Details on Copita, The Sausalito Mexican Restaurant from Joanne Weir and Larry Mindel

Il Fornaio and Poggio owner Larry Mindel has joined forces with locally based cookbook autor, TV personality and tequila lover Joanne Weir to open a restaurant in Sausalito—a Mexican restaurant to be exact. Weir says she made one of her margaritas for Mindel a few months ago, and the rest is history. Named Copita ("little cup" in Spanish) their restaurant will reside at the shuttered Piccolo Teatro address on Bridgeway, wedged right up against the Hamburgers place. As you can see above, the logo is dialed in, and a few more details have come together since the news broke in September.

Designer Anthony Fish will make use of many of the existing decor elements to create a "hip Mexico City" feel, complete with commissioned original art work. Weir, who's official title is "Maestra de Cocina," is currently interviewing chefs to help her create a Mexican menu with a Mediterranean sensibility. There will be a wood-fired grill, cooking up spit-roasted chickens, homemade tortillas, tamalitos, and many other fresh, locally sourced menu items. At 50 seats inside and 15 on the sidewalk, the space is an intimate one. Weir plans to max it out by going "beyond just a restaurant" to offer tequila tastings, cocktail-making classes, and Mexican cooking classes during the day. Weir, who lives in Pacific Heights, was also recently appointed Editor at Large of Fine Cooking magazine and is currently working out the logistics of her own locally sourced wine label, Joanne Weir Wines. With all this excitement on her plate, she and Mindel are currently shooting to open Copita on March 1 of next year.

· All Joanne Weir Coverage [~ ESF ~]
· Joanne Weir and Larry Mindel team up to bring Copita to Sausalito [ISSF]