Aristocrat: One of the Best New Casual Restaurants in Centro SMA.

After a seven year stint with Princess Cruise Lines, the former Beverage Operations Manager for Cumpanio and Director of Beverages for Levain and Company, Adrian Garcia Evans, was ultimately named the General Manager of Casa Dragones in 2019; a life-sized job that he excelled in and was the best Ambassador for the brand. This past December, Adrian became a restaurateur, opening Aristocrat at Jesus #27. It was his lifelong dream.

The Aristocrat staff is young. The chef, Jesus Ramirez, originally worked at Cumpanio from 2017 – 2023 and worked as the Executive Chef at Hotel Coyote before coming on board at Aristocrat. At just 24 years of age, he also teaches at the Universidad Patria, a private university in San Miguel de Allende.

Bartender, Filipe Hernandez, is 23 years old and is a native of SMA. He spent time in Puerto Vallarta before returning to SMA where he worked at Amatee before joining the Aristocrat team. We’ll tell you right off that he makes one of the best Margarita’s in town and a great Michelada made with Modelo Negra. In our book, they’re currently the drinks to beat.

His partners in Aristocrat are Warren Young, who is behind Berlin Bar and Bistro, Bananas Restaurant and El Ring Nightclub and Paul Ralph, a native of Wales like Adrian.

All of Aristocrat’s menus are both surprising and affordable. For instance, the nine dishes on the Sunday Brunch menu are under $180 pesos. We tried the Chilaquiles Moritas, made with a pile of pulled pork instead of chicken, the Labneh Eggs on Brioche and the Steak and Eggs: a slab of Arrachera with spicy Chimichurri and French Fries. All of the dishes claim very distinctive flavors. There’s also a build your own Bloody Mary bar; the only one of its kind in SMA at $150 pesos a drink.

Revisiting the past, the Bloody Mary is Adrian’s signature drink that he made at the MAG festival a few years back. It was so memorable they are still raved about by the many people who have followed his career over the years. Also, his Mole Martini at Jacinto 1930 was pretty darn perfect too and the first drink he ever made for us. Mexico in a glass, it still remains as absolute world class.

The Papas Trufadas with white truffles and parmesan cheese and the divine Papas Provenzales- crisp French fries with Salsa Provencial - are under $200 pesos and the dishes I refuse to split no matter how much you beg.

The Baco Style Tacos are loaded down with white fish and dressed with a pina and cabbage salad; a deal at $190 pesos. Scotch Eggs are boiled eggs wrapped in a beef sausage mix then deep fried and come with relish, mustard and herbs for $200 pesos. And just when you think it’s going to be another SMA menu, all the hidden flavors surprise you like the Xoconostle used in their Pico de Gallo or the mint and pea puree on their house specialty, the fish and chips. Traditional British pub foods are sprinkled throughout the menu.

The Baguette with sausage is the star of the show and comes with pickled cabbage for $260 pesos. The sandwich is huge and on a special baguette made by Chef Jafet Flores at Panaderia MAEH in the El Recinto Luxury Hotel. You can select from the following sausages: Irish Steak and Guinness, English, Lincolnshire, American Apple, Pork and Jim Beam, Texas Hot Links, Mexican Chori-Queso and German Bratwurst, all made by Simply Sausages in Mexico City. Adrian favorite is the Lincolnshire.

We also loved the sliders, each made with different ingredients and buns and the Tropical Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Rosemary Chutney and Pico de Gallo for $210 pesos. With Dart night on Monday at 7:00 PM, Happy Hour daily from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM and Aristocrat Live on Wednesday nights featuring some of the best music in town, you’ll want to go often. Reference their Facebook and Instagram pages, aristocrat.sma, to get all the updates. And to one of our favorite food lovers who made the comment that restaurants never succeed in this space, were here to tell you that Aristocrat has delivered so much contagious enthusiasm to 27 Jesus that it’s chased out all the ghosts and totally broken the curse.

Each time we visit Aristocrat, we like the restaurant even more. With an interesting menu, affordable prices, remarkable service and a just-like- home atmosphere to hang out in, It all combines to make up one of the best new casual restaurants in Centro SMA. Aristocrat Jesus #27 Centro, San Miguel de Allende Chef: Jesus Ramirez Hours: 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM – Kitchen closes 9:30PM. Brunch: Sunday starting at 12:00 Noon.