin American classics, ranging from Cuban paella to delicate Peruvian ceviche to Argentinean churrasco and pernil rostisado. The portions are huge, so grab a friend and try the ropa vieja (flank steak stewed in an onion, tomato, red and green pepper, and garlic sautéd served over white rice) and paella Valenciana (saffron broth, rice, lobster, chicken, shrimp, squid, octopus, mussels, Cuban chorizo, scallops, and clams served with sweet plantains). Diners can choose black, yellow, white, or pigeon pea rice. Mixto also boasts a large international wine list, but there is also an array of Latin American beers like Peruvian Cusquena and Dominican Presidente. Stop in at happy hour and enjoy the refreshing mojitos and margaritas, and grab some empanadas to share while you sip. Daily dinner specials keep locals coming back for more eight years on.

Bold and bright, Mixto combines the coziness of dining at your abuela's with the hipness of a modern bar, making it a must-try for Latin American food lovers and newcomers alike.