Mezcal premieres in Carolina Park

Moultrie News 3/12/25

Serving as the latest upscale hot spot for authentic Mexican cuisine, Mezcal celebrated its grand opening on March 11 alongside Mount Pleasant elected officials and local Chamber of Commerce members.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, former cook and current owner of Mezcal, Juan Torres, spoke of his love for his mother's recipes in his native Mexico that are among the many featured offerings on the menu.

In particular, Torres is highlighting dishes from Oaxaca, which include: tlaydas (pizza-like tortilla), chapulines (protein-rich specialty made with grasshoppers), tetelas (triangle-shaped tortillas) and mole verde (traditional green sauce), among others.

Seafood enthusiasts are welcome to indulge in mezcal salmon topped with mango-habanero sauce or camarones a la diabla (i.e. shrimp prepared with diablo chipotle sauce, along with rice, lettuce and pico de gallo).

"I've been in the business for 35 years; I don't know how to do anything else but Mexican restaurants," said Torres, who also owns and operates other Mexican eateries, including Mi Fiesta in Summerville.

In addition to being a connoisseur of his hometown eats, the married father of two daughters also takes pride in serving as a mixologist. His full-sized bar, in fact, includes a range of Torres concoctions, special cocktails and maritas.

The assortment of menu items, he added, has something for everyone, including vegans and individuals with varying forms of gluten intolerance.

Torres recounted falling in love with Mount Pleasant by working in the area about 25 years ago and always longed to return to the community.

"So, I want to introduce myself to a lot of people and also let them try the good stuff," he commented.

Located at 375 Faison Road, Mezcal is open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.