dLeña Celebrates the “Sacred Moon” for Día de los Muertos

This fall, dLeña by Chef Richard Sandoval invites guests on a captivating culinary and cocktail experience with a special Día de los Muertos menu. From Wednesday, October 1, through Monday, November 3, celebrate the spirit of the season by honoring the Mayan lunar goddess Ix Chel. Journey through eight moon phases brought to life with ancestral ingredients, immersive storytelling, and sensory-rich rituals.

Guests are invited to trace the moon’s silver path across the autumn night with eight different cocktails to experience throughout the month-long experience. Imbibe in innovative cocktails like the waxing crescent’s Living Spirit with tequila, Ancho Reyes, Nixta tamarind, agave, black salt, blue corn tortilla, and chipotle tuile, first quarter’s Mythic Essence with sotol, Xtabentún, tangerine, lime, honey, and orange blossom, waxing gibbous’s Yumiká with Almave Ámbar, horchata, amaranth, cardamom, honey, pineapple, epazote, and gold glitter, and waning gibbous’s Lunar Goddess with Contraluz Cristalino, Nixta, ginger, fig, lime, honey, milk clarified, and cherry granita, among others. Pair these drink specials with themed food offerings like the pozole de langosta appetizer with guajillo lobster broth, hominy corn, lime, and radish, and ofrenda de cempasuchil entrée with lamb tenderloin, creamy purple potato mash, roasted heirloom carrots, charred ashes, and smoky chipotle hibiscus sauce.

On Wednesday, October 15, step into La Mesa Lunar, an extraordinary dining experience led by Chefs Richard Sandoval and Giancarlo Sandoval in celebration of Día de los Muertos. Guests are invited to indulge in a three-course tasting menu paired with eight moon phase-inspired cocktail tastings, each artfully designed to mirror the moon’s celestial journey. From the new moon’s Illuminated Feast and full moon’s Underworld Deity to the half moon’s Moon’s Embrace and waning crescent’s Moonlit Waters, every sip and bite unveils a new phase of flavor, creativity, and meaning. The evening crescendos in a communal ritual circle, weaving together cuisine, cocktails, and connection in the spirit of remembrance and renewal. To book your seat for the $90 all-inclusive ticketed experience on Wednesday, October 15, at 7pm, visit dlenadc.com/holidays/ddlm.