The Boss of Both Worlds: La Jefa Showcases Its Mastery of Morning Comfort & Evening Elegance
Located in what was once Tequila’s back dining room, La Jefa offers two dining and drink styles, creating a fun and unique neighborhood destination right off of Latimer Street.
In the shadows of a leafy section of Latimer Street, a remarkable transformation has quietly unfolded.
Behind the familiar facade of Tequilas—itself a phoenix risen from the ashes of a 2022 kitchen fire that forced its closure—the Suro family has birthed something entirely new yet deeply rooted: La Jefa, a name that carries the weight of love, loss, and culinary legacy, that’s come to life as a morning cafe and nighttime bar/speakeasy.
La Jefa’s entrance whispers rather than shouts. Where many new establishments announce themselves with neon and noise, La Jefa draws you in through intimate storytelling. The very name—”The Boss Lady”—honors Dan’s late mother, whose nickname became the inspiration for what may be Philadelphia’s most culturally nuanced bar and cafe concept. This isn’t merely another agave bar; it’s a beautiful bridge between two cities that the Suros, who are Philadelphians themselves, are inviting the neighborhood to discover.
A Tale of Two Cities
Dan Suro describes the concept as “Guadaladelphian food. This isn’t cultural appropriation wrapped in marketing speak—it’s the genuine expression of a family whose roots run deep into both Philadelphia soil and Mexican tradition. The Suro family’s Siembra Azul import company provides the foundation, but La Jefa represents the evolution.
The front part of the cafe offers casual cocktails. But when you step into the back “Milpa” bar, the industrial romance vibe becomes immediately apparent. Exposed concrete ceilings stretch overhead like urban cave walls, while brass fixtures cast pools of golden light across shelves lined with carefully curated spirits. The aesthetic speaks to both cities’ industrial heritage—Philadelphia’s manufacturing legacy and Guadalajara’s tequila production traditions. Every bottle, every piece of décor has been sourced from Mexico, creating an authentic sense of place that transcends mere decoration.
The bar itself becomes a stage for liquid theater. Behind the scenes, Shakur Armstrong leads coffee and fermentation programs, crafting unique items such as sodas made out of agave, This isn’t just cocktail craft—it’s cultural preservation through innovation.
Curated Connections
La Jefa’s decor reveals its stories gradually. Illuminated shelving displays pottery, artwork, and artifacts that feel less like restaurant décor and more like a carefully curated cultural exchange. Plants cascade from shelves, creating vertical gardens that speak to the agricultural heritage of agave cultivation. Each shelf tells a story, each object connects Philadelphia to its southern sister city.
The collaboration with bartender Danny Childs has produced cocktails that are symbolic of ingredients that are important in Mexico, such as masa, agave, marigold. One of our favorites was a masa Ramos that uses pox, a corn spirit from Chiapas—a drink that challenges preconceptions while honoring tradition.
The Ritual of Daily Transformation
La Jefa’s genius lies in its daily metamorphosis. Morning light filtering through windows illuminates a different creature entirely—a café where torta ahogadas and chilaquiles omelets anchor brunch. Thhe coffee program, developed through partnership with Guadalajara’s Cafe Estelar, brings Mexican coffee culture to Rittenhouse in ways previously unavailable to Philadelphia palates.
As evening approaches, the space transforms again. The casual front area maintains its café energy while the intimate back section—dubbed La Jefa Milpa after the ancient agricultural practice—becomes something more mystical, reflected in the drinks and the food.
Beyond the Glass
What distinguishes La Jefa from the city’s growing roster of agave-focused establishments isn’t just the spirits—it’s the story behind them and about understanding the cultural significance of every sip. In a city where new bars open weekly, La Jefa distinguishes itself through restraint and intention. The space never feels like it’s trying too hard to impress; instead, it invites exploration and education.
As Philadelphia’s dining scene continues its remarkable evolution, La Jefa represents something both rare and necessary: a space that honors tradition while embracing innovation, that educates without condescending, and that connects cultures without appropriating them.
In a time when authenticity feels increasingly elusive, The Suros has created something genuinely authentic—a love letter to a mother, a heritage, and their adopted city.
