By Dina Novarr–
Before Stephanie Romo Flores ever unlocked the doors of Mercado 925, she was already searching, not for the spirits that dominated store shelves or carried celebrity endorsements, but for the bottles that held stories; small-batch distillations crafted by families who had been coaxing magic from agave plants for generations.
“I found myself drawn to the bottles you don’t often see on the shelves,” Romo Flores explained. “The tequilas and mezcals that are small batch distillations, crafted by families who have passed down their techniques for generations.”
This October, as flowers begin appearing on ofrendas across the country and the veil between worlds grows thin, her vision crystallizes into something profound: a living connection between ancestral tradition and modern sustainability, between honoring the dead and protecting the future.
As a second-generation immigrant, Romo Flores carries something heavier than inventory lists or liquor licenses. She carries responsibility. “As a woman in this space, especially as a daughter of Mexican heritage, I’ve carried both pride and responsibility,” she reflected. “My career is driven by family and fueled by the passion that was instilled in me from day one.”
At Mercado 925, that responsibility manifests in every deliberate choice. The bar is curated with intention, highlighting agave spirits that represent the soul of Mexican craftsmanship. The menu doesn’t limit itself to one regional style, but brings flavors from across the country: the complexity of Oaxacan moles, gorditas from Guadalajara, and street tacos that transport you to Mexico City’s bustling corners. But it’s in the spirits where Romo Flores’ mission becomes clearest, particularly in her fondness for Tierra de Acre mezcal.
Tierra de Acre works exclusively with multi-generational mezcaleros in Durango and Oaxaca who choose heritage and sustainability over scale or profit. In Valle Florida, Durango, Jorge Burciaga returned home after studying in the U.S. to expand his family’s wild-Cenizo mezcal without industrial shortcuts. He still hand-crushes roasted agave with an axe, which is a labor-intensive method that delivers consistent fermentation and quality. He also closes the loop by converting waste from production into adobe bricks that he donates.
In Santa Ana del Río, Oaxaca, Honorato Cruz draws on his Zapotec community, where nearly everyone has worked with agave for generations. To preserve biodiversity, he allows 50% of his agaves, especially the slow-growing Tobalá and Tepeztate, to fully flower so long-nosed bats can pollinate them. This protects genetic diversity and ensures agave for the next generations.
Tierra de Acre’s approach is simple and radical: protect the craft, protect the land, and pay producers fairly so the culture can endure.
In an era where “sustainability” has become marketing jargon, their approach illuminates its true meaning: the willingness to sacrifice immediate profit for long-term survival. This is sustainability as sacred practice, not business strategy. And this is precisely why Romo Flores chose Tierra de Acre.
As October gives way to November, her commitment to cultural preservation becomes even more visible, as Mercado 925’s menu features seasonal offerings that honor the celebration Día de los Muertos. Among the offerings is the Marigold Smoky Margarita. Inspired by cempasúchil, the marigold flowers that guide spirits home, this cocktail captures the essence of the holiday. The spirit that haunts this drink is Tierra de Acre mezcal. It’s garnished with a single marigold petal, a small golden bridge between the living and the dead.
The parallel is striking: just as Tierra de Acre ensures agave plants survive for future generations, Romo Flores ensures Mexican traditions survive in a new context, far from their geographic origins. For her, cultural preservation is personal. It’s about honoring parents who crossed borders carrying recipes, rituals, and remembrances. It’s about ensuring their grandchildren know where they come from. She’s sacrificing the easy path of the celebrity brands, the high-margin spirits, for something that matters more: authenticity, tradition, connection. This Día de los Muertos, as families construct ofrendas adorned with marigolds, pan de muerto, and photographs of the departed, consider that Mercado 925 is itself a kind of ofrenda. It is an offering to the past that sustains the future.
And every person like Romo Flores, carrying the weight of heritage while charting their own path, proves that tradition doesn’t have to mean stagnation; that honoring the past and protecting the future aren’t opposing forces, but the same sacred work.
As you raise a Marigold Smoky Margarita this season, know you’re tasting more than mezcal and citrus. You’re tasting patience. You’re tasting the decision to let things grow. You’re tasting the radical act of believing that some things matter more than profit, more than convenience, more than speed. You’re tasting what it means to sustain a culture, one deliberate choice at a time.
Mercado 925’s pan de muerto is available at Casa Latina bakery through November 3. The Marigold Smoky Margarita and seasonal Dia de los Muertos menu items are available now.
(inspired by the cempasúchil flower)
2 ounces of Tierra de Acre Mezcal
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce of Marigold Syrup
1 dash of orange bitters
Marigold Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dried marigold petals
Bring water and sugar to a light simmer. Stir until dissolved. Add marigold petals and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let it steep for 15 minutes. Strain and cool before use.
Add mezcal, lemon juice, Marigold Syrup, and bitters into a shaker with ice. Shake well until chilled. Double strain into a glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with a marigold petal.
San Francisco-based Dina Novarr enjoys sharing her passion for fine wines, spirits, non-alcoholic craft beverages, and more with others.
Cocktails with Dina
Published on October 23, 2025
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