Now Open: Pajarito

Modern Mexican cooking comes to West Seventh Street in St. Paul


Tyge Nelson and Stephan Hesse

photo by tj turner


There’s a particular scent of guajillo peppers and fresh masa wafting out of the historic Czech-Slovak hall on West Seventh Street, just outside downtown St. Paul. Not exactly the aroma one would expect to find emanating from a building that houses an Eastern European cultural center. The modern Mexican cooking comes from Pajarito, helmed by respected local chefs Tyge Nelson and Stephan Hesse, who decided to go into business for themselves with this new causal eatery that replaced Glockenspiel. The menu includes the expected chips and salsa, tacos, tortas, and margaritas, but the chefs’ fine-dining pedigree means there’s an unexpected level of refinement from the mixing of the masa to the braising of the meats. • 605 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, 651-340-9545, pajaritostp.com