Alta Calidad Is Hands Down My Family’s Favorite Restaurant

Alta Calidad has become one of my family’s go-to places, and not just because it’s a few blocks away. There are other Mexican restaurants in our Prospect Heights neighborhood, and a couple others are also good. But none of them do what Alta Calidad does so well: appeal to both kids and adults. And I don’t mean simply satisfy — I mean truly attract and please both groups.

Alta Calidad is not a family restaurant per se, in the way that Bubby’s in Tribeca or Cowgirl in the West Village is. And there are probably plenty of people reading this who are familiar with Alta Calidad surprised to see it described this way. Because most restaurants who try to be family-friendly are really catering to the kids, with the adults left to swallow sub-par mac and cheese or chicken tenders in a loud, garish space. But here, adults are catered to, and kids are treated like small people, not half-formed humans. It’s a restaurant for adults where the kids are truly welcomed.

The first part of Alta Calidad’s special sauce that makes it the perfect family restaurant is its décor. The interior design is attractive but not fancy or tacky, with an artistic mural of amplified corn that interests both kids and adults. The table set up lends itself to either adult time at the bar or high tops, or cozy family time at one of the tables or the sole window booth at the front always reserved for groups. But in good weather — since the restaurant utilizes its prime corner location with two sides of outdoor tables — we often find ourselves seated outside on the sidewalk.

And ever since the pandemic, on weekends when the weather is nice, this is where we’ll be. That’s because year after year, Vanderbilt Avenue has been chosen for Open Streets, the city’s annual seasonal program that closes off streets to traffic every weekend. Without cars, restaurants can set up tables on the road, which is typically filled with neighbors playing music, creating chalk masterpieces, playing games, and just hanging out. This means Alta Calidad gets even more outdoor real estate, and it’s become our go-to place on warm weekend evenings. Even if we get a spontaneous craving to eat al fresco, we know we can always get a table without a reservation or a wait — even though they’re reliably busy — and the kids can run around and play without disturbing other diners.

Of course, it’s not just good design and the ease of getting a table that makes Alta Calidad a family favorite: The food has to be liked by all generations. A neighborhood friend recently complained that the menu here hadn’t really changed much since they opened. While I quickly corrected her — as they actually updated their menu in the last year and have added some new dishes and removed others (including one of my longtime favorites, the pumpkin blossom quesadilla) — it’s also another reason it’s good for children: Consistency is key with kids.

Chef Akhtar Nawab, who has a teenage daughter, is the chef and owner here, and his diverse background — he is the son of Indian immigrants and grew up in Louisville, Ky. — has led him to cook in restaurants like Gramercy Tavern and the now closed Craft. But it was his time at La Esquina that ignited his interest in Mexican food and allowed him to develop his unique approach to the cuisine.

My family’s preferred dishes are the kid-friendly menu items that don’t pull punches so grown-ups can also enjoy them, like the halloumi queso fundido, with its gooey chihuahua and firmer halloumi mixed with spicy-but-not-too-spicy chorizo and served with their addictive fresh corn tortillas. My kids and I literally fight over this dish, I truly don’t know who likes it more. And then there’s the large plate of chicken Milanesa. While breaded or fried chicken is traditionally a kid-friendly dish, here, it’s more mature with a side of jicama and cabbage slaw and a drizzling of chipotle hot honey. We also always order the crispy yuca fries and the excellent rice and beans.

But of course, like most Mexican restaurants, it all really comes down to the tacos. And the ones here are excellent. They come two per order and there are seven varieties. Both my kids love the chicken tinga, while my husband and I often get the pescado a la plancha with mango salsa, chipotle mayo, and pistachio mole, or the carne asada with salsa verde. But if we’re feeling extra hungry (or have a friend with us), our best order is the taco platter. At $90, it’s a bit steep, but it easily feeds a crowd with 12 tacos, and when you think about the per taco breakdown, it’s actually a solid deal.

On weekends, drinks are in order for the adults, and the mostly agave-spirit-based cocktails do not disappoint, especially for me, a mezcal lover. My go-to is the Coyote Wishes, with mezcal espadin, punt e mes, aperol, and ancho reyes, while my husband orders the seasonal Agua Fresca with mezcal, watermelon juice, and serrano in summer. The kids always get fresh limeades.

We also can’t leave without an order of the fresh churros with chocolate and sauces like honey or caramel. Last year, it was my older son’s birthday cake (candle and all), after he requested to go to Alta Calidad for his birthday. It was the first year we decided to celebrate his birthday dinner at a restaurant, and when I asked where he wanted to go, he didn’t hesitate.

Alta Calidad manages to be the place that we all truly love — every other restaurant my kids like, is a compromise for me. And any restaurant I’m dying to go to is usually not one that works well for them. At Alta Calidad, the combination of food, ambience, service, and consistency combine to produce the ideal family restaurant — that doesn’t forget the parents.

Alta Calidad is open daily for lunch and dinner, and closes at 9 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and at 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Devorah Lev-Tov is a food, beverage, wellness, and travel journalist with bylines in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Wine Enthusiast, Vogue, and more. She is the author of the recent book, 150 Spas You Need to Visit Before You Die. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons. Follow her dining adventures (usually at a reasonable hour) on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.