972 Best Restaurants in Mexico

Though the architecture looks a little strange from the street, this five-story rooftop restaurant is sexy as hell. Bring your bathing suit, because select counter seating comes with a private plunge pool, along with a cheeky-chic, golden framed button that instructs you to "Press for Champagne." With expansive ocean views, this is a great spot to take a date or meet up with friends. Food is served from 8 am until 10:30 pm.

Sky-high prices are justified by the sky of stars above your head as you dine at this romantic bay-side restaurant. Hanging lanterns, a glowing blue pool, and a sleek lounge complete the scene. The menu is ambitious and international, highlighting lobster, shrimp, and fish tartare. Although at times the views can seem to outshine the cuisine, the service is always top-notch.

Photos and paintings of old Hollywood pinup models share decor space with a large stone Buddha at this Swedish-owned restaurant that serves up a surprising, tasty mix of Asian and European food. It's known for local, interesting fare cooked to order and made with only the freshest ingredients (including sauces handmade every day by the owners). If you're here for Asian cuisine, try the tom kha gai coconut soup, pad Thai with handmade noodles, or one of the popular curries, then wash it all down with a refreshing lemonade, blended with ice and mint. For something European, you can't go wrong with the Swedish meatballs (after all, the owners are Swedish). For an unusual but tasty take on egg rolls, try the goat cheese rolls dipped in passion-fruit sauce. Vegetarians will find about 80% of the menu can be made meat-free. And if you're looking for the biggest—and possibly best—daiquiris in town, you'll find them at the bar here, piled high and always made with real fruit. Low-season travelers take note: this restaurant usually closes in October.

This long-loved Pescadero roaster, known to produce some of the area's best gourmet coffee drinks using beans from the Sierra Norte mountains, has finally opened a location in downtown Todos Santos! The owners, committed to giving back to their community, have pledged to donate a significant portion of their profits from the new café to local charities. The original location (Highway 19 at Km 63 in El Pescadero) is still worth a visit on Sunday, when they serve brunch with a farmer's market and live music.

A branch of the established San José del Cabo microbrewery, this rooftop cantina has eight styles of beer on tap plus whichever additional seasonal brews are available—order a sampler to try a taste of each. A menu of classic pub fare is available for dining, with special emphasis on their "famous" beer pizzas; the dough is made daily from spent barley, yeast, and beer. The marlin empanadas are also a great snack or appetizer. Whether you're a beer fan or not, the open-air venue and excellent view make this a place worth stopping by.

Baja's popular brewery is right in the middle of San José del Cabo's Art District. Fun and upbeat, this brewpub has great music and serves filling pub meals. Craft burgers, mixed greens, and mesquite-fired pizzas—and more elegant entrées such as tuna tartare and shrimp tacos—should be accompanied with a pint of any of 12 special San José cervezas, along with seasonal offerings, all brewed within sight of the bar and restaurant. Another branch of the brewery is located on the rooftop of the Cabovillas Resort in Cabo San Lucas.

At a restaurant known colloquially as "La Pergola" due to its lovely location under one in Baja Club's garden, executive chef Panagiotis Vounos prepares Mediterranean cuisine inspired by his native Greece with a touch of French flair (it's where he received his training and worked before moving to La Paz). When it comes to beverages, however, that's all Mexico: the wine is sourced exclusively from Valle de Guadalupe, and Baja Club was the first establishment to officially collaborate with GUAYCURA Damiana Liqueur to create hyperlocal craft cocktail recipes.

Every detail here evokes the streets of Buenos Aires, right down to the cobblestone floors, the dramatic tango music, and the walls adorned with antique bandoneons (concertinas). Although the star offering is steak, the broad menu also features starters like smoked marlin and charcoal-grilled provolone cheese and mains that include pasta, fish, and chicken dishes. The sizzling rib eye is extremely tender (though health-conscious diners should request a leaner cut), and if you have room, order the brandy-soaked cake roll with caramel filling for dessert.   With 160 seats, this place can be a bit chaotic; reservations are recommended Thursday through Saturday.

Duck into this minimalist-chic third-wave coffeehouse for a hot or cold sip to take with you on your walk to the Zona Arqueológica de Cholula. Baguette sandwiches, salads, and other light fare is served alongside a menu of coffee and espresso featuring locally roasted beans.

One of the best all-around restaurants in El Centro, this place offers great food and excellent service. The paella Valenciana has no equal in the Banderas Bay area, and if you come for the tapas then you can't miss the spicy garlic shrimp or the Galician-style octopus. The restaurant is air-conditioned in summer; the rest of the year the windows are taken off to let the breeze in.

Don't be fooled by the white plastic tables and chairs—the seafood at this open-air eatery easily rivals that at fancier places in town. Hunker down with a cold beer and a bowl of sopa de ostión (a spicy oyster stew), then move on to pulpo encebollado (octopus cooked with onions, butter, and garlic) or the house specialty, camarones a la diabla (a spicy concoction of grilled shrimp and chilies). You may be tempted to make a meal of the chips and salsa.

Barramar Beach Club is both the best beach club in town and one of the very best restaurants in the whole Barra de Navidad–Melaque area. Locals come for the swimming pool and stay for the seafood.

This small, marina-side dining room and cozy bar has been a popular high-season hangout since 1992. Dark polished woods contrast with bright white linens, and bottles of wine are shelved on walls painted with trompe-l'oeil scenes. A canopy-sheltered deck overlooks the marina. Among the best dishes on the northern Italian menu are minestrone soup, caprese salad (with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella), fish fillet (usually red snapper or mahimahi) with a champagne sauce, and chicken cacciatore. Many of the pastas are made in-house. Enjoy the personalized attention of the owner and all-around excellent service.

Quite a few CDMX restaurants do upscale Italian food well, but this romantic, warmly lighted trattoria stands out for serving some of the finest pizzas around. Each thin-crust pie is crisped to perfection in the wood-fired oven on view at the front of the dining room—the pie layered lavishly with burrata and prosciutto is worth the splurge. You'll also find plenty of other contemporary Italian offerings of note, including beef carpaccio with white truffle oil and lobster risotto.

This cherished Zona Rosa spot (open daily from 1 pm to 7 pm) has been in service for more than 100 years and its partially covered hacienda-style courtyard at the back, set off by an ivy-laden wall and fountain, is still a midday magnet for executives and tourists alike. A veritable army of waiters scurries back and forth serving tried-and-true Mexican favorites. Two slightly more luxe branches don't have the same historic charm, but the closest, Casa Bell (Praga 14, Zona Rosa), a courtyard restaurant ringed by dozens of caged chirping birds, is a must on a sunny afternoon.

Revolving slowly on the 45th floor of the World Trade Center, Bellini maintains a formal, reserved character. While it's definitely known less for its food than the views (romantically twinkling city lights at night and a pair of volcanoes on a clear day), it's still worth the dining experience, especially for its beloved osso buco and French onion soup. Despite the name, most dishes here aren't Italian but rather Mexican and international, with lobster as the specialty. Colonia Nápoles is a lovely residential neighborhood south of La Condesa and La Roma, and across Insurgentes Avenue from Del Valle Centro.

Just around the corner from the famed Moorish Kiosk, this open-air coffee and tea spot also specializes in fresh pastries. Specializing in Mexican coffee, it’s also a place to go and buy a bottle of mezcal, cacao, local honey, and even artisanal Mexican beers. It’s hard to miss, with bright jaguar murals painted along its maroon-color walls. It’s a young scene, and you’ll be treated to local gossip if you take a seat at the bar.

This open-air locale charms with its curated selection of wines and vermouths along with delicious mocktails and coffee drinks. With a small menu of tapas-inspired snacks, it is a nice place to hang out solo for a while or meet up with friends. Local ceramics and artwork are for sale and it opens up to the street with outdoor and indoor seating options.

Located right at Playa Punta Lobos, this is a brilliant place to grab an elegant, beachside bite. Recently recognized by Michelin Guide, Benno serves a mix of Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine, with every dish crafted from local ingredients. The sommelier is among the most friendly and knowledgeable in town, providing great pairing recommendations with an emphasis on organic and biodynamic wines. The drive out here (down a barren, unlit dirt road) can feel a little hairy after dark, so while it's a lovely place to see the sunset, plan accordingly.

If you want to try birria de chivo, a delicious goat or beef stew very popular in Jalisco, Birriería Robles is the place to go. With four different branches in Puerto Vallarta, the Robles family has based its success on keeping the menu simple and focusing on serving the best birria in town.  

Set in the back of a small but posh contemporary shopping arcade overlooking a tranquil formal garden just off Plaza del Carmen, chic Bistro 83 is a go-to for lavish contemporary Euro-Mexican fare, such as escargot sautéed in garlic butter, grilled red snapper with a lemon-caper sauce, and tuna tartare tostadas with a soy-ginger marinade. During the day, enjoy a drawn-out feast on the classy patio.

Here you'll find everything you would expect from a petite bistro: an intimate environment open to the street, comforting food, good music that's not too loud, and excellent French wines. Start by ordering the house specialty, hailing from Lyon, France: fish quenelles with your choice of various sauces. A popular main dish is the carne bourguignonne, beef cooked in red wine and butter with bacon and mushrooms. If there's room for dessert, try the clafoutis, a French custard with cherries.

New-kid-on-the-block Biznaga is one of La Paz's trendiest restaurants, and a top spot for young, cool locals to gather. Its splashy design and solid mixology is garnering even more praise than its bites, but you won't leave disappointed or hungry if you order a selection of starters and tacos for the table.

The Blue Shrimp is a beautiful beachfront thatched-roof palapa restaurant right on the heart of the Zona Romántica. This is one of the go-to place for expats living in the area and tourists who want to try the famous Mexican seafood cuisine. The Blue Shrimp serves delicious dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and some of the best cocktails in PV. For lunch, you may want to try the Campechano Cocktail, which comes with a mix of shrimp and octopus, while the lobster enchiladas are a must for dinner.

An excellent traditional Mexican seafood restaurant, Boca del Mar is just steps from the sea. The food is extraordinary (you can also take it to go) but the service is even better.

Equal parts artisan bakery, leisurely hangout, and all-day café, this airy space on a picturesque Roma corner has two large and lushly landscaped dining areas and serves an array of enticing international treats. Start the day with blueberry pancakes or a hearty plate of chilaquiles verdes; later in the day, consider a classic bacon-gouda cheeseburger on a fluffy brioche bun or a slice of the flavorful vegetarian lasagna. Smoothies and craft beers are among the standouts from the extensive beverage menu.

Sitting on a quiet corner on a residential street, Branca Parilla is stunning both inside and out. It's snazzy enough to dress up a bit, but casual enough not to worry about it if you’re not. The bar is stacked and the waiters are knowledgeable.

The only gastronomic brewery in Chapala, it offers craft beer and delicious food including burgers, burritos, tacos, and salads.

You'll find one of Roma's prettiest dining rooms—with high brick walls and lush greenery set around a two-story interior courtyard with plenty of natural sunlight—in this moderately upscale and somewhat unassuming restaurant that turns out excellent globally influenced bistro fare. Consider the Vietnamese shrimp dumplings in a fragrant soy-shiitake sauce or tuna tartare tostadas to start, before choosing among the soft-shell-crab tacos, grilled Pacific snapper, or rabbit carnitas among the mains. There's a very nice cocktail and wine list, too.