El Centro Tres Set to Open in Belmont

On July 1, chef Allan Rodriguez is opening his largest restaurant to date.

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El Centro’s third location, aptly named El Centro Tres, will open in Belmont on Tuesday, July 1. For its first week, executive chef and owner Allan Rodriguez will focus on dinner service, with lunch available the following week. Rodriguez, a native of Hermosillo, Mexico, says he’s delighted to bring what he refers to as “real” Mexican cuisine to Belmont. El Centro Tres is only the second Belmont venue to have obtained a full liquor license, so margaritas, mojitos, and sangria will be available, like its South End and Brookline locations.

Larger than its previous venues, El Centro Tres will seat 60 to 70 guests in addition to a 12 seat bar. In an effort to create a true Mexican restaurant experience, Rodriguez assisted in the building and design of the space. Most of the decor— from the bathroom sink to the wooden tables, and even the tin on the roof—hails from Rodriguez’s hometown and other shopping excursions south of the border.

Rodriguez brings that same attention to detail to the kitchen where 90 percent of the ingredients are imported from Mexico. Much of the menu remains the same at El Centro’s newest location, with customer favorites such as carne asada, pollo al chipotle (Chipotle chicken), churros with dulce de leche, and sopes with beans, chorizo, and barbacoa. Many of the recipes behind Allan’s featured dishes have been passed down through his family (including his homemade tortillas which were his father’s recipe) or by word of mouth, when visiting villages in Mexico.

66 Leonard St., Belmont; elcentroboston.com.