The highly anticipated Mijo, a restaurant and bar that draws inspiration from Spanish classics while weaving in local ingredients and a creative edge, opens today in the Market Place shopping plaza in Corte Madera.

With decades of combined experience in the restaurant industry, chef Jared Rogers and restaurateur Dustin Sullivan, partners behind six-year-old Guesthouse in Kentfield, are shifting their focus exclusively to Marin after recently selling Easy Rider in Petaluma.

Mijo is a concept the two have long envisioned. The menu, developed by Rogers and executive chef Chris Loberg (Blue Ridge Kitchen in Sebastopol; Spoonbar, the Rooftop at Harmon Guest House and Pizzando in Healdsburg), balances tradition and innovation, taking cues from Spain’s tapas culture and reinterpreting it through a Northern California lens.

Rogers did an externship in Madrid and San Sebastián, while Loberg recently “ate his way through Spain” to further refine the restaurant’s culinary vision.

“I consider myself a student for life, always interested in trying new things and showcasing fun techniques and ingredients,” Loberg said.

The menu leans heavily on fresh seafood, wood-fired meats and seasonal vegetables.

Fish is sourced from Costarella Seafoods in San Francisco. Signature plates include almejas a la marinera, clams simmered in a tomato, garlic and white wine sauce, and Mijo’s paella, a seafood and meat medley with mussels, clams, prawns, chicken, chorizo, saffron and tomato, with the option to add lobster. Loberg also highlights seared scallops with Ibérico lardo, caramelized onion purée, olive crumble and smoked paprika oil, a dish that reflects the region’s appreciation for bold yet simple flavors.

The Tomahawk “chuletón” ribeye is a 32-ounce bone-in steak with chimichurri, aged sherry steak sauce and local mushrooms. Short rib-stuffed piquillo peppers with black garlic jus, manchego and breadcrumbs were inspired by one of Loberg’s favorite dishes during his travels. Mijo’s rotisserie-roasted heritage breed chicken comes with piparras peppers, lemon, white wine, onions and fresh herbs.

Cured meats come from COVAP, Spain’s largest Iberian pig farm, where the animals roam freely across 400,000 acres of pasture, feasting on acorns in the fall, which gives the meat its signature richness. Selections appear on small plates like a charcuterie board with house-pickled vegetables, and potato, manchego, truffle and jamón Ibérico croquettes with black garlic aioli and mojo picón.

Vegetable offerings, some of which are grown by Star Route Farms in Bolinas, include eggplant chips with chili honey and Maldon salt; kiwi cucumber gazpacho with shaved radish and croutons; and seasonal tagine featuring a medley of market produce slow cooked with chile and smoked paprika, served over couscous.

Mijo’s cocktail menu, developed by Sullivan and Erin Hines of Guesthouse, blends time-honored Spanish influences with inventive California style. The Spanish martini layers Mediterranean-inspired Gin Mare, Vermut Lacuesta Blanco, celery bitters and Spanish pepperoncini for a bold, savory take on a classic.

The house Negroni infuses the iconic aperitif with Spanish gin, Bonanto aperitif and La Copa Rojo vermouth, while the Nube Nueve offers a refreshing, modern twist with Meyer lemon vodka, Reserva Blanco vermouth, lemon, honey and cava.

The wine selection highlights both Spanish and Californian producers alongside an extensive list that spans some of the world’s most renowned winemaking regions.

A curated sherry collection pays tribute to Spain’s storied wine traditions.

Mijo replaces the former Moseley’s Sports Bar in what Sullivan describes as the team’s most ambitious buildout yet.

The reimagined interior blends coastal charm with modern California flair, incorporating a rich mix of textures — an expansive copper-topped bar, handcrafted Moorish tiles, buttery leather booths and a vibrant covered patio with striped banquettes, woven bistro chairs and warm rattan lighting.

Diners at the chef’s counter get a front-row view of the wood fire and raw bar, while a dramatic wall mural channels the energy of a lively Spanish cantina and serves as a striking focal point.

“We’re excited for the fun part — making and serving food and seeing everyone laugh and have a good time,” Sullivan said.

Mijo is open for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, with brunch at 11:30 a.m. Sundays, and 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 55 Tamal Vista Blvd. in Corte Madera. Daily happy hour is from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

For more information or to make a reservation, visit mijomarin.com.

Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer and restaurant columnist. Email her at ij.lbattelle@gmail.com with comments and find more local food news at therealdealmarin.com.