Mercado Is Heating Up Santa Monica

A brand new Mexican restaurant opened a few months ago on 4th St. and the Santa Monica dining scene is heating up.  Named Mercado in homage to the fresh ingredients regularly ordered from the Farmer’s Market, the food and drinks are fresh takes on authentic Mexican cuisine. Owner Jesse Gomez grew up in the restaurant business. Almost 50 years ago his grandparents opened El Arco Iris Mexican restaurant in Highland Park in 1964. Jesse began working in the family restaurant and was responsible for modernizing El Arco Iris  and reintroducing the restaurant to the neighborhood. In 2009 he opened his own restaurant Yxta Cocina Mexicana in downtown LA.  Now Mercado is his third venture with partner Chef Jose Acevedo.