Latin Fusion Restaurant Tequila Escape Opens In Stamford

STAMFORD, CT — Tequila Escape, a Latin fusion restaurant with roots in Ridgefield, has officially opened a new location in the Harbor Point section of Stamford.

Located at 845 Canal St., Tequila Escape is in the former space of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, which closed in 2020.

Co-owner Angel Pena said he and his partners Stylianos Kakavelis and Paul Nicovic had been looking to expand into Stamford for some time.

"We love Ridgefield and we know the people there; it's a smaller town. But it's time for us to explore and expand a little bit. I feel like Stamford has a cool demographic of people. We're excited," Pena said.

Pena said the ambience at Tequila Escape is unique.

"We try to make the restaurant an experience, from the way your cocktail looks, to the way you feel when you open the doors. We like a little darker, date night and mysterious feeling to our restaurants, which I think is what sets us apart," Pena said. "Music is always very important to us. You're always going to find cool, fun music playing."

Although the name of the restaurant lends itself to a Mexican vibe, the expansive menu at Tequila Escape is a mix between Peruvian, Argentinian, Brazilian and Mexican cuisines.

"All of our food is organic, from grass-fed meats to cage-free chicken and wild caught seafood," Pena explained. "From the vegetables we use to the lime juice that we squeeze, everything is fresh."

For now, the menu will resemble some of the Ridgefield offerings, but Pena said they will make some tweaks.

Dinner menu items include small plates, ranging from guacamole and organic buffalo chicken flautas, to an Ahi tuna tostada, quesadillas, nachos, a mix of tacos and seafood options.

There are salads and entrees, like wild caught salmon, an organic half chicken, steak frites and paella.

The cocktail menu is equally as impressive as the food menu, and it's something Pena, a former bartender, takes pride in. Tequila Escape has won several cocktail competitions over the years, including some in Stamford.

"We have a cocktail program that's very meticulous," Pena said.

Patrons can imbibe on a variety of specialty margaritas, Latin classics like mojitos or sangria, or speakeasy-type cocktails such as an old fashioned, Manhattan or negroni. Wine and beer are also available.

Pena said that right now, the Stamford kitchen will be open from 3:30 p.m. to about 10:30 p.m., and the bar will be open until 12 a.m., and later on weekends.

Tequila Escape plans on having DJs and other nightlife events on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Ridgefield location is at 439 Main St.

For more information, visit the Tequila Escape website, or follow them on Instagram.