Hidden inside a dark black building in San Francisco’s Mission district, Californios is a family owned and operated modern Mexican restaurant. The cuisine is a contemporary expression of Mexican cuisine, using the bountiful ingredients of the Bay Area. In a pristine open kitchen, chef Val M. Cantu and his team execute a deft and choreographed nightly tasting menu. The wine and service team, lead by Charlotte Randolph, pair and complement the cuisine at every turn. With warm leather banquettes, moody lighting and intensely colored art, Californios is an experience that envelopes the senses.