Cocina on Market
Leesburg / Mexican / $$
You’re in luck. Watermelon is plentiful at 10-acre Fairbrook Farm. Chef Jason Lage’s farm supplies Cocina on Market, as well as his other restaurants, Market Table Bistro and Market Burger Fries & Shakes. But tonight, the meal is Mexican. You’ll enjoy a lime-brightened watermelon margarita and ahi tuna ceviche that’s dressed up with pickled watermelon. Another night, blackberry tres leches cake comes courtesy of a harvest at nearby Nuts About Berries Farm.
There are few places where it’s as smart to eat entirely off the specials list as it is at Cocina on Market, but you’ll be just as happy feasting on menu staples such as queso fundido flavored with mushrooms and mole or carnitas tacos made from local pork and topped with salsa verde, pink pickled onions and a single chicharrón.
Your almost suspiciously well-informed server will guide you to the dishes you’ll love, and that includes dessert. The crisp churros are a delight, presented on a plate delicately drizzled with warm, spiced chocolate sauce that will have you wishing for more of everything. Luckily, it’s always churro season.
See This: Orange tones, colorful art and a lamp above the bar that resembles an agave plant set the scene indoors, or get a view of Leesburg from the rooftop patio.
Eat This: Ceviche, carnitas tacos, churros
When to Visit: You’re craving Mexican that’s a cut above.
This post originally appeared in our November 2020 issue’s Best Restaurants cover story. For more food reviews, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
