Penn Yan is not the first town you think of for authentic Mexican food, which is exactly what makes Casa Mezcal Reserva such a welcome discovery. Tucked in at 104 Liberty Street, this restaurant has dominated the FLX Finest Mexican category for three consecutive years — Gold in 2023, 2024, and 2025 — a streak that reflects genuine devotion from a local audience that could easily have moved on to the next shiny thing. They have not, because the food here is the real deal.

The kitchen works with fresh, high-quality ingredients to produce dishes that balance tradition with a creative edge. This is not Tex-Mex, and it is not the kind of place that buries everything under cheese and sour cream. The flavors are layered, the salsas have actual heat and complexity, and the menu demonstrates a respect for regional Mexican cuisine that you simply do not encounter often in upstate New York. The margaritas are worth a special mention — Gold for Best Margaritas in 2024 and Silver in 2025 means the bar program holds its own alongside the kitchen, and the name "Mezcal Reserva" is not just branding. If you are the kind of person who orders mezcal neat, you will find kindred spirits here.

For a town that already punches above its weight with spots like 18th Amendment and the Birkett Mills heritage, Casa Mezcal Reserva adds a dimension that the Penn Yan dining scene was missing. It is the kind of restaurant that would be noteworthy in a city ten times the size — in a village of 5,000 on the shores of Keuka Lake, it is practically a miracle.