With summertime here, the call of exploring Las Cruces and its hot spots is louder than ever. Grounded Lounge is at 300 N. Main St. in Downtown Las Cruces. The corner spot is a prime location with natural light emanating throughout the eatery.
Perched on the doorway of Grounded Lounge is a painted peacock. The turquoise and green hues draw you in and really set the tone for an appreciation of art and culture. On the outside, Grounded Lounge gives the illusion of being compact; however, the lounge has three indoor dining options and an outdoor patio.
Right away, the friendly atmosphere is evident. The spacious locations of tables with the addition of vibrantly colored couches allows guests to feel at home whether they are simply coming in to catch up with friends or choosing the location for their daily remote workstation.
Grounded Lounge is a family-owned restaurant by the Espiritu family. Established in 2022, the space not only has a unique and diverse menu, but also is host to local music and events.
In the month of July, there will be live music on Friday nights beginning at 7 p.m. from artists like Papayas Con Chile (07/07/23), Dark Canyon Fire (7/14), Sage Gentlewing (7/21) and Desirae Price (7/28). On July 29, Poetry and Writers Open Mic with Border Senses from 6-9 p.m.
Their Cozy Couch Concert will feature a concert from Estereomance on July 16 from 3:30-7 p.m. Cozy Couch Concerts are a more intimate concert for musicians and fans to connect. Tickets are available on the Grounded website for $15.
Part of what makes Grounded Lounge a standout in Las Cruces is its menu. Staples like wood fire pizza, wine, beer and cider are available along with coffee.
On this outing, my dining party and I tried several items off the menu, starting with drinks, the Chai, Lovely Lavender Latte and Jamaica Suntea. For the coffee and tea, there are three milk options of almond, coconut or oat milk. Homemade syrups are also available.
For the Chai, it was served hot with a dash of cinnamon. Selecting the coconut milk brought a semi-sweet nutty flavor that was well balanced with the cinnamon. Upon first glance, the Lovely Lavender Latte is quite a sight. Delicately adorned with lavender, the latte delights the senses. The oat milk added a velvety whipped texture. Looking for a cold and refreshing drink? Try the Jamaica Suntea. Not only is the magenta color right for the summer, but the drink is light and has a tropical finish.
Plant based and healthy options are plentiful at Grounded. One way to keep the summer spirit year-round is the Strawberry Fields Salad. With arugula, strawberries walnuts and creamy goat cheese and topped with orange balsamic vinaigrette, this dish is a meal in itself. Big enough to share, the mixture of peppery arugula and the crunch from the walnuts off set the sweetness from the fruit. Crumbles of goat cheese add a savory and creamy element.
For noshing, try the Cerveza Board, A trio of pretzel bites with queso, smokey cured meats and mixed nuts. Bite-sized pretzels with pillowy queso are hard to resist. The queso had just the right amount of chile to have spice, but not enough to stay away from if you are looking for something on the mild side.
Pizza at Grounded is from a wood-fire oven. Traditional pizza enthusiasts can look to the Roni which has pepperoni and mozzarella. For more adventurous eaters, check out the Picoso pizza, house salsa, cotija cheese, red onion and jalapeno.
Our table shared the Shroom pizza. In addition to a generous amount of roasted mushrooms, the pizza had prosciutto, olive oil, mozzarella and red chile honey. On first bite, the earthy taste from the mushrooms is dominant, but allows for the salt from the prosciutto and sweet heat from red chile honey to shine through.
Grounded Lounge is open Monday-Saturday from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. For more information, visit thegroundedlounge.com, call 575-571-4047 or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
