Berkeley, California-based architecture and interior design firm Studio KDA has added the modern Mexican cocina Alisios to its portfolio as part of Menlo Park’s Springline mixed-use development. Named for the trade winds that stewarded Mexican culture across oceans, Alisios pays homage to Mexican landscapes, crafts, and cultural pride through a blend of architecture, commissioned art, and artisanal craft reflective of Mexico’s rich trade history. “The challenge and the opportunity with Alisios was to honor a deep cultural identity in a way that felt genuine and contemporary,” says Studio KDA founding principal Marites Abueg. “Every material decision, every fixture, every surface had to earn its place in that story.”

Arched steel-framed windows illuminate rustic refinement in the form of dark-stained wood beams and terracotta tiles stretching across the restaurant. Interior walls are conceived as a gallery-style canvas with large-scale custom murals by Lux further enriching the spatial experience. One piece depicts a woman in traditional Jalisco dress, while another in the main dining room renders a panoramic vista of agave fields in golden desert light. Custom wrought iron wall sconces and chandeliers crafted by Studio KDA imbue warmth alongside clusters of hand-forged black cage lanterns hung at various heights to cast patterned light upon guests. Faceted aged glass pendant lights sourced in Mexico echo the angular geometry of traditional Mexican metalwork above the bar as well.