New York favorite opens 12 South location with taco boards, Mexican daiquiris and more
New York chef Roberto Santibañez opened his authentic, elevated Mexican restaurant Fonda in Park Slope over a decade ago. As he saw more and more success, the decision to expand into other vibrant neighborhoods with young families was an easy one.
Locations popped up in Chelsea and Tribeca, and now, the newest Fonda is opening in Nashville's 12 South.
"We are pretty fit for this neighborhood," Santibañez said. "People in Nashville are good eaters. They like good food, and they recognize it."
Building community and comradery is a major priority for Fonda, as shown in the number of family-style dishes and shared plates on the menu. These include a whole roasted chicken served with mole verde, customizable taco boards with up to two pounds of meat and a full rack of achiote-marinated Yucatan-style ribs.
Santibañez noted that the pricing will be accessible, especially considering the quality. For example, the rack of ribs will cost about $120, but can feed four adults.
Where the idea started
The primary draw to Nashville for Santibañez was his close friend and fellow restauranteur Howard Greenstone, who runs Red Pebbles Hospitality and owns spots like Adele's and Sadie's.
"We've been friends for so many years. He just invited me to his house a couple of years back, and we started talking, and here we are," Santibañez said. "It's been a really quick journey."
Located at 2316 S. 12th Ave., Fonda will occupy the space that previously housed Josephine, which served as one of 12 South's culinary anchors for a decade before closing in 2023.
One day last year, after Greenstone had taken over the location, he brought it up in conversation with Santibañez.
"I just said, 'Hey, that would be perfect for a restaurant like Fonda," Santibañez said. "It's not a fancy restaurant. It's not a destination place. It's a neighborhood place."
From there, he said, everything just fell in line.
From May 9 onward, the duo is excited to welcome the community into Fonda.
“The concept for Fonda 12 South is deeply personal to me, just as my relationship with Roberto is. We’ve known each other for many years now and have grown through so much together,” Greenstone said in a statement. “I’m so excited to introduce Roberto into this special community and honor an iconic space together.”
Menu standouts
The Fonda 12 South menu won't be copied and pasted from the New York locations' lineups.
Nashville special items include a crispy tuna tostada, an octopus-topped salad and a burrata cheese that comes in a Oaxacan black bean sauce. Mexican staples like queso fundido, baked enchiladas, quesadillas and chicken ranchero also made the list.
A seasonal drink menu will rotate in and out of the restaurant. Some of the cocktails on the opening list are a pineapple martini, a Mexican daiquiri with Paranubes Oaxaca Rum and The Naked Bandido, which combines Banhez Mezcal, Aperol, caramelized pineapple, guajillo, chili de arbol and lime.
Of course, patrons can order a margarita any time.
How to get a reservation
Reservations for Fonda 12 South can be made via OpenTable, and delivery will be available through DoorDash. The restaurant and bar seat 100 people, and the private dining room seats up to 30.
There is on-site parking behind the building.
Hours of operation are 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 3 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 3 p.m.-9 p.m. on Sunday.
Hadley Hitson covers trending business, dining and healthcare for The Tennessean. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to The Tennessean.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Fonda Mexican restaurant opening in 12 South: 'Good eaters' welcome
