Fodor's Expert Review Nico's

A must-visit for fans of traditional Mexican cuisine who think they've tasted it all, this barely adorned, simply elegant restaurant in a workaday neighborhood—a 20-minute Uber ride from Polanco—is the domain of chef Gerardo Vázquez Lugo (whose parents opened Nicos in 1957), a stickler for ingredients sourced from small producers and dishes that can seem nuevo but are all rooted in history. The sopa seca de natas—several crepes layered with cream, tomato, and poblano chiles—is a 19th-century recipe from a convent in Guadalajara, and the octopus stewed in its ink with pecans, almonds, and pine nuts is a generations-old recipe from Veracruz. There's no dinner, but it's open until 7:30, and Lugo also has a small food shop across the street, Nicolasa.