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Mexico City has been a culinary capital ever since the time of Moctezuma. Chronicles tell of the extravagant banquets prepared for the Aztec emperor with more than 300 different dishes served. Today's Mexico City is a gastronomic melting pot, with some 15,000 restaurants. You'll find everything from taco stands on the streets to simple, family-style eateries and elite restaurants. The number and range of international restaurants is growing and diversifying, particularly in middle- and upper-class neighborhoods like Polanco, San Angel, La Condesa, La Roma, Lomas de Chapultepec, and Del Valle. Argentine, Spanish, and Italian are the most dominant international cuisines; however, you'll also find a fair share of Japanese, Korean, Arabic, and French restaurants. Mexico City restaurants generally open 7–11 am for breakfast (el desayuno) and 1–6 for lunch (la comida)—although it's rare for Mexicans to eat lunch before 2, and you're likely to feel lonely if you arrive at a popular restaurant before then. Lunch is an institution in this country, often lasting two or more hours, and until nightfall on Sunday. Consequently, the evening meal (la cena) may often be really light, consisting of sweet bread and coffee, traditional tamales, and atole (a hot beverage made from corn and masa and sometimes chocolate) at home, or tacos and appetizers in a restaurant.
If having dinner, most locals start out at 9 pm; restaurants serving dinner stay open at least until 11 pm during the week, and later on weekends. Many restaurants are only open for lunch, especially on Sunday. At deluxe restaurants dress is generally formal (jacket at least), and reservations are recommended; see reviews for details. If you're short on time, you can always head to American-style coffee shops or recognizable fast-food chains all over the city that serve the tired but reliable fare of burgers, fried chicken, and pizza. If it's local flavor you're after, go with tacos or the Mexico City fast-food staple, the torta (a giant sandwich stacked with the ingredients of your choice for about $3). Eating on the street is part of the daily experience for those on the go, and surprising as it may seem, many people argue that it's some of the best food in the city. Still, stick to crowded stands to avoid a stomach illness.
Also cheap and less of a bacterial hazard are the popular fondas (small restaurants). At lunchtime fondas are always packed, as they serve a reasonably priced four-course meal, known as the comida corrida, which typically includes soup of the day, rice or pasta, an entrée, and dessert. There are few vegetarian restaurants, but you'll have no trouble finding nonmeat dishes wherever you grab a bite. Vegetarians and vegans, however, will have a more difficult time, as many dishes are often prepared using lard.
Colonia Polanco, the upscale neighborhood on the edge of the Bosque de Chapultepec, has some of the best and most expensive dining (and lodging) in the city. Zona Rosa restaurants often fill up with tourists, so don't expect to be sitting with the locals here. The Condesa and Roma neighborhoods buzz with a younger crowd all week.
Located in a renovated garage, Alebrije is loaded with plants, couches, and tables, good for working or chatting during the day and an ideal date spot in the evening. String lights and antique fixtures provide warm-toned light, dancing off the exposed brick as you eat sandwiches and drink hot chocolate, wine, or beer. Art zines are for sale near the kitchen area.
This tremendously popular corner bistro, the brainchild of acclaimed Mexican-German chef Klaus Mayr, is a stylish candlelit space to mingle with friends and dine on well-prepared thin-crust pizzas and house-made pastas. The classic Caesar salad makes a perfect opener before tucking into plates of lasagna Bolognese, duck-and-corn-filled agnoloti, and the white pizza topped with bacon, caramelized onions, and honey.
Bagels are not common in Mexico, but luckily Bagels Lepu single-handedly satisfies many a craving in the city. While it might just be the most expensive sandwich you'll find here, these homemade bagels are delicious, and the desserts and coffee are both delightful.
In a city with as much depth and history as Mexico City, Café La Habana still manages to stand out. Opened in 1952, it has hosted famous writers (Gabriel García Márquez, Roberto Bolaño, and Octavio Paz, to name a few) and revolutionaries (Che Guevara and Fidel Castro planned the Cuban revolution over coffee here), and yet with all its fame, this unhurried and simple diner is a laid-back place to take a break from the world. The food, while decent, is not the star here. Come for the coffee and the history.
There's often a slight wait for one of the marble tables in this chic, intimate wine bar on the border with Roma Norte—it has a loyal following among the city's trendier residents. Enjoy a glass of Muscadet or Grenache-Carignan—or perhaps an espresso and pan au chocolate in the morning—while savoring deftly prepared modern French tapas, like pork rilletes; Niçoise salad with tuna confit, egg, anchovies; and North African tagine with couscous and almonds.
This fashionably casual spot owned by the talented chefs at neighboring Marmota is a great option for anything from sipping espresso drinks while you work to noshing on creative Mediterranean-meets-Pacific Northwest bar snacks while you mingle with friends. Highlights from the kitchen include house-made potato chips with creme fraiche and caviar, one of the best Caesar salads in town, Portuguese tinned sardines, burrata with figs and tomatoes, and a selection of cheeses with figs and honey.
Located beside Centro Cultural Helénico, this latest branch of the chainlet of stylish bookstore-restaurants contains three levels designed with massive glass windows, loft mezzanines, and wide bridges and staircases—it's basically a modern tree house for hungry book lovers. The encyclopedic menu of creatively conceived food and drink includes Mexican, American, and European staples, from burgers to breakfast sandwiches to macadamia-nut cheesecake, but what makes this place special is the artful aesthetic.
This tiny café on the corner of Parque Lincoln pours the best espresso in the neighborhood, with a simple yet satisfying breakfast menu and homemade pastries (including vegan, gluten-free, and kosher options). The coffee is sourced from Chachaxtla in Veracruz, and always freshly roasted. Try the blue corn scone or guava tart for traditional flavors with a twist.
Quite possibly the most beautifully designed location of this hugely popular gourmet pizza chainlet, Cancino Coyoacán is in a stunning bi-level space with brick walls, soft lighting, high ceilings, and soaring windows that offer views of tree-shaded Jardín Allende. There are wood-fired pizzas with toppings like pureed huitlacoche, Oaxaca cheese, elote, jalapeños, and Bolognese sauce with red wine and tomatoes, and there's a tempting assortment of appetizers, from blistered shishito peppers to truffled Parmesan potatoes. There's also a solid wine list, and Cancino is open later than most restaurants in the neighborhood.
This charming, European-style charcuterie is one of few in the city. With a couple of outdoor seats and a bar where you can watch all the action, sandwiches are served on fluffy or crunchy baguettes and feature smoked cheeses and sausages. The friendly service is immediate and knowledgeable. Enjoy your sandwich with a Mexican craft beer or glass of wine.
For all the buzzy seafood restaurants in Roma, not one serves a better aguachile than this casual, affordable spot decorated like an old fishing shanty, with mermaid wall sconces, mounted fish, and seaside bric-a-brac. Everything here—including fish-and-chips, smoked-marlin tostadas, octopus-chorizo tacos, and salmon burgers—is fresh and boldly flavored, and you can add even more spice by choosing a few salsas from the extensive condiment bar (some of these are muy picantes, so ask for advice if you're wary).
Inspired by his mother's cooking, chef Edgar Núñez (of Sud777 fame) opened the unpretentious Comedor Jacinta in 2016. Like most comedores, Jacinta offers a typical comida corrida, or set lunch menu, alongside a fully vegetarian option.
Lebanese cuisine has a long history in Mexico thanks to an immigration wave in the early 20th century, and this spot is one of the city's best. The small, casual sidewalk restaurant in the lovely, leafy neighborhood of Narvarte Poniente has just a few items on the menu, but they’re done very well.
Drop by this smart café just steps from Museo Frida Kahlo for generous portions of creatively prepared Mexican and European breakfast and lunch fare, along with a vast selection of pastries and espresso drinks. The Yucatecan-style chilaquiles, topped with cochinita pibil and pickled onions, are a highlight in the morning, while standouts later in the day include avocado-smoked salmon toast and a Croque monsieur on a freshly baked brioche.
There's often a pretty sizable crowd waiting for a seat at the long, narrow bar inside this hip ramen parlor, a fast-casual version of one of the city's most beloved Japanese restaurants, Diego & Kaito, in Del Valle. One of the only spots in town that serves food 24/7, Deigo has a fairly short but sweet menu of well-prepared dishes, with chashu (pork belly, egg, and wakame seaweed) and corn-butter-miso among the favorites. There's a second location in Zona Rosa.
Although not as historic as the original in El Centro (there are four locations in all), this beloved outpost of one of the city's most highly regarded traditional Mexican restaurants occupies a courtly redbrick mansion with high ceilings and expansive terraces, a setting that's ideal for a leisurely weekend brunch before shopping around nearby Plaza San Jacinto. The menu is extensive and includes consistently well-executed renditions of such regional specialties as chilaquiles rojo with cecina, Oaxacan-style chicken mole, pan de elote with clotted cream, and chiles en nogada (in September). It's open daily, but closes at 6:30 pm. Ask to be seated on the main level, ideally out on the terrace, rather than in the dark and less enchanting downstairs space.
This laid-back restaurant has been serving Hidalgo-style lamb barbacoa to grateful Mexico City residents since the 1990s. Friday through Monday afternoon only, fresh lamb from owner Moisés Rodríguez’s Hidalgo farm is roasted for 12 hours over mesquite and oak in an underground pit, then served in charred agave leaves. An order of barbacoa comes with everything you need to make tacos you'll remember for days; be sure to order the consommé, flavored with meat drippings, chile, and lime, and wash it all down with a glass of pulque. Though this is a barbacoa favorite, the mixiotes (pit-barbecued meats)—another Hidalguense specialty—are fantastic as well.
Detour just a short block off Francisco Sosa to find this inviting, light-filled café that offers up gorgeous breakfast and lunch fare as well as exquisite cakes and pastries based on recipes from the owner's British grandmother, including scones with jam and nata (clotted cream), trifle, and cardamom cakes. Other menu options include lentil salad; eggs Benedict; smoked salmon, ricotta, and egg croissants; and roast beef, gouda, Dijon mustard, and caramelized onion sandwiches on rustic bread. Note that in a different part of the neighborhood, at Avenida México 36, there's a second Olvidado with counter service, a more limited menu, and a cute but tiny sitting area.
Black-and-white tiles give this bright space an impeccably clean and welcoming vibe. With its own house mezcal, wines, and beers, it can also be a place to gather for a drink or grab a light dinner. You can sit at the long wood bars facing either the barista zone or the street and the lovely Jardín de Arte, which separates San Rafael from the Colonia Cuautémoc.
Close to the border of the Juárez neighborhood sits this locals' favorite German restaurant, which has been in business since 1947. Serving authentic German food and a very extensive list of German beers, it has been paid a visit by many famous players in Mexican history, as proudly displayed on the walls near the bar. Antiquated German beer signs add to the quaint charm of this small but popular restaurant.
This itty-bitty taqueria on a less swanky block of famous Calle Colima has a big following for its hearty tacos prepared in the style of Monterrey. There are just a few options on the decidedly meaty menu, all of them delicious, with the chiccharón with tangy salsa verde a particular standout.
This tiny counter-service Vietnamese sandwich shop with a few tables overlooking lovely Avenida Francisco Sosa serves just a few items, all of them utterly delicious. The four banh mi options (lemongrass chicken, beef, pork, or tofu) are all made with traditional fixings (jalapeños, pickled carrots, daikon, cilantro) and perfectly crunchy baguettes, and the summer roll makes for a refreshing starter.
This younger sibling to Galanga offers a more varied menu that includes both Thai and Vietnamese fare at slightly lower prices, but as with the original restaurant, the food is flavorful, expertly prepared, and delicious. The solarium-style space creates the feel of dining in an art nouveau birdcage, and there's outdoor seating on a side patio as well. Next door, the same owners run the hip and inviting Somsaa Wine & Tea Room inside a gracious old house---here you'll find an extensive array of drinks as well as flavorful desserts and creative Southeastern small plates.
This casual Spanish restaurant is known both for traditional tapas like tartar de atún con ajillo, croquetas de jamón serrano, and patatas bravas, and for its Iberian take on tortas, the classic Mexican sandwich. The tortas are among the best in the city, some with Mexican touches—like the secretaria (pork leg, chorizo, and cheese)—but the specialties are the calamar (chopped baby squid in chimichurri sauce) and vegetariana (a hearty stack of roasted eggplant and melted cheese). The small, stylish café has a long selection of artisanal Mexican beers, and may be the only tortería in town with a wine list.
Busy and stylish, this is a popular classic in the Santa María la Ribera neighborhood, located in an older building that has retained its original high ceilings and tile work. Known for having slightly higher prices than usual for the area, it’s also recognized for excellent service, taste, and variety of traditional Mexican dishes, but the star is the barbacoa (slow-roasted sheep meat) and pulque.
Quick and reliably good, Las Tlayudas is a small sidewalk eatery specializing in Oaxacan cuisine. Come here for the tlayudas, of course—massive tortillas covered with beans, cheese, and meat. And don't miss a glass of mezcal or botana Oaxaqueña to wash down some chapulines (grasshoppers).
