Walking into Mi Lupita Ballwin’s new location there is an immediate sense of familiarity. The booths brought from two blocks over feel as if they were made for the space at 100 Holloway Road and margaritas (now on tap!) flow as freely as the laughter from the regulars at the bar.
Mi Lupita has been a Ballwin staple for more than 30 years. Owned by the Sanchez family, the family-friendly restaurant closed the doors of their original location at the end of December and spent January renovating the old Candicci’s in the heart of Ballwin. The bright, larger location has increased capacity from 114 to 154 with square footage up to 5,200 square feet from 2,400 and also features a patio that will likely be full every day this spring.
Known for their Zacatecas-influenced dishes including favorites like Lety’s Tacos, Bistec Ranchero and tamales, which are made fresh every Thursday, there is something for everyone on their expansive menu. “The beauty of the menu is that we really can’t take anything off, we just keep adding to it,” said third-generation co-owner David Sanchez. “Everything sells and everyone has their favorite.”
With this in mind, the new menu includes all of the old favorites while adding chicken tamales, the Fajita Deluxe with steak, chicken and chorizo and two new salads: the Lupita and the Fiesta, certain to be instant classics. On the bar side, there are seven new signature cocktails, a frozen margarita machine, and flights of margaritas made exclusively with Dobel tequila.
As the lunchtime crowd streamed in, one local patron who had been craving Mi Lupita during the hiatus said, “I love it here; they serve high-end Mexican that is done right. In St. Louis, it’s the best plate for the value.” Serving up great recipes at a budget-friendly price point, Mi Lupita Ballwin has become a destination restaurant. After being featured on “America’s Best Restaurants” in the fall of 2024, Sanchez noticed the uptick of larger tables coming in. “We were getting tables of 10 to 14 people, which was amazing. But at the old location we had limited space for large groups. Here we have the room to seat them.”
When news of the re-opening date dropped on social media, Mi Lupita quickly hit over 23,700 views across their channels and opening week saw a packed house from opening to closing every day. Sanchez shared how the community has been so supportive during this transition – from celebrating the nostalgia-filled old location and being patient with the renovation process to coming out to the new space.
Mi Lupita Ballwin is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. And while they do not take reservations, feel free to hop up to the bar and wait for your table. The regulars will make you feel right at home.
Check out the slideshow below for a first look at the new space.
