Historias de Cantinas

Presenting Historias de Cantinas: a project sharing the photos and stories of Mexican cantinas 

One of my favorite pastimes is visiting traditional, Mexican cantinas. A cantina is a bar that serves (sometimes free) food with drinks, and is usually located in working-class neighborhoods. I’m obsessed with learning about their crazy backstories, people-watching, and enjoying the botanas (free appetizers served with each round of drinks). 

I’ve decided to share this hobby with everyone via my new Instagram account: Historias de Cantinas (Cantina History/Stories). 

Why Cantinas? 

It all started in September 2015, when I first arrived in Guadalajara. I came out here to teach English with the Fulbright program and knew nothing about the city. But I was in luck! I was connected with a wonderful boss and mentor, Francisco “Frank” Quiroz, who is also an expert on the city and its cantinas. 

One Friday after work, Frank invited me to Cantina La Fuente, one of the most celebrated cantinas in town. As soon as we walked in, I was mesmerized. La Fuente was full of life. Businessfolk were chit-chatting over beers. Waiters were running around serving tequila. A local music student was playing song after song on a piano in the center of the bar. This was one of my first memories of life in Mexico, and it will be forever imprinted in my mind. 

Since then, cantinas have become an integral part of my life in Mexico. Cantinas are one of the most fruitful classrooms for lessons on Mexican culture. I’ve tried new foods (pickled pig-skin or bull penis, anyone?), learned classic Mexican ballads, and have witnessed the struggle between the old and new. Cantinas are the lens through which I’ve learned about Mexico. No book or museum could provide the same cultural lessons that I found in cantinas. 

Documenting Cantina Culture 

Today, I still live and work in Guadalajara, where my cantina-visiting tradition continues. These visits have inspired me to tell the story of cantinas through @historiasdecantinas. On this Instagram account, I’ll be sharing the stories and photos of traditional, Mexican cantinas. My goal is to archive the history, people, music, food, and borrachera behind cantinas.

Mexican poet Salvador Novo fondly calls cantinas the “temples of two doors,” and it’s easy to see why. Cantinas are a living tradition in Mexico. They transport you to a different time and place. And every day, there are fewer and fewer cantinas around. I want to document these ever scarce establishments before it’s too late. 

So join me over at @historiasdecantinas for a virtual cantina adventure. ¡Salud!