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Restaurant Review
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Tortilla Press

Reviewed by Jen A. Miller   
Posted April 9, 2008

Hours: Sun–Thurs 10 am to 9 pm; Fri and Sat 10 am to 10 pm.

Price: $$

Style: Adapting traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex to the American palate, with a strong reliance on locally grown ingredients.

Don’t Miss: Guacamole made to order, either tableside or in the open prep area. You order it, they cut open the avocado and make it. Most entrées (and even some appetizers) make a meal in themselves. The La Prenza burrito ($8), stuffed with rice, beans, cheese, guajillo chile sauce and your choice of meat (or vegetables). If your burrito knowledge is from a place with “bell” in the name, you’ll immediately taste the difference. The black beans are plump, the chili sauce adds a kick that only comes from fresh ingredients. (Keep water handy if you’re sensitive to spicy foods). For slightly lighter fare, try the ceviche salad ($11.50), which mixes typical salad ingredients with cilantro vinaigrette and lime-marinated shrimp, scallops, and salmon.

Heads Up: Saturday and Sunday brunch, 10 am to 4 pm, features live music and breakfast items such as steak and eggs and plaintain pancakes ($9). These come with brown-sugar salsa and bacon, ham, or sausage. Tortilla Press is BYO, and even though they make virgin drinks, you’re not supposed to bring hard liquor to turn those beverages alcoholic. 

The Scoop: Chef/owner Mark Smith gives cooking instruction at Collingswood’s Farmer’s Market. He also just opened the Tortilla Press Cantina in Pennsauken. The Cantina has a liquor license and presents events with menus matched to wine or tequila tastings.