Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
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.
Specializing in fresh seafood, you'll find bright, crisp flavors and a fantastic variety of seafood options here. Start your meal with one of their ceviche varieties, and follow it with a plate or two to share—perhaps the esquites con camaron, a mayo-based corn dish loaded with shrimp.
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.
Exceptional modern French-Mexican cuisine, charming service, and—most of all—spectacular floor-to-ceiling views of Monumento de Revolución and the Reforma skyline create a memorable experience at this stylish restaurant perched dramatically atop an art deco office building in Tabacalera. Food highlights include esquites with braised oxtail, duck confit with fragrant and fruity mole sauce, and grilled octopus. There's a terrific cocktail list, too.
When it comes to authentic Mexican food, chef and food historian Ricardo Muñoz Zurita literally wrote the book with his Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana (Encyclopedia of Mexican Food). Here in his art-filled, elegant Condesa restaurant, you can sample some of his superb regional Mexican dishes, such as beef drizzled in a smoky Oaxacan mole that takes three days to make, Veracruz-style fish, or ancient Mayan dishes from the Yucatán. In addition, there is always a seasonal month-long menu highlighting cuisine from a different state of Mexico or some other theme related to the country's regional cuisine, with recipes by guest chefs as well as Muñoz. Azul has two additional locations in El Centro Histórico.
An oasis in the middle of the chaos of Centro Histórico, you'll find excellent service and elegant versions of traditional Mexican dishes here. A variety of dishes from around the country are expertly prepared under the watchful eye of renowned chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita.
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.
This sunny, easygoing bakery/café---part of a popular Mexico City chainlet---lies conveniently across the street from handsome Parque de La Bombilla, which is the perfect spot to savor some of the exquisite, freshly baked tarts, cookies, and pastries sold here, along with a coffee or tea. For a heartier meal, choose one of the more substantial options, such as the Jamón serrano-Manchego sandwich or vegetable quiche.
This old-time cantina a block from the eastern edge of Roma opened in 1950 and continues to attract crowds of both locals and tourists-in-the-know. There's nothing fancy about the brightly lit dining room, but the authentic Spanish food is up there with the best in the city and includes slow-cooked octopus, chorizo with cabrales cheese, Spanish omelets with asparagus, and chamorro (a fall-off-the-bone pork shank braised in a heady achiote sauce).
The architecture here is just as impressive as the food, with the restaurant housed inside a Californian colonial-style mansion built in 1940. Diners can choose from an international menu with Mexican flourishes (like the tacos de lechon confit) or an impressive tasting menu. Blanco Castelar has a sister restaurant in La Roma, Blanco Colima.
With tables neatly arranged in one of Condesa's most romantic gardens, this trendy spot showcases the creative international cuisine of chef Alejandra Navarro, formerly of world-famous Quintonil. The menu changes regularly and reflects seasonal ingredients, but typical fare includes flame-roasted beets with a chimichurri sauce, mussels steamed in a coconut-lemongrass broth, and organic smoked and roasted chicken au jus with new potatoes and a robust green sauce.
One of the few spots in Coyoacán with the hip factor of Roma or Condesa, this tiny artisan roaster turns out some of the best, and most interesting, coffee drinks in city as well as selling connoisseur-worthy beans to go. The classics, including single-origin pour-overs and lattes, are superb, but you'll also find tasty iced drinks, like the refreshing Greench (green tea, kefir, and soda water) and the soothing Trago Tranquila with coffee, coconut cream, pineapple, and tonic water.
An essential, if touristy, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack stop downtown, this Mexican classic opened in 1912 in a section of an old convent. At the entrance to the main dining room are huge 18th-century oil paintings depicting the invention of mole poblano, a complex sauce featuring a variety of chiles and chocolate that was created by the nuns in the Santa Rosa Convent in Puebla. A student group dressed in medieval capes and hats usually serenades diners Wednesday through Sunday afternoon.
Open since 1930, this coffee spot on one of Centro's most hectic streets is one of liveliest places in town to sip a cortado (espresso mixed with warm milk). Café Equis is by no means a third-wave coffee joint—the beans here, entirely from Mexico, are a touch over-roasted and you won't find any plant milks on offer—but with its painted walls and lively air, it's a bona fide institution.
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.
Named for the Silk Road, this inviting café with an enchanting outdoor patio overlooking tranquil Parque Santa Catarina does indeed draw its culinary inspiration from both East and West, serving delectable kimchi omelets, Cuban sandwiches, soba noodle and toasted sesame salads, and anise–avocado leaf cakes. Most of the fair-trade ingredients, from the coffee beans and teas to the whole grains and flours used in the artisan breads and pastries, are sourced organically. If you have trouble scoring a seat, you can always try the small satellite location a couple of blocks away on Calle Ayuntamiento and Avenida Miguel Ángel de Quevedo. There's also a small food cart next door that sells organic snacks (from chocolate brownies to paletas), reusable bags, honeys and jams, and soaps, and next to that is a branch of the artisan ice-cream parlor Carmela.
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.
Just a block from the busy Avenida Ribera de San Cosme, this quiet and elegantly designed hideaway offers respite from the crowds of nearby Metro San Cosme. Decorated with antiques and smelling of freshly roasted coffee, it’s the kind of place where you can disappear for a quiet afternoon of reading or a nice meal alone or with a travel companion. There are two other Camino a Comala cafés in the city, but this one's the best.
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.
Named the country's top chef by the Mexican Gastronomical Council in 2019, young chef Gabriela Ruíz helms this handsome space with a high "living" green ceiling in fashionable Lomas de Chapultepec. Offering inventive interpretations on recipes she grew up with in her native Tabasco, Ruíz wows diners with complexly flavored dishes like goose pâté with a guava compote or beef tongue in a traditional puchero (stew) with plantains and malanga root.
For more than 60 years, the shop Aquí es Oaxaca has anchored this block of Calle Santísima that serves as Centro's unofficial Little Oaxaca, selling tamales as well as the mole pastes and cured meats known in the region. When visitors started asking for full meals, Casa Nela was born, and so up a distressingly narrow flight of spiral stairs you'll find Oaxacan classics served in surprisingly peaceful surroundings.
When you're seeking a calm break from the bustle of the big city, have a seat in this dainty and diminutive tearoom with white painted walls, a brick ceiling, and shelves piled high with beautiful teacups, kettles, and bins of tea. You'll find an impressive array of tea blends as well as yerba mate, and a staff who prepares every drink with great care—in fact, the shop offers classes in tea tasting.
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).
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
