Burciaga Hospitality Group leverages decades of fine dining expertise. Martin Quirarte, Mariajose Cervantex and Adrian Burciaga.
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The new Burciaga Hospitality Group hits the ground running, shaking up the restaurant landscape. Adrian Burciaga is, so far, sticking to what he knows best ― elevated and authentic Mexican cuisine. Burciaga has taken over the management of Tinies Mexican for starters. And a brand new concept called Almacén El Gallo will open downtown by early summer.
Adrian Burciaga has long been a fixture in Fort Worth’s culinary scene. He was one of the founders of the well-received Don Artemio on West Seventh. But, he parted ways with that team just prior to the opening of Dos Mares, leaving friends and fans to wonder where he would pop up next. Now we know.
At the end of December, Adrian Burciaga announced his plans for Burciaga Hospitality Group.
“Meet Mariajose Cervantes, Marketing & Brand Storytelling at Burciaga Hospitality Group,” he said.
“Based in Fort Worth, Mariajose brings years of experience managing marketing and social media for multiple hospitality brands. With a strong focus on storytelling, she helps connect the dots between concept, culture, design, and guest experience—shaping cohesive brands across digital platforms, websites, and internal manuals. Her work ensures every story is told with clarity, authenticity, and heart.”
But that was just the start. Burciaga and his team have followed up in very short order with two remarkable new ventures.
Owner Sarah Castillo has been busy lately, shepherding her La Pulga Tequila brand into new markets. She closed both of her Taco Heads locations recently as well. She remains the owner of her South Main eatery called Tinies Mexican. But, she tapped Adrian Burciaga to take over management of daily operations. Who else could she trust to remain true to her vision of an authentic Mexican social table experience?
The newly updated menu has now been crafted by Chef Ix-Chel Ornelas Hernández. Her passion for authentic Oaxacan cuisine matches Burciaga Hospitality Group’s lofty ideals of introducing Mexican products, dishes, and cultural heritage to Fort Worth.
They introduced the chef as a “nutritionist dedicated to the research, documentation, and preservation of Oaxaca’s traditional cuisine. Her work focuses on safeguarding ancestral techniques, ingredients, inventories, and recipes—ensuring that Mexico’s culinary heritage continues to be shared, understood, and celebrated.”
One new menu item, a roasted Berkshire pork chop, is rooted in the childhood memories of Tinie, who is Sarah’s Castillo mother, and the namesake of the restaurant. It’s marinated in pastor adobo, topped with green pico, served with roasted pineapple and warm corn tortillas.
The upstairs (red-hued) Escondite Bar, leading to the rooftop patio with its expansive downtown view, will have a new focus too. It will become “an agave-forward bar honoring the herbs, botanicals, and spirits of Mexico and Texas cocktails.” The wine selection has been updated as well, now including some stand-out Mexican wineries like the legendary Casa Madero.
Almacén El Gallo will open in the First on 7th building at 500 West 7th Street. That’s the former Neighbor’s House Grocery spot, alongside 61 Osteria and Buon Giorno Coffee.
“ Founded by Adrian Burciaga and Martin Quirarte, Almacén El Gallo is inspired by their childhood memories of Mexico’s neighborhood fondas and old cantinas — places where neighbors gathered daily not only to eat, but to connect, celebrate, and share life.”
They have assembled a Mexico-based team to bring their vision to life. Carlos Nuñez, and his Mexico-based firm are maximizing the interior space. It will draw on vintage artwork based on the traditional Mexican game, La Lotería. In Mexico, a fonda affords a cozy, homestyle dining experience. That’s the vibe.
And, Mexican chef Rodrigo Rivera Río, co-founder of Michelin one-star KOLI Cocina de Origen in Monterrey, Mexico. Rivera Río us crafting a menu that will showcase “the very best of Mexico through grilled meats, barbacoa, moles, adobos, stews, and broths,” for Almacén El Gallo.
The restaurant plans to serve lunch and dinner when it arrives by early summer. Burciaga Hospitality Group, it seems, has plenty on its plate.
