A new culinary venture is set to make waves on the Las Vegas Strip in 2026, as chef Gabriela Cámara collaborates with renowned architect Frida Escobedo and Bertha González Nieves, the head of a leading tequila house, to launch Cantina Contramar at the Fontainebleau. This partnership, dubbed a “Big Three” of Mexican food, architecture, and spirits, promises to create one of the most anticipated restaurant openings next year.
Cantina Contramar will be the Las Vegas outpost of Cámara’s acclaimed Mexico City flagship, known for its exquisite seafood dishes. The restaurant has been in the works for more than two years and was first announced as part of the Fontainebleau’s lineup in September 2023. Escobedo, an award-winning architect with noteworthy projects such as a wing for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a renovation of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, will bring her vision to the design of the restaurant.
Completing the trio, Bertha González Nieves, the first maestra tequileria and co-founder of Tequila Casa Dragones, plans to curate a beverage program that highlights her premium small-batch tequilas, ensuring a truly authentic experience at the restaurant. Cámara expressed her enthusiasm for introducing a taste of Mexico to Las Vegas, focusing on fresh, vibrant, and characterful flavors.
Situated on Level 2 of the Promenade, Cantina Contramar will offer a diverse menu featuring fresh ceviches, aguachiles, seasonal tostadas, and specialty whole-fish preparations. Importantly, the restaurant will also introduce new dishes that reflect the rich variety of Mexican cuisine beyond just seafood.
González Nieves will create signature cocktails and curated tasting flights that feature Casa Dragones’ exquisite offerings, such as the Añejo Barrel Blend and Reposado Mizunara, which showcases the unique flavor profiles of blue agave rested in rare Japanese oak casks.
In a nod to the traditional Mexican cantina, Escobedo’s design will be bright and inviting, featuring a spacious bar, a comal station, and an open kitchen. This marks Escobedo’s first restaurant project in the United States, and for Cámara, it represents her sole restaurant in the country following the closure of her previous ventures in San Francisco during the pandemic.
Brett Mufson, president and partner at the Fontainebleau, expressed pride in hosting the next chapter of Contramar, a beloved institution in Mexico City. More details regarding the menu and design will be unveiled in the coming weeks, generating excitement for what promises to be a rich cultural dining experience on the Strip.