We celebrated our fifth Bowl of ‘Zole in Boston, and the cold didn’t stand a chance.
On Saturday, February 7, close to twenty of New England’s top chefs and kitchens set up side by side at the South Boston Lithuanian Citizens’ Association, each cooking their own take on pozole, with more than 300 tequilas, mezcals and agave spirits pouring alongside them. It was snowing outside. Inside, it was warm, loud and very well fed.
Doors opened at noon for VIP guests, who also got first crack at a blind tasting with Tequila Ocho and Mezcal Vago, and at 1 p.m. for everyone else. From there it was four hours of wandering table to table with a cup in each hand.
View this post on Instagram
A room full of pozole
Your all-inclusive ticket gets you the whole room: as many cups of pozole as you like, in any order you like, and a pour of something good in between. Chef Kristen Harlach of Pearl & Lime calls pozole “a hug in a bowl,” and that was the mood all afternoon. Lone Star Taco Bar’s José Paz cooked with Max Toste, who also teamed up with Rian Wylie of Lenora, and kitchens came in from as far as Providence and the Berkshires to be part of it.
One of our favorite write-ups came from @bostonbeergirl, who named Casita in the Berkshires her standout pozole, picked Cazcanes Extra Añejo, Condesa Gin and Paranubes Coffee Liqueur as her standout pours, and singled out the El Quinto Maiz cocktail by Sam Ruth of Darling Cambridge.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Huge thanks to some of our amazing Chefs
These are the kitchens and breweries that made the day. Go visit them, order something wonderful, and tell them you loved their bowl.
- 3 Amigos, Malden (@3amigosmalden)
- Barra, Paola Ibarra (@barra.unionsquare)
- Casita, the Berkshires (@casitaberkshires)
- Condesa Restaurante & Tequila Bar, Roberto Leon (@condesa_restaurante_mexicano)
- Dolores, Providence, Maria Meza (@dolorespvd)
- El Barrio Tortillas y Salsas (@elbarriotortillasysalsas)
- Lenora, Rian Wylie with Max Toste (@lenoramaine)
- Lolita, Cory Seeker and Tom Berry (@lolitateqbars)
- Lone Star Taco Bar, José Paz with Max Toste (@lonestar_camb, @lonestarallston)
- Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar, Mike Sanchez and Juan Flores (@locotacoshops)
- Machaca Tacos & Tequila, Luis Pardo (@tequilamachaca)
- Pearl & Lime, Kristen Harlach (@pearlandlime)
- Sabina Mezcaleria (@sabinamezcaleria)
- Taqueria El Barrio, Alex Saenz (@taqueriaelbarrioboston)
- Yellow Door Taqueria (@yellowdoortaco)
- Trillium Brewing (@trilliumbrewing) and Portico Brewing (@porticobrewing)
And to the people behind it
Bowl of ‘Zole is presented by Jimmy Carbone of Food Karma Projects (@jimmypotsandpans), chef Danny Mena (@dannyhecho) and Arik Torren of Lot001 Brands (@ariktorren). Thank you to our hosts at the South Boston Lithuanian Citizens’ Association (@lithuaniankitchen), to every spirits producer and rep who poured, and to photographer @dbsomethingphotography.
And thank you to everyone who posted their day. The photos on this page are theirs. Tag @bowlofzole and #bowlofzole and we will keep finding you.
Come with us in 2027
If this looks like your kind of day, come find us next year. Pull up a cup, bring a friend, and come hungry and thirsty:
- Boston: February 6, 2027
- Denver: March 25, 2027
- Brooklyn: date coming soon
Tickets and details go up at bowlofzole.com. Follow @bowlofzole so you hear first.