Our Approach

a story of corn and grapes

Mexican Heirloom Corn

Heirloom corn is at the heart of the cuisine at Alma.

We work with several heirloom corn varieties, primarily from Juan’s home state of Tlaxcala and from Oaxaca—where we got married and lived before opening Alma. We also source corn from Chiapas and Estado de México, regions with deep-rooted agricultural traditions.

Unlike most tortillas available today, which are made from Maseca, an industrial instant corn flour, our tortillas are made from low-production, nutritionally rich, and incredibly flavourful heirloom corn. These seeds have been passed down for generations—sometimes hundreds, even thousands of years. Only a small group of dedicated farmers continues to cultivate these ancestral varieties, and we are proud to work directly with them.

Each night at Alma, we nixtamalize the corn in-house—an ancient pre-Columbian process that softens the grain, enhances nutrition, and unlocks its full flavour. Every morning, we grind fresh masa and hand-shape each tortilla, forming the base of many of our traditional Mexican dishes. Alma is proud to be among the first restaurants in Canada to work with freshly nixtamalized corn, honouring this vital aspect of Mexico’s culinary heritage.

Nixtamalization not only improves digestibility, protein quality, and calcium content—it also reveals the integrity of the farmer’s work, allowing the natural character of the corn to shine through in both taste and texture.

Just as we do with wine, our goal is to bring the human element of our passions directly to the table. The terroir—the soil, climate, history, and human care behind each crop—is what draws us to heirloom corn from Mexico, rather than from Quebec or other regions.

Whether it’s corn or grapes, the quality of the raw ingredient guides and inspires us. It’s the foundation of everything we do

Catalan Natural Wine

Our wine list features some of the most exciting natural wines from Catalan and Spanish winemakers—most of whom we work with directly through our importing agency, Vin i Vida. We’ve been collaborating with these producers for over seven years, and their wines continue to inspire us deeply. Their work shapes not only the dining experience we offer, but also the way we view the world, the human experience, and life itself.

We work with a select group of exceptional humans making what we consider the very best natural wines in Spain. Many of their projects have been formed by inheriting family vineyards and preserving the work of past generations. The wines are low-production, highly precise and terroir-driven, meaning that the reflect the sense of place, the vintage and the human farming the vines and making the wines. The winemakers have become dear friends of ours, and of the Alma team. Juan takes into great consideration the way in which the wines will coexist with the menu, complementing each plate and bringing the flavours and the experience to another level.

Alma’s wine cellar is overflowing with our favourite natural wines from Catalunya and Spain, many of which are exclusively available on Avenue Lajoie. The wines are meticulously aged to share older vintages and present these jewels at their optimum state. ​

During the "menu carte blanche" experience, you will have the opportunity to taste the treasures of our cellar by the glass or by the bottle. The most exciting way to discover the wines is through our pairing, where you will taste our favorites next to each plate.