Zaranda, a new Mexican concept located at the threshold of Discovery Green park in the heart of downtown Houston by local studio Gin Design Group is bonded with the local urban pulse via floor-to-ceiling windows as it invokes the aura of the desert and the Pacific Ocean. “Baja California was our muse, specifically the dramatic contrast between earth and sea that defines the region. We pulled from coastal landscapes, migrating whales, sunbaked terrain, and the handcrafted materials that have shaped the area for generations,” says Gin Braverman, Gin Design Group’s founder and creative director. “All of that comes through in the layering of raw textures balanced against refined finishes, with every surface earning its place.”

Across 7,000 square feet and 230 seats, the rhythmic warmth and cohesion of white oak floors, walls, and ceilings permeates laidback elegance evocative of coastal California. Plaster applied by hand imbues light tactility, while rough-hewn stone grounds rooms and adds contrast. Handmade terracotta lighting further echoes artisan traditions of the Baja Peninsula, while turquoise hues and blue plaster with white aggregate recalls surf hitting stone. Located on the mezzanine, the 70-seat Balena Bar touts a subtle whale-tale motif integrated into the ceiling in homage to the gray whales that migrate along peninsula coastlines. “The space reads relaxed and elevated at the same time, and the atmosphere changes as the day moves,” Braverman adds. “Light and openness boost the daytime energy, and by evening the space closes in getting warmer and more intimate.”