Loca marks Día de Muertos with vibrant La Tardeada celebration
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Mexican restaurant brings colour and festive spirit to Dubai and Abu Dhabi with a special Day of the Dead brunch, complete with music, décor and the promise of prizes for imaginative dress.
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The Day of the Dead holds a particular resonance in Mexican culture, a celebration of remembrance rendered in colour, music and joyful gathering. Loca, which has been serving contemporary Mexican cuisine across the UAE for more than fifteen years, understands this spirit intimately, and on Saturday, 31 October, the restaurant brings that distinctive festive energy to both its Dubai and Abu Dhabi locations with a special edition of its popular La Tardeada brunch.
La Tardeada, which translates to ‘the afternoon’, is Loca’s signature Saturday gathering, a convivial affair that pairs the restaurant’s carefully crafted Mexican food and drinks with an atmosphere designed for lingering, conversation and celebration. The Day of the Dead iteration amplifies this sensibility, wrapping the experience in the visual language and cultural resonance of Día de Muertos itself. The brunch unfolds from three o’clock until seven in the evening, allowing guests to move through the afternoon at leisure.
What distinguishes this particular iteration is the emphasis on participatory celebration. Guests are encouraged to dress for the occasion, embracing either the aesthetic traditions of Día de Muertos or simply indulging in costume more broadly. Those who dress most imaginatively will find themselves rewarded with prizes, transforming the brunch into a gentle competition of creativity and visual wit.
The culinary and liquid offerings remain true to Loca’s Mexican heritage. Signature dishes and drinks sit at the centre of the experience, complemented by the sensory elements that define the occasion: vibrant décor that captures the vivid palette of the celebration, and live music that animates the gathering. The effect is one of authentic festivity rendered with generosity and style, the kind of hospitality that makes a restaurant more than a place to eat, but rather a venue for genuine occasion and memory.
Two pricing structures allow flexibility. The brunch costs AED 295 per person when beverages are included, or AED 195 per person for those preferring soft drinks. This simplicity of approach, combined with the restaurant’s fifteen years of experience in the UAE dining landscape, speaks to an establishment that has learned how to bring genuine cultural celebration to its adopted home without compromise or condescension.
Imagery courtesy of Loca.