Mississippi restaurateur Alex Eaton has announced plans for his latest creation, which will bring another Mexican cuisine option to the capital city.
The announcement was made Thursday that La Presa Taqueria will be coming to Jackson’s largest shopping center, Highland Village, this fall. It will sit across the courtyard from Aplós Simple Mediterranean, another Eaton creation that has since expanded into nearby Ridgeland and has a location soon coming to Oxford.
Described as a “fresh and elevated take on Mexican cuisine…rooted in authenticity, culture, and creativity,” La Presa Taqueria is a collaboration between Eaton and Christian Rodriguez.
Eaton recently traveled with his family to Mexico City and the Oaxaca region to immerse in the culinary aspect of the country. He then worked with Rodriguez to visit taquerias in Dallas and Nashville to get more ideas, refine their approach, and solidify initial menu offerings as the dream of La Presa Taqueria became a reality.
“We like to elevate concepts people already love,” Eaton said. “La Presa is our vision for what great Mexican food can be in Jackson – flavorful, accessible, and delivered with structure and pride.”
Eaton said that while he played a role in coming up with the idea, La Presa Taqueria will be the first restaurant that is “truly” Rodriguez’s. Rodriguez has worked for Eaton as an operator since Aplós first opened in 2018.
“Christian has been beside me since day one, helping make my restaurants thrive,” Eaton said. “We’ve built something strong together, and now, it’s time to create a place that’s truly his. La Presa is that place.”
La Presa Taqueria will share the shopping center’s lower-level courtyard with Aplós while also having a secluded patio of its own. The secluded portion will be designed for happy-hour meetups and game-day hangouts.
While the restaurant will have two bars, Eaton made it clear that the adult lifestyle aspect of La Presa Taqueria would not compromise family friendliness. He even noted that the children’s menu was developed with input from his own children.
Main menu items will include tacos crafted with premium meats, salsas, and layered toppings, regional Tex-Mex entrees with a comfort food twist, and shareable Mexican appetizers. Drink-wise, there will be plenty of “tequila-forward” cocktails, a signature frozen espresso martini, wine, beer, and to-go options for margaritas.
Arielle Weston, director of asset strategy and experience at Highland Village owner WS Development, believes La Presa Taqueria will only enhance the shopping and dining center’s options that include Bravo, Tuk Tuk Boom, Whole Foods Market, Lululemon, Warby Parker, Kendra Scott, Buffalo Peak, and Maison Weiss, among other retailers.
“We could not be more excited to welcome La Presa to Highland Village,” Weston said. “Aplós has become a beloved community staple within our charming courtyard, and we are confident La Presa will elevate our robust dining experiences even further.”
