La Peña Mexicana

609 W Cypress St
Kennett Square, PA 19348
(610) 925-2651
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Kennett Square is widely known (at least in this region) as the mushroom capital of the world. What is also well known (if you have spent any time there) is that some/most of the the labor that leads to that throne is done by migrant workers. Which leads to amazing food opportunities for visitors to the area. Mexican food is well represented in Kennett Square, but La Peña may just be my favorite.

The striped building is hard to miss, and located across from the Victory brewery down there.

Chips and guacamole to start is always a good bet, and they did not disappoint. The pico was fresh, tart, and crisp. The guac was creamy and went nicely with the fresh fried chips. The smokey chipotle sauce brought the fire, and was a great contrast to the other more tame varietals.

The carnitas burrito was calling my name, so I decided that would be my next order. It was brought out quite quickly, and came packed with tender, crispy pork that was braised until rendered out and then fried to add some crunch and texture, the way carnitas is supposed to be served.

The seasoning and tenderness on this pork was perfection. It came simply filled with rice, beans, pork, cilantro and onions. They gave a couple of sauce options as well. I opted for spicy. It did not disappoint.

Look at the perfect shreds of meat. No chewy fatty gristle to be found.

I also felt the need for a deep fried burrito – so chimichanga it was. This version I ordered with chicken and green sauce. Again it had rice, beans, cilantro, onion, but also had a cotija cheese topper and a sour cream drizzle. Jalapeno slices lined the top like stripes on a delicious flag.

It was a great presentation. And somehow I even managed to finish it.

Love me some beans and rice sides for the old mouth shovel.

The tender chicken was again very well stewed and packed with flavor. Peppy tomatillo sauce gave it some tang, and the cheese and crema added extra luxuriousness to this deep fried indulgence.

When you come here, expect an authentic experience – none of that bullshit Tex-Mex – and some fantastic Mexican food. And you will be back. 

Victory Brewing Co.

650 W Cypress Street
Kennett Square, PA 19348
(484) 730-1870
Website

Already well known for their beer, Victory has a Downingtown location with quite passable food for a brewery. They opened another eatery/brewery down in beautiful Kennett Square, and it makes the flagship location pale in comparison (at least food wise). They built this giant brick building to house the brewery (located on the first floor).

As you can see, they are not hurting for tap options either.

The kitchen at this location has a lot more freedom to experiment, and my word!, can they come up with some dishes. Take for instance the fried cauliflower small plate, on a bed of tahini, za'atar, and olive oil.

The cauliflower is crispy, perfectly cooked inside, and the dusting of spices worked in perfect harmony with the nutty, creamy, sesame laden dip. This is a fantastic starter. And healthy, which I usually would treat with some level of caution.

The Kennett burger, medium rare of course, came with thick sliced, perfectly crispy bacon and a nice melted blue cheese topping. To finish it off, they included world famous Kennett Square mushrooms.

Look at the temp on this burger. Quality, well-seasoned ground beef met with perfect timing.

The second (and favorite of the day) was the Hand Crafted Burger. Cooper sharp, shredded lettuce, red onion, fry sauce, and thick sliced pickles on a sesame seed bun. It was like what a Big Mac could be, if it was made out of actual food and not whatever shit they serve these days. In a word, it was perfect.

Again, they cooked the meat spot-on, and the loosely packed meat was heavenly. I LOVE this burger.

The fries are another winner. Very well salted, expertly fried (and every time I have been back since has been the same), and served with a dynamite malt vinegar aioli. If you dare, ask for an order of the Hop Devil beer cheese to go alongside. You won't be sorry.

I have now eaten here four times, and each time I am blown away at the output. This review is a whole-hearted endorsement of the food at this brewery. It sets the bar very high for brewery grub, and I now consider it the gold standard.