A variety of aguas locos and accompaniments at Abuelita’s (Photo courtesy Abuelita’s)
Karina Benavides has been sipping water blended with fruit — known in Latin America as aguas frescas — for as long as she can remember. While growing up in Mexico, she would walk to local markets where vendors selling the vibrant drinks were a fixture.
“It has always been a thing,” Benavides says. “Everywhere you go, they have aguas frescas, and always made with fresh fruit.”
That sense of familiarity is at the forefront of her South Side restaurant, Abuelita’s, which specializes in comforting stews, or guisos. Here, culture is the through line — from the authentic embroidered mandiles (aprons) worn by staff, to the housemade tortillas, the self-serve salsa bar and the family recipes borrowed from her grandmothers.
Restaurants are in Benavides’ blood. Her parents operated a handful of Richmond-area eateries after immigrating from Mexico with Karina and her brothers, Nelson and Paulo (co-owners of local restaurants including Y Tu Mama and Cochiloco). When Benavides sought to entice dine-in customers beyond the ubiquitous margarita, she decided to tap into her heritage while relying on drinks already on the menu: aguas frescas.
Abuelita’s eschews a standard soda fountain in favor of giant dispensers swirling with the colorful fruit waters. Benavides says keeping the spotlight on these traditional beverages is entirely intentional. “I really want to focus on our product — it’s delicious,” she says.
Aguas locas are simply housemade aguas frescas spiked with booze. Translating to “crazy waters,” the communal punch has been a staple at parties in the Mexican community for decades.
The “locas” element comes by way of a spirit, and Benavides didn’t have to look far for the perfect pairing. Her brothers are co-founders of Mosto Tequila, a local small-batch brand crafted in Jalisco, Mexico, and owned with Matt Tarpey, co-founder of The Veil Brewing Co.
“It was the best way to put it all together,” Benavides says.
While Abuelita’s has been making the alcohol-free version for years, the tradition of aguas frescas runs deep. Its origins trace back to the Aztecs, who muddled fruits and flowers to hydrate during journeys.
Similar to Abuelita’s rotating guisos, the drink flavors ebb and flow. The kitchen team blends pounds of fresh fruit with water and sugar to create a rainbow of offerings. Hibiscus and tamarind are Benavides’ personal favorites, alongside horchata (with rice and cinnamon), strawberry, guava, pineapple and the uber-refreshing agua de melón (cantaloupe). There is even a Mexican chocolate version described by Benavides as being “reminiscent of a mudslide.”
While Mosto Blanco tequila is the recommended pairing for the aguas locas, mezcal and rum are also on the menu. To elevate the experience, guests can add a playful coating of the sweet-tart condiment chamoy and spice blend Tajín to the rim or adorn the concoctions with Mexican candies and fruit slices.
“People are looking for something refreshing,” Benavides says, “and it looks so cute with the Tajín and the fresh fruit.”
Abuelita’s also offers a nonalcoholic twist: combining the fruity base with zero-sugar Monster Energy for a fizzy, modern spark.
Benavides says, “With summer coming up, we wanted to showcase our aguas frescas and do something fun with it.”
