Inside Rubra, Chef Daniela Soto-Innes' Multifaceted Culinary Masterpiece

Forbes

02-07-2025

Rubra at W Punta de Mita on Mexico's Pacific Coast. Rubra
To walk through the pink-hued portal into Rubra is to venture inside the heart and soul of Chef Daniela Soto-Innes, one of Mexico's most inspiring culinary creatives. After her meteoric rise in one of New York City's most celebrated kitchens, Soto-Innes surprised onlookers with her pick of the peaceful Pacific Coast beaches of Punta de Mita for her next endeavor. But to take the first step inside Rubra is to see her vision coming into full frame.
I was instantly taken by the manifest beauty of Rubra's intentionally crafted space, transported in an instant. Tucked away on the grounds of W Punta de Mita, it feels far from the buzz of busier beach destinations that line the shores. Yet this is not a standard beachfront eatery—far from it.
The entryway and hallways at Rubra. Rubra
Designed by Ana Paula de Alba , Rubra's open-air dining space feels carved out of the coastline in every sense of the phrase. Thousand-pound slabs of soft pink concrete give the structure's almost brutalist design aesthetic a sunset-colored flare that feels just as unexpected as the restaurant itself.
"We built Rubra to feel like entering a cave or a womb, something grounding and protective," said Soto-Innes of the space. "The architecture hugs you, the plants breathe with you, and the sound of the ocean is always nearby."
Design details and thoughtful touches throughout the space at Rubra. Rubra
To be struck with the big picture of the space is just the start. In Rubra, every chair, every utensil, and even the signature scents in the bathroom have been personally designed or handpicked in collaboration with de Alba, a team of regional artisans, and even Soto-Innes herself to bring the Rubra experience to life.
Each detail feels like an individual string that, when woven together, creates a tapestry of the diverse personal and culinary inspirations that Soto-Innes brings to each table. A particularly meaningful one? The dark black grill facing the dining room at the edge of the kitchen was designed to mirror the library at the university where her father studied. Rubra is more than just her next chapter, it's her complete story.
Chef Daniela Soto-Innes in the kitchen at Rubra. Rubra Meet the Chef
Chef Daniela got her start at New York City's Cosme, in what would become known as one of the best restaurants in the world. Tapped to be Cosme's chef de cuisine by Pujol mastermind Enrique Olvera, she quickly made a name for herself in New York and beyond.
She won the prestigious James Beard Rising Star Chef Award in 2016, and in 2019, she was named the "World's Best Female Chef" by World's 50 Best, the youngest ever recipient of the award at just 28 years old. She later opened Alta in New York City, also in collaboration with Olvera, and was called one of the "Most Exciting Chefs Working Today" in The New York Time s.
Rubra is Soto-Innes' first solo venture, both a major milestone and a return home for the Mexico-born chef. "Rubra is a reflection of everything I've lived, tasted, and loved throughout my life in kitchens," she said.
"The menu is inspired by the Mexican coastline...but it's also deeply personal. Over the years, I've learned that cooking is about listening to your surroundings, to the team, to your own intuition and the menu at Rubra is my way of doing just that."
A sunset tablescape at Rubra. Rubra Bahia de Banderas Bounty
In many ways, Rubra couldn't be more different from Soto-Innes' New York restaurants: it is rooted to the earth both in design and practice. Towering palms, oversized monstera and swinging vines drape across ever corner of the space, creating a space that feels on the verge of being reclaimed by the tropics.
But the real connection to the land is in every plate, with ultra-fresh ingredients that come directly from the restaurant's gardens, the bounty for plates and inspiration for every menu. "It's a way of honoring what's right in front of us, of saying: look closer, use what grows near you, don't forget what the land is offering," says Soto-Innes.
Banana flower with oregano orejón mojo. Rubra
"One of the dishes that moves me most is the banana flower with oregano orejón mojo," explains Soto-Innes of one of her menu's most emblematic dishes. "It's delicate but powerful, earthy, floral, a little wild. In Mexico, we're surrounded by banana trees, yet the flowers are so often overlooked or discarded. This dish is my quiet rebellion against that waste. The oregano orejón comes from our garden; it's strong, almost leathery, with this beautiful aroma."
To relish Rubra means to visit the gardens, too, alongside one of the dedicated caretakers who tend to its immensity with a devotion that you can practically taste in the food. Now, the tour is even better: Soto-Innes and Bertha Gonzáles Nieves of Casa Dragones have partnered to present La Palapa, a tequila tasting experience hosted in an open-air bar and lounge space located directly in the gardens.
Seafood and spaces inspired by the nearby Islas Marietas. Rubra Bold and Beautiful
The gardens sweep down gracefully towards the sea whose breezes nourish them, another integral inspiration in the restaurant's menu and design. Soto-Innes was particularly drawn to the nearby Islas Marietas, which sit just offshore and are visible from the property. Accordingly, seafood is a star here, though just one aspect of a diverse menu.
"[The islands] remind us of what should remain sacred. Rubra was built with that reverence in mind," says Soto-Innes, who was inspired to pick the restaurant's soft pink tones by the color of the caves that crack through their coastline. The inspiration is more subtle, too, with tiny sea shells placed on every napkin and sand-colored plates shaped like marine forms.
Fan favorite dishes at Rubra. Rubra
Between pink palates and delicate details, there's no shying away from the feminine at Rubra. Soto-Innes' team is comprised mostly of women, including sisters Estefanía and Valentina Brito, who first shared the kitchen with Soto-Innes at Cosme. But Rubra's energy is by no means dainty; it's intense and passionate, a dance between the delicate and the daring.
Nowhere is that more true than the flavors on the menu itself. To call my starter simply a green bean salad would be doing an immense injustice to a fruit-infused, shaved ice topped perfect crunch of veggies, a kick of freshness as the sun settled and golden hour lit up the space. Next up, impossibly tender, fire-grilled lamb with all the fixings for tacos, a plate that packed a punch with its larger-than-life flavors. Cracking through a towering mil hojas was the final kiss of a thoroughly sensorial experience from start to finish.
Golden hour at Rubra. Rubra Listening to Rubra
Even with the restaurant's hotly-anticipated debut in the rearview mirror, there's still more to the story. "Rubra will always be growing," says Soto-Innes. "It's alive, not just as a space, but as a rhythm, a dialogue between the team, the land, and the people who come through. We're not chasing trends, we're listening." As Soto-Innes listens and her masterpiece continues to morph with her, we'll be listening, too.