Photo Credit: Gill Figueroa / Shutterstock
Restaurants in Mexico City
Traditional Mexican flavours abound at Centro Histórico restaurants like Café de Tacuba and Hostería Santo Domingo. Taco and tortilla stands are everywhere and generally excellent. Cantinas like La Nueva Opera Bar provide a traditional Mexican dining experience. The Zona Rosa bursts with all kinds of cuisines, ...
Traditional Mexican flavours abound at Centro Histórico restaurants like Café de Tacuba and Hostería Santo Domingo. Taco and tortilla stands are everywhere and generally excellent. Cantinas like La Nueva Opera Bar provide a traditional Mexican dining experience. The Zona Rosa bursts with all kinds of cuisines, especially Asian, while Polanco is home to some of the finest in alta cocina mexicana and nueva mexicana establishments. A 15% tip is recommended.
Bookstore
Available as paperback
and as e-book.
-
Peruvian
Astrid y Gastón
Need a break from Mexican food? One of the half-dozen outposts of the famed Peruvian restaurant (created by celeb chef Gaston Acurio and his wife Astrid Gutsche) brings so-called Nuevo Andean food to the Distrito Federal. That means Peruvian classics done with a bit of flair and a…$$$Col. Polanco
-
French
Au Pied de Cochón
The Chilangos have a love affair with French bistros, and this is a perennial hot spot. A direct import from Paris, this bistro always packs in the city's jet set and fashion-forward for classic cafe fare. Open 24 hours, it's the best late-night dining option in the city. The main…$$$Col. Polanco
-
Yucatecan
Azul Condesa
One of three restaurants owned and overseen by the highly respected Mexican chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, author of the "Encyclopedia Dictionary of Mexican Gastronomy", Azul Condes (lke its sister restaurants—Azul Historico and Azul y Oro) features dishes with a Oaxacan influence. That…$$$Col. Condesa
-
Spanish
Bar Tomate
This is one of Mexico City’s hot spots to see-and-be-seen, where important business deals are made and the city's beautiful people come to dine. The setting is perfect for people-watching while taking in a tasty meal—the loft-like space is wide open with high ceilings, wide-planked…$$Col. Polanco
-
Traditional Mexican
Café Tacuba
Located just north of the Zocalo in a colonial-era building behind the cathedral, Café Tacuba is one of the most traditional restaurants in the city. It has a marvelous feel of Old Mexico thanks to walls covered with paintings of Aztecs, conquistadors, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz…$$Historic center
-
Tapas, Spanish
Cantina Covadonga
Long a standard for ex-pat Spaniards, Covadonga has become trendy among hipsters who frequent the place on the weekends, as well as for large group dinners on occasional weeknights. On any given night, you're just as likely to see smartly dressed old-timers playing dominoes as you…$$Col. Roma
-
Mexican
Cantina La Guadalupana
Opened in 1928, this cantina lies in Coyoacán. From the entrance -- off a narrow cobblestone street -- to the antiquated bar, a sense of nostalgia permeates the comfortable, jovial cantina. The operation is as traditional as the menu. For those who are only drinking, waiters bring…$Coyoacan
-
International
Corazón de Alcachofa
As the name of the restaurant (Spanish for "artichoke heart") suggests, artichokes are the specialty here, served up in various dishes showing just how versatile this vegetable can be. Simplest (but still quite toothsome) are the grilled artichoke, perfectly seasoned with salt,…$$Col. Polanco
-
Mexican haute cuisine
Dulce Patria
The playful spirit of chef Martha Ortiz Chapa's aesthetic begins at this restaurant's entrance with its pink front doors and large gold, baroque design. In fact, baroque is the word that best describes this Polanco restaurant, located next door to the Las Alcobas hotel. From the…$$$Col. Polanco
-
Mexican
Dulcinea
The lady love of Don Quixote is the namesake of this cozy, neighborhood joint which features International food that’s three or four step above the ordinary. The menu, created by chef Lucy Acuna, draws from a number of cultures featuring everything from mini-hamburgers…$$Col. Polanco
-
Classic Mexican
El Cardenal
A Mexico City classic, El Cardenal is known for its bountiful and varied breakfasts, which aren't complete without the conchas (a sweet bread) served with nata , the Mexican version of clotted cream. Go for a true Mexican favorite: chilaquiles, which are day-old tortilla chips…$$Historic center
-
Mexican/Yucatecan
Humbertos
Don’t be surprised if you arrive at Humbertos and find a long line of diners (seating is first come, first served). The wait, however, is worth it at this simple, but popular restaurant that serves up a menu focused on Yucatecan food that includes dishes like the legendary lime soup…$Col. del Valle
-
Contemporary American
Jaso
Though self-described as serving "contemporary American" cuisine, Jaso is more "of the Americas". It combines elements of some of the best restaurants in the United States, with the best that Mexico has to offer, appropriate as the restaurant is the creation of…$$$Col. Polanco
-
Contemporary Mexican
La Capital
One of the grooviest eateries in the city, La Capital channels the 1960s and 70s in its look and vibe (you'll love the kitschy wall art). And that's because this is really a place to party. Unlike many other restaurants in Condesa, it's spacious with a sizable bar, a terrace for…$$Col. Condesa
-
Traditional Mexican
La Casa de las Sirenas
La Casa de las Sirenas has one of the city's best situated patios for sampling a tequila—or any of its other elixirs—with views of the Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace, and Templo Mayor in the Zocalo. The menu has standard Mexican fare, plus some unusual entrées like duck…$$Centro Historico
-
Mexican/Yucatecan
Los Almendros (Polanco)
The beloved, long-established Los Almendros is the place in Mexico City to go for Yucatecan food. How does it differ from the food of the Distrito Federal? Yucatacen cuisine plays up tart and fruity flavors, and uses ingredients like pumpkin seed powder, red onion, sour orange,…$$Col. Polanco
-
Mexican
Los Amantes Cantina
Part bar, part restaurant—along with diners you'll see find small groups immersed games of dominoes or watching a soccer game on the television—Los Amantes Cantina serves food like abuelita would make. Among the tasty, straightforward dishes here are chile relleno with bean sauce…$$Col. Polanco
-
Mexican/French bistro
Maximo Bistrot Local
Not long ago, a well-connected diner at Maximo Bistro demanded that she get the table she wanted on a crowded Friday night. When she was turned down, she picked up her cellphone, called her father—the head of the Mexican Consumer Protection agency—and had the restaurant shut down by…$$Col. Roma Norte
-
Baja California with a twist
Merotoro
Merotoro brings the flavors of Baja to Mexico City, which means surf and turf, here transformed into something of an art form. Chef Jair Tellez' dishes are inventive yet unpretentious and well-priced. The menu offers eight starters, seven main dishes, and four desserts, most for…$$Col. Condesa
-
Mexican
Molino El Pujol
Turns out superstar chef Enrique Olveras does have a heart. In 2019, he created this tortilleria for those who were eager to try the famed chef's food, but couldn't afford the "tasting menu-only" prices at Pujol. As those who've tried his food know, Olvera is a "corn whisperer" and…$Col. Condesa
-
Oaxacan
Pasillo de Humo
On the bottom level is a food court, with both prepared foods and glossy fresh produce; upstairs is this woodsy, atmospheric restaurant dedicated to Oaxacan cuisine. That mountainous state is blessed with a wide variety of microclimates, so many different types of food are grow there…$$Col. Hipodromo
-
Mexican
Publico Comedor
Owned by the group that runs the famous Pujol, this is high-end breakfast and lunch fare for low-end prices. Chef Pablo Salas is at the helm, and he makes sure that all of the elements are right from the excellent coffees and breads at breakfast (a big thumbs up for the almond bread…$Col. Polanco
-
Mexican haute cuisine
Pujol
Pujol is one of Mexico City’s most talked about restaurants, often appearing on top of lists of the city's best dining spots—and with good reason. Owner Enrique Olvera is, quite simply, one of the world's most innovative chefs. Most of the flavors (as well as the ingredients) in…$$$Col. Polanco
-
Mexican haute cuisine
Quintonil
Chef Jorge Vallejo, his wife, Alejandra Flores (the restaurant’s designer), and their staff create modern Mexican cuisine dishes that appeal to both the eye and the palate. For the eye you have an unassuming entrance that leads to an airy interior that's about four times the size of…$$Col. Polanco
-
French
Rojo Bistrot
The quaint Rojo Bistrot has an ambience so authentic it feels like it was airlifted directly from Paris. Located on a quiet corner on Avenida Amsterdam, Rojo offers up a mixture of traditional bistro food (French onion soup, brie with almonds) with more adventurous options like black…$$Col. Roma
-
Italian
Rosetta
Rosetta is located in a handsome old mansion in Colonia Roma converted to a restaurant by chef and owner Elena Reyagadas and her architect husband, Jaime Serra. The décor adds to a feeling of rustic elegance that starts upon entering through red velvet drapes as the smell of freshly…$$Col. Roma Norte
-
Taqueria-Cantina
Salón Corona
Those in the know say it's a crime to head to Salón Corona without trying the octopus tortas. A few other "you'd be crazy to miss" dishes are the tacos al pastor, the crunchy cheese quesadillas, and the taquitos in this laid back taqueria-cantina, where jeans and a t-shirt are the…$Historic center
-
Classic Mexican
San Angel Inn
The San Angel Inn is a long-standing, venerable institution in Mexico City. Set in a classic, old hacienda (originally a convent), the restaurant's margaritas and ambience are the reason to head here more than the food. The atmosphere is elegant with blue-and-white Talavera-style…$$Col. San Ángel
-
Mexican
Super Tacos Chupacabras
Did you think you'd be dining under a highway overpass on your trip to Mexico City? Odd as that may seem, the tacos here are worth it. In fact, we'd say they're some of the best in town. There's a wide variety of both taco fillings and toppings, but we're particularly fond of the…$Coyoacan
