Fodor's Expert Review El Parnita

The logo says "tradición desde 1970," but in fact El Parnita is a recent addition to the Mexico City lunch scene, a hip, updated take on the simple family-owned fonda. The menu consists of antojitos (snacks like tacos, tostadas, and ceviches), from recipes culled from the family's travels throughout the country. From Zacatecas comes the rellenito, a chipotle chili stuffed with cheese and beans in a sauce of piloncillo (unrefined brown sugar); from Michoacán the tacos viajeros, homemade tortillas piled with pork loin and leg long cooked in citrus. While it's a hugely popular lunch spot for trendy neighborhood residents (large tables of boisterous friends make for great people-watching), local workers and families come too, enjoying it for the affordable neighborhood restaurant it is at its core. Reserve ahead or expect a short wait.