The Niche Hospitality Group is no stranger to moving its restaurants and will do so again with a move around the corner for Mezcal, which rebrands with a new name and some changes (such as dinner and lunch seven days a week)
WORCESTER—The decision to relocate Mezcal Cantina to 11 East Central St. to the former 99 Restaurant & Pub just made sense, according to Michael Covino, president of Niche Hospitality Group.
The lease is up at the Major Taylor Boulevard parking garage space the restaurant has called home since 2014. Previously, the business opened in 2007 on Shrewsbury Street so “we’re no stranger to moving,” Covino said. “We’re hoping the third time is the charm.”
The new location will be more convenient for patrons, thanks to its large parking lot, greater visibility, and easy access to the highway. In addition, the building, which has been vacant since 2020, has a loading dock and more functional office and commissary space, Covino added.
“Every time you have a chance to re-set, the physical plant dictates a lot of it,” he noted, “like how much you can pull off in terms of layout and affordability.”
The new 9,000-square-foot space is smaller than the current space, which is 11,450. And, there will be 220 seats, down from seating for 260. But Covino said the tradeoff is worth it for the new site’s other advantages.
Covino said it is an exciting time to refresh the restaurant’s brand – calling it Mezcal Tequila Kitchen, updating the ambiance, the colors, menu, and importantly, offering lunch and dinner seven days per week.
To accommodate the addition of five more days serving lunch, Covino expects to hire a minimum of 12 new employees. The current 40-50 employees at the Worcester location will all be making the move, which is only a few blocks away.
“We’re keeping the elements that have made Mezcal the perfect spot for date night…and family night…for 17 years.” Covino said.
A full gluten-free menu, a larger tequila list, and outdoor dining on a new private patio are other features diners can expect.
Covino hopes moving to a new location may attract customers who were hesitant to compete with DCU event traffic, get and validate parking tickets, etc. to experience the Mexican restaurant’s offerings.
He urged people who have not been to Mezcal for a while to come back and check out the new place. And Covino is looking forward to welcoming, long-time, loyal guests as well.
Covino referred to his tenure operating in Worcester and said he is happy to stay in the city to “continue this run.”
“I’m excited about having Mezcal be its own destination,” he said.
Revelers recently enjoyed their last Cinco de Mayo celebrations on Major Taylor Boulevard and Covino estimates they will close on Memorial Day weekend and re-open sometime during the following week.
“We’re in the final stages of moving, de-activating, and re-activating everything,” he added. “By the end of May, we’ll be ready to go.”
Susan Gonsalves is currently editor-in-chief of a mental health trade journal and a freelance writer/editor specializing in education, medical/health and business. She previously worked at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and has contributed to publications at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and College of the Holy Cross. At the Worcester Telegram, she covered the town of Leicester and wrote for Business Matters. She can be reached at smgedit@comcast.net
