KALA: A New Culinary Soul Awakens in El Paso

By Ana Paula Kiyama

Tucked into the heart of El Paso, KALA doesn’t announce itself loudly—it invites you in.

This is not just a new restaurant. It’s a destination worth discovering. A place designed for quiet dinners that stretch into long conversations, and for vibrant celebrations that feel effortlessly alive. From the moment you step inside, KALA feels less like a concept and more like a home—one where flavors, aromas, and atmosphere open the door to connection.

KALA was born from three hearts, three talents, and one shared vision: to create something meaningful for El Paso. A project driven by passion, rooted in experience and technique, and shaped by the desire to offer the city a new way to gather, taste, and feel.

This is the beginning of something that will change how El Paso dines.

Where Two Cultures Meet at the Table

At its core, KALA is an invitation—to connect with the stories told through its dishes and to discover the harmony between two culinary worlds.

Inspired by the warmth of Baja Mexico and the freshness of the Mediterranean, KALA selects the best of both regions while honoring their authenticity. The result is Bajamed: a cuisine that feels coastal, soulful, and deeply comforting, yet refined.

Here, food isn’t rushed. It’s meant to be shared. Passed across the table. Talked about. Remembered.

Every plate reflects a balance—between acid and richness, tradition and innovation, elegance and ease. Comfort food, reimagined. Familiar flavors, elevated without losing their heart.

Three Chefs. One Vision. Global Roots, Local Heart.

Behind KALA are three internationally celebrated chefs who chose El Paso not as a stop—but as a home.

Mikel Alonso brings a career defined by precision and fusion, blending Basque tradition with Mexican gastronomy. His work earned a Michelin Star at Cocina de Autor in Riviera Maya and recognition from the Michelin Guide for Mexta in Austin.

Jonatán Gómez Luna, a Michelin Star recipient for Le Chique in Riviera Maya, is known for his bold creativity and global presence, with projects spanning Mexico City, New York, and Austin.

Carlos Gaytán, the first Mexican chef to earn a Michelin Star, is a visionary whose journey from Chicago kitchens to acclaimed restaurants across the U.S. and Mexico has redefined modern Mexican cuisine through French technique and deep cultural respect.

Together, they bring decades of excellence—but at KALA, their talent feels approachable, never stiff. You feel the technique, but what lingers is the warmth.

The Menu: Comfort, Crafted with Heart

At KALA, food is emotional.

The menu is rooted in the idea of home—dishes that invite you in and surprise you just enough to make you pause. Whether you’re gathering with friends, celebrating with family, on a date night, or simply treating yourself, there’s always something that feels familiar yet new.

Standout dishes during the soft opening included an escalar tiradito with impeccable balance and acidity, a lobster pasta that was rich yet coastal-light, and mussels bathed in a saffron beurre blanc with dried chorizo and pickled jalapeños—a combination that works far better than it sounds. And then there’s the masa madre bread, the kind that quietly steals the show as everyone keeps reaching for just one more piece.

Nothing feels like filler. Every ingredient matters.

A Space Designed for Connection

The atmosphere seals the experience.

KALA’s design blends Ensenada coastal energy with subtle Greek influences—clean, warm, intentional. Coastal without being themed. Elegant without trying too hard. It’s the kind of space that invites you to stay.

From intimate gatherings at the coveted KAVA Table, to semi-private moments in Sala KALA, open-air celebrations on The Veranda, or lively events in the expansive dining room, every space is designed around togetherness.

This is a restaurant built for moments.

More Than Dining: A Celebration

KALA extends beyond the plate.

Curated experiences like Celebrate With Us brunches, spirited Napkin Parties inspired by Greek tradition, and Beat & Dine evenings where live music and DJ sets meet elevated cuisine, transform dining into celebration.

During the soft opening, the energy was unmistakable—local creators, food lovers, and community voices filling the space before the food even hit the table. That kind of buzz can’t be manufactured. It happens when something real begins.

A Love Letter to El Paso

The chefs behind KALA have restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, Mexico, Cabo, and beyond. Yet they chose El Paso for their first project together—not because it was easy, but because it mattered.

They didn’t want to just open a restaurant.They wanted to belong.

KALA is a love letter to the city—a Baja-rooted, Mediterranean-inspired concept built around community, collaboration, and doing something different on purpose.

As KALA prepares for its soft opening, one thing is clear: this isn’t just a new place to eat.

It’s a place to connect. To celebrate. To feel at home.

KALA BajaMed

📍 7470 Cimarron Market Ave, Building 5, Suite 100, El Paso, TX

🕰️ Dinner | Tuesday–Sunday, 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM

📅 opening soon | Reservations via OpenTable