Mijo Cantina Offers A Mix of New Mexican and Traditional Mexican Flavors
Named after a Spanish term of endearment, the Federal Galley concept has expanded from the North Side to the North Hills.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Chef Samuel Dedig’s dad, a native Pittsburgher, recently drove a truckload of green and red chiles from their family home in Albuquerque, N.M. to the Steel City — a journey of more than 1,600 miles.
That’s just what you do for your mijo, a Spanish term of endearment meaning “my darling son.”
You can taste the freshness, authenticity and love in every bite at Mijo Cantina, a restaurant and bar on Camp Horne Road in Ohio Township.
Dedig left New Mexico for his ancestral homeland of Pittsburgh more than a decade ago. In 2023, he and his best friend Adrian Cooley launched the Mijo concept at Federal Galley after years of working alongside different chefs at the North Side food hall. While they continue to churn out a mix of New Mexican and traditional Mexican cuisine there, the pals wanted a place to call their own.
Their dream debuted on June 5. Hours are noon to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to midnight Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Located in the former Rupe’s Roadhouse, the eatery serves tacos, quesadillas, burritos, wings and burgers. In the next month, they’ll expand the menu to include entrees such as blackened salmon and steak fajitas along with wraps, loaded fries, dessert and kid-friendly items.
The interior hasn’t changed much since the Rupe’s days, but the kitchen got a major upgrade and the bar is now managed by veteran mixologist Aaron Bartifa.
I live in nearby West View and plan to stop by on Tuesdays for a dollar off Margaritas and street tacos … and on Fridays for the birria grilled cheese special … and Sundays for Bloody Marys. Oh, hell, I’m just going to move in.
The birria tacos — three corn tortillas loaded with braised beef and cheese and topped with onion and cilantro with a side of consomme — were some of the best I’ve ever devoured.
Cooley, who grew up with Mexican roots in the Mount Oliver/Carrick area, started simmering the beef early in the morning. By late afternoon, it had slow-cooked into a pot of perfection that you could smell from the parking lot.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIJO CANTINA
I met Cooley in 2022, when he was overseeing the kitchens at Monterey Pub in the Mexican War Streets and the former No Name Names Pub in Lawrenceville, where he served me a meatloaf sandwich so delicious it nearly made me weep.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIJO CANTINA
The concept is contracted at Federal Galley through September 2026. The chefs behind Beef Graffiti and Given To Fly have exited the food hall to open their own brick-and-mortar eateries in O’Hara and Mt. Washington, respectively, while Triple S Cafe and Burghdawg continue to feed North Side crowds.
I love a good meal and a good backstory — Mijo has both.
