Dinings SW3 x Mijenta Tequila: A Perfect Pairing of Japanese Cuisine and Sustainable Spirits

By Mallory Legg

Nobody wants to drink tequila alone. It’s not often you see a party dweller knocking back shots without coaxing, or outright bribing, their friends to do one alongside them.

Margaritas are more often than not doubled. Palomas by the pool are much more welcome with a filled sun lounger beside you.

The Spirit of Tequila: Community and Connection

As the legend goes (although debunked), tequila is the only alcohol that is an “upper”. It’s no wonder that tequila's personality is defined by community, camaraderie, and company.

It’s also no wonder that my new favourite tequila label is called Mijenta, derived from mi gente, translating to my people.

It’s the people’s drink, and I was lucky enough to have sipped from this bottle the other day, surrounded by, you guessed it, my people.

Why Mijenta Tequila Stands Out

There are a few standout things about this tequila, beyond how ridiculously easy it is to sip. What impressed me most: Mijenta is the only tequila producer to have earned B Corp certification.

It’s fully carbon neutral, blazing a trail through the industry and proving that modern spirits brands can adapt to a sustainable present and commit to a healthier future. The labels are made from agave waste.

The bottles? Recycled glass. The boxes? Post-consumer recycled paper. You get the gist… it’s possible, it’s happening, and it’s being done by a team putting out a top-tier product.

The Leadership Behind the Label

At the helm is Ana María Romero, maestra tequilera, with over 25 years of experience. Her leadership steers Mijenta not only toward sustainability but toward a pour that’s rich, complex, and uncompromising in taste and texture.

My first sip came in margarita form. It’s easy to throw around words like “smooth” and “silky” - and yes, Mijenta checks those boxes - but this made my eyes widen.

It was bright and sharp and covertly hidden under the rock and roll of the fresh lime, finding a home in the chilly backdrop of the ice, giving a wink, inviting me in for more.

Crafted in Jalisco’s Highlands

Mijenta is crafted in the highlands of Jalisco, where the high elevation allows for more sunlight during the day and cooler temperatures at night. The iron-rich, clay-heavy soil gives the tequila depth, clarity, and minerality, all layered onto the profile of 100% Blue Weber agave.

It’s slow-cooked, unfiltered, made with just three ingredients: agave, water, and yeast. So simple, yet so evidently elaborate.

So much work had led from there to winding up in my too-excited-for-a-drink-after-work hands on the patio of Dinings SW3 on a Thursday.

Dinings SW3 x Mijenta: An Unexpected Collaboration

Which leads me to my next point: pairings. For National Tequila Day this July, Dinings and Mijenta teamed up to not only showcase this holy grail of a tequila, but to teach us how to drink it… and what to hold in the other hand while we do. We started with a margarita, then moved to a classic paloma, served highball-style with crushed ice and salt.

It was refreshing, with a bitter kick that probably gave the illusion of a temporary eye lift. Mijenta in my right hand. In my left? Dinings' thoughtful additions: Warmed Lobster cCquettes, followed by a spoonful of Yellowtail Sashimi that practically melted into the colour palette painted on my tongue by a brush called margarita.

Then came tacos: Grilled Octopus, Mushrooms, Pulled Pork, each arriving one by one. A brightness filling my heart, my stomach, and my head with the glow of the liquor and the genius from the kitchen, and probably some level of drunkenness.

Japanese and Tequila? Surely not. But this is no time to jump to conclusions, and life’s most exciting moments are born from the unexpected, almost as exciting as venison and reposado.

Shop Mijenta Tequila Here