MOTHER’S CANTINA
2810 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, Md.
Hours: Noon-2 a.m. daily
Menu: https://motherscantina.com/menu/
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, omnivores
A key indicator of how much we love a restaurant is how often we visit it while we’re on vacation. We found ourselves over at Mother’s Cantina not once but twice for dinner during this summer’s visit to Ocean City – a ringing endorsement, indeed!
Now, let’s get one thing clear right away: When faced with the choice, Mexican food is probably going to win with LeeLee and me every single time, or at least put up a good fight along the way. So it’s no surprise we’d gravitate toward Mother’s, which has some of the very best Mexican food in Ocean City. If the story ended there, that would be enough.
But it doesn’t. Instead, it stretches out to what becomes a vegetarian and vegan paradise, offering lard-free beans, plenty of veggie-based dishes and – wait for it – vegan cheese to go atop any dish!
There are a plethora of dishes to choose from, too. But before you sit down, fork and knife in hand … you must wait. We’re not the only ones in town who know the glory that is Mother’s, y’all. On the weekends, it feels like every beachgoer in Ocean City turns up for dinner. And don’t try to beat the crowd by going the early-bird-special route – there are plenty of other early birds flocking around, too. Bring your patience, order a margarita from the bar, and wait. It won’t be so bad.
And you’ll be rewarded for your patience. Sit, order some chips and salsa (or guac – get the guac!), and get down to the business of making your selection. With tacos, enchiladas, burritos, nachos, chiles rellenos and more, all for the taking, it’s bound to be a tough call. Good news: You can’t make a bad choice.
The veggie fillings for all of the above are plentiful, as well. On Night 1, I ordered the spinach enchiladas and veganized them (warning: There’s a $3 surcharge for vegan cheese, but all will be forgiven when you take a bite). The enchiladas were pleasingly plump, the rice light and airy, the beans hearty and rich with flavor. Oh, my heart. I mowed everything down with aplomb, I must say.
On Night 2 – which was actually a couple of nights later – we ventured back in and ordered up some tacos. Do yourself a favor and order Portobello mushroom strips as your taco filling, close your eyes, and envision how good the world can be when the fixins don’t center on meat! The juicy mushrooms were packed with Mexican flavors and nestled perfectly within the tacos (I went with a mix of crispy and soft shells, just to keep things lively).
When venturing out to Ocean City, it’s best to remember to check in on your Mother every so often. As long as the cantina keeps slinging up great food, we’ll keep coming back.
:)