Housed inside Westfield’s historic train station, Maize Cocina & Cocktails is not just a place to dine; it is a destination that immediately sets the tone before you even take your first bite. Layered with history and thoughtful design, the space creates an immersive atmosphere ideal for a date night or celebratory evening out, offering the perfect backdrop for a menu that honors tradition while confidently pushing it forward.
Chef Jesa Henneberry Brings a Personal Touch to Every Plate
Chef Jesa Henneberry, executive chef and co-owner, brings a point of view that is as compelling as the space itself. A Midwest native with New York City training, she has a background in private cheffing, culinary consulting, and work with standout concepts like Jajaja Plantas Mexicana. She is also a champion on Chopped, but what stands out most is not the accolades; it is the intention behind everything she creates.
Maize is her first restaurant, and it shows in the best way possible. This is a deeply personal project where every detail feels considered, from the gorgeous bar area to the flow of the dining room to the composition of each dish.
Before stepping fully into the culinary world, Henneberry studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and that influence is unmistakable. There is a designer’s eye at work here, from the ambiance to the food that is as visually striking as it is creative.
A Spring Menu Rooted in Mexican Tradition and Global Creativity
The menu at Maize begins with Mexican foundations, but it does not stay there. Instead, it evolves. As Chef Jesa puts it, “Everything we do at Maize starts with Mexican roots; it’s our foundation. From there, we let creativity take it somewhere new.”
Inventive Starters Built for Sharing
With a new spring menu rolling out, this visit offered a first look at how the story continues to evolve, beginning with one of the restaurant’s newest starters: a Pasilla Oaxaca Black Bean Purée poised to become a signature.
Designed as Maize’s take on hummus and pita, the dish is served with a warm gordita, a thicker-style corn tortilla ideal for scooping through the silky black bean and pasilla chili purée. The dip is layered with fermented black garlic, black sesame, and poppy seeds, then topped with a charred jalapeño sofrito that Chef Jesa encourages guests to mix in for added texture and heat.
Replacing the restaurant’s heartier poblano rajas hot dip for spring, the new purée reflects the kitchen’s move toward brighter, more seasonal offerings while maintaining the bold flavor profile that defines the Maize experience.
Another fresh addition to the menu is the Tropical Shrimp Skewer, introduced after guest demand for the return of a shrimp dish to the lineup following the departure of Maize’s shrimp taco last fall. The coconut-dusted shrimp arrives skewered and lacquered with Maize’s house-fermented hot honey, a sweet-and-spicy glaze made from Mexican chilies that delivers layered heat beneath its sticky sweetness. Chef Jesa describes the flavor as having a real kick on the finish, with the chili folded into the honey for what she calls a “swicy” effect that lingers pleasantly after each bite.
Served alongside the shrimp is the restaurant’s house curtido, a fermented cabbage slaw that adds brightness and crunch, finished with a guava-yuzu jelly that adds an unexpected tropical note.
Perhaps the most playful dish of the evening, however, was the Bao Pambazo, a duo of handheld sandwiches that fully embrace the art of indulgent, messy eating. Served two to an order and designed for sharing, each sandwich begins with crispy chicken tucked inside a tender bun, then layered with hot honey, pickled mango, cabbage, micro cilantro, and a generous swipe of aji verde, a vibrant sauce blending green cilantro, mayonnaise, and cotija cheese sauce.
The combination lands somewhere between street food comfort and chef-driven creativity, offering crunch, sweetness, heat, creaminess, and acidity in every bite. As Chef Jesa laughingly notes, “If you’re not afraid of getting food on your face, then go for it.”
Moving into the salad course, Chef Jesa offers her own inventive interpretation of pozole verde, transforming the traditional soup inspiration into a vibrant composed dish built for spring. The plate layers farro, snap peas, and jicama tossed in a charred scallion vinaigrette over sweet pea greens, with fresh hominy nestled alongside for subtle sweetness and texture.
Around the plate, jalapeño-lime, spiced pistachios, pickled onion, radish, and avocado cream create a colorful arrangement that feels almost too pretty to disturb, though Chef Jesa insists the proper approach is to do exactly that. Her recommendation is to mix everything together, almost like a poke bowl, so that each ingredient blends into a single cohesive bite.
Fresh Seasonal Reinventions in the Entrée Course
For the entrée course, Maize continues the seasonal refresh with a lineup that balances returning favorites and inventive newcomers. The Duck Breast, one of the restaurant’s best sellers from fall, has been lightened up for spring and now pairs with hibachi-style farro stir-fried in a tamarind-chipotle glaze, replacing its former risotto accompaniment.
The pork chop has also been reinvented into a Pork Chop Milanesa, pounded thin, breaded with panko, cilantro, and cotija, then fried crisp and served with mixed greens, salsa criollo, charred scallion vinaigrette, and seasonal nectarines for a sweet-savory contrast.
Chef Jesa’s personal favorite may be the new Fish Veracruz, featuring crispy-skinned haddock over julienned vegetables with a tableside pour of seafood broth, finished with Veracruz pico de gallo, fried capers, and hijiki for a light, briny dish built for warmer weather.
Vegetarian diners are not overlooked either, with a new Tamale Cazuela joining the spring menu as a hearty meatless option.
A Dessert Worth Saving Room For
Dessert closes the evening on the same thoughtful note, with a Caralota de Limón Tostada that feels tailor-made for spring. The dish layers coconut-lime mascarpone with white chocolate inside a delicate crisp shell, finished with salted pistachio for contrast and texture. Bright citrus and creamy richness lead the flavor profile, while the pistachio brings just enough salinity to keep each bite balanced. Light, refreshing, and beautifully plated, it serves as a fitting final course to a menu that consistently balances creativity with restraint.
If these early tastes are any indication, Maize’s spring menu is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasonal refreshes in the area.
Maize
301 N Ave W.
Westfield, NJ
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