Kensington’s Cantina la Martina wants to show atole can be more than chocolate

As Philly prepares for a cold winter, many are reaching for hot chocolate. But, there is another player in town, a thick hot milk or water-based drink, infused with spices, fruits, and chocolate, called atole.

Atole is not new for Philly’s Mexican American community. For centuries, this drink has served as a filling breakfast or as a sweet holiday companion when the temperature drops. Dionicio Jiménez, co-owner and chef at Cantina la Martina, remembers the house filling with a spice scent when his mom made the matutinal atole.

“Atole tastes like memories, nostalgia, and respect for all the people who have taught us and shared their recipes with us,” Jiménez said.

Now, he’s expanding Cantina’s regular offering of chocolate atole into an atole experience with seven new flavors that debuted last month, inspired by an atoleria he came across during a recent trip to Oaxaca City, Mexico.

“It’s like a café but for atoles,” he explained.

Enticed by the smell of pistachio, walnut, and roses, and amazed by the variety, he set himself to bring new flavors to Philly’s atole scene. While chocolate is the most common flavor at many local Mexican restaurants, Jiménez is bringing new flavors to his Kensington location: Arroz con leche (rice pudding), cacao flower, champurrado (thick chocolate with corn flour), guava, masa (corn flour), oat milk, and pumpkin.

Regular customer Mary Beth Appel, 64, was surprised to learn atole could be made from more than chocolate.

As she and her friends readied for an atole tasting — a tray with small cups of each flavor — Appel tried cacao flower atole for the first time. “It tastes totally different. It’s like a thick, not too sweet, fruit nectar,” she said.

Her friend Johanna Berrigan — a 68-year-old first-time atole taster — took a sip of a pulpy bright orange concoction.

“I love this … the flavor is wonderful,” Berrigan said. She was shocked to know it was a pumpkin atole. “I don’t even like pumpkin!”

Growing up Mexican, atole was part of customer Lucero Pizano’s home culture, but she disliked the drink due to the texture.

“I used to be like ‘Can I just have hot chocolate, abuelita?’” said Pizano, 30. After trying Jiménez’s chocolate atole for the first time she changed her mind.

“It tastes like the atole I grew up eating but it’s not as thick; it’s smooth,” she explained.

For Pizano’s dining companion Eugene Tull, 31, the consistency of the champurrado atole was too much of a new texture. He declared guava his favorite, as Pizano suggested they might be able to take it to another level by adding tequila.

In the bar section, Bruce Gordon and Chad Kent, both 35, got the same idea. Since they were already drinking mango margaritas, they made do with what they had and mixed them with their guava atole.

“This is nice!” said Gordon. “You can’t taste the alcohol, just guava and mango,” he added. Next time, the pair is considering adding Kahlua to the hot chocolate atole.

Since atole is traditionally considered a family celebratory drink, Cantina la Martina atoles aren’t meant to be alcoholic. But, Jiménez said folks can always ask for a spiked version.

Atoles come in single mugs ($5) or as a tasting ($15) and are served at Cantina la Martina on Saturdays and Sundays.

According to the chef, all ingredients are natural, with chocolate supplied directly from Oaxaca. That’s a hard contrast with the local supplier issues Cantina la Martina and other businesses have been facing in Kensington. Vendors and even their insurer have dropped Cantina la Martina, citing its location and safety as concerns.

“The irony is that they put a stop to bringing products here, but they have their warehouse in this community,” Jiménez said. “It doesn’t matter, we found other ways; if I have to go, I go and pick things up,” he added.

Cantina la Martina plans on serving this traditional drink until the end of February or early March. With it, Jiménez hopes to bring into the Kensington community the same sense of comfort he experienced as a child.