Centro Mexican Kitchen

Name: Centro Mexican Kitchen
Address: 950 Pearl St, Boulder, CO, 80302, US
Telephone: (303) 442-7771
Price range: $$

Regional Mexican$$

Call Directions Website

Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-2pm; Dinner Sun-Thu 4-9pm, Fri-Sat 4-10pm; Brunch Sat-Sun 10am-2pm; Happy Hour daily 2-5pm

950 Pearl St, Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 442-7771
Last verified: October 2026
Report an issue with this listing

Tostada on a blue-and-white Talavera plate with black bean puree, chile-glazed vegetables and fresh herbs at Centro Mexican Kitchen in Boulder

Salsa verde & roja: Salsa verde is a broad category of green salsa, commonly built around tomatillos and green chiles. Salsa roja simply means red salsa and covers countless recipes using tomatoes, dried chiles, fresh chiles or combinations of them. Salsa taquera is the kind of salsa made specifically for tacos and varies from shop to shop. Salsa macha, associated especially with Veracruz, is an oil-based salsa made with dried chiles and often nuts or seeds. Color is not a dependable heat scale. Taste first. On this menu as: Salsa Sampler · Tacos (served with griddled corn tortillas, rice, cabbage escabeche, and salsa macha).
Birria: A richly seasoned meat stew associated with Jalisco, traditionally made with goat but now frequently prepared with beef as well. The meat is braised with dried chiles and spices and may be served in a bowl with broth or used as a taco filling. Modern birria tacos are often griddled after the tortillas are dipped in the cooking fat. Add cheese and you'll commonly see the name quesabirria. A cup of consomé for dipping often comes alongside. On this menu as: Birria Tacos · Birria Burrito.
Tortillas: corn vs. flour: Corn tortillas begin with nixtamalized corn masa that is pressed and cooked on a hot surface. They have ancient roots in Mesoamerica and remain fundamental to cooking throughout much of Mexico. Flour tortillas have a long history in northern Mexico, especially Sonora and Chihuahua, and became equally important to border and Mexican-American cuisines. Hecho a mano means "made by hand" and usually indicates tortillas formed or pressed at the restaurant. On this menu as: Tacos (served with griddled corn tortillas, rice, cabbage escabeche, and salsa macha).
Arroz, frijoles & sides: The supporting cast of a Mexican restaurant plate deserves its own vocabulary. Arroz rojo is rice cooked with tomato and seasonings. Frijoles refritos are cooked beans mashed and fried or reheated with fat. Despite the English translation "refried," the Spanish refritos does not mean they must literally be fried twice. Frijoles de la olla are whole beans served in their cooking broth. Frijoles charros are pinto beans cooked with ingredients that can include bacon, chorizo, tomato and chiles. Rajas are strips of roasted chile, commonly poblano. Nopales are cactus paddles. Elote means corn on the cob and on restaurant menus often refers to Mexican-style dressed corn. Esquites are corn kernels served in a cup with various seasonings and toppings. On this menu as: Refried Beans · Elote.
Carne asada: Grilled beef, chopped or sliced for tacos, burritos and plates. Skirt, flank and other relatively thin cuts are common, with seasoning ranging from little more than salt to marinades containing citrus, garlic or other ingredients. Carne asada is particularly associated with northern Mexico and is also the name for the social tradition of gathering around a grill for a carne asada cookout. On this menu as: Carne Asada.
Baja fish tacos: The classic Ensenada-style fish taco pairs battered and fried fish with a corn tortilla, shredded cabbage, creamy sauce, salsa and lime. The style is strongly associated with Baja California and has had an enormous influence on Southern California taco culture. Menus may also offer grilled fish or similarly prepared shrimp tacos. On this menu as: Baja Fish Tacos.

How these dishes compare

Burritostypically $11 across 313 menus
Carne asadatypically $13.99 across 272 menus
Enchiladastypically $12.50 across 262 menus
Baja fish tacostypically $13 across 256 menus
Tostadastypically $9.95 across 189 menus
Birriatypically $14 across 142 menus
Pozoletypically $14 across 89 menus

Centro Mexican Kitchen

Menu

Starters

Tacos (served with griddled corn tortillas, rice, cabbage escabeche, and salsa macha)

Dinner Plates

Sides

How these dishes compare

More restaurants nearby