972 Best Restaurants in Mexico

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.

This sprawling, open-air restaurant in an affluent neighborhood northeast of downtown has a lush garden setting that makes it a perfect choice for a relaxing meal on a balmy day, of which there are many in Cuernavaca. The farm-to-table-inspired menu features a mix of classic and contemporary dishes, such as shrimp tacos with a mildly spicy sambal salsa, aguachile with tangy passionfruit sauce, or pasta with classic fettuccine carbonara.

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.

Chef Alejandro Ruiz is behind some of the most creative food in southern Mexico—rack of lamb in pineapple-and-vanilla sauce and venison tamales with mole are just a few examples. Wild game is featured heavily on the menu, though the kitchen also has a way with red snapper. Not one course falls short here: appetizers incorporate local herbs and greens, and desserts such as a guava tart with rose-petal sorbet perfectly balance citrus and sweetness. The specialty cocktails are excellent, especially the sangria. The room is modern, open, airy, with white stucco walls, simple wooden tables and chairs, and a beamed ceiling. It's casual and effortlessly romantic. The restaurant shares a building with one of the finest art galleries in town, Galería Quetzalli, so you can browse after you eat.

This quietly sophisticated hotel restaurant has an open-air dining room connected to a deck overlooking the water. A northern Italian menu includes wonderful carpaccio di tonno alla Giorgio (thin slices of tuna with extra-virgin olive oil and lime juice), along with excellent pastas. Even the simplest dishes, such as angel-hair pasta in tomato sauce, are delicious. For something different, try the seafood risotto or costolette d'agnello al forno (lamb chops with a thyme infusion). The sunset views, of course, are spectacular. Tables are set with beautiful linens, china, and cutlery, making Casa Rolandi the most upscale and romantic restaurant on the island.

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 midsize enclave is sure to satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth, particularly those fond of well-crafted French crepes. Try the orange-flavored Suzette or, if you're a chocolate fan, the full-on Tahitian with ice cream, chocolate, and whipped cream. They also have savory crepes and occasionally hold a moules et frites (mussels and french fries) night for seafood lovers.

Dining at Casamarte offers the quintessential La Paz experience: truly nothing can beat slurping back raw oysters and chocolate clams while people watching on the malecón at sunset. Though the menu is pretty diverse, the seafood (and the raw bar, especially) is what you come for.

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.

Céline's fresh-baked breads and pastries honor France, especially exquisite desserts like the classic dark chocolate cake and bold vanilla crème brûlée. Classic bistro fare—including quiche Lorraine and flavorful croques madames—make for a light lunch comme il faut. For a light, sweet breakfast or snack, don't miss the parfait with chia and red fruit coulis. Street-side tables on 5th Avenue are great for people-watching. Chez Céline stays open until 11 pm daily, and there's free Wi-Fi for patrons.

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).

Chiles and Beer serves quick (or not) meals throughout the day, to be washed down with—you guessed it—beer. Their burgers are big and tasty, but it's the seafood that stands out, particularly the aguachile, a type of Mexican ceviche that hails from Sinaloa. The classic version is made with fresh raw shrimp or fish, cucumber, red onion, lime juice, and chilies that have been pulverized with water—hence the name.

One of Sayulita's pioneer restaurants has really gotten spiffy, beautifying its terrace restaurant with mosaic tile accents. BLTs and burgers, omelets and bagels, chicken with rice, and chai tea are some of what you'll find here, along with a good selection of vegetarian dishes. Service isn't fast, in keeping with laid-back Sayulita's surfer attitude. This perennial favorite across from the main square is almost always full of people eating and loafing. 

This festive and always packed spot has been a mainstay for sweet tooths since 1935. The best plan is to share an order or two of long, crispy churros with at least two dipping sauces (condensed milk, chocolate, and—maybe the best—cajeta are your options), along with a churro ice-cream sandwich. The interior has white-tile walls with intricate blue patterns, simple light-wood tables, and bright lighting. There are milk shakes and hot chocolate drinks, too, in case you're somehow still craving sugar. There are numerous additional locations around the city, and the owners also run a lively roast-chicken-focused fast-casual restaurant, Pollos Poncho, a block away on Álvaro Obregón.

Set in a beautiful, open-air space with enchanting terraces, gardens, and views of Cholula's famous pyramid and church, which is just a block away, this is one of the town's most romantic destinations for any meal of the day---it's open from early in the morning until late (except for Sunday, when it closes at 6). The menu focuses mostly on modern interpretations of Mexican favorites like chiles en nogada (which can be prepared vegetarian on request) and chicken enchiladas bathed in a rich mole poblano, but some pastas and international dishes are served, too.

Begin the evening at The Club Grill with a special cocktail at the champagne bar before ordering from a continental menu that includes starters like beef tartar and mains like roasted duck with tequila and agave honey sauce; a multicourse tasting menu, paired with boutique Mexican wines, is available, too. For dessert, try one of the signature soufflés—chocolate, coconut cream, or Grand Marnier. Enjoy live jazz music nightly.

Led by two-Michelin-starred chef Sidney Schutte, the signature restaurant at Grand Velas is turning heads for its 10-course tasting menu that’s as impressive on presentation as it is on taste. Each bite is a mini-explosion in your mouth—not to be confused with molecular gastronomy (according to the chef himself). You might try a tuna bubble with jalapeño, beef with dehydrated quinoa, or chicken crisps with rosemary sprigs. Courses are served on beds of rocks and sea salt or presented in a way that will leave you asking, “How did he do that?” Desserts are sinfully divine, like the chocolate flourless cake with banana served three ways. Reservations are required at this fine-dining restaurant. The tasting menu with wine pairing is available to all resort guests at no additional charge as part of the all-inclusive rate.

Baja Californian chef Raul Soto delivers an elevated culinary experience at Cocina del Mar, the elegant restaurant in the exquisite Esperanza Resort. Using daily market ingredients and focusing on simple seafood, Soto presents inventive dishes such as charred octopus, grilled Kumiai oysters, or the zarandeado-style blue colossal shrimp. Comondu lamb chops are accompanied by salsa verde, pink guava, and ember-roasted onion. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the waiter delivers a mango and passion fruit sorbet that will leave you wanting for more. Opt for a table on the cliffs where waves crash so close, you can feel the spray.

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.

Read the sign on wall that asks, “Do you oyster?” and then dive into a culinary journey that blends an alfresco shell bar with local sparkling wines. Bypass the à la carte options of poke, and shellfish tostadas (although equally delicious), and go straight for the seven-course tasting menu ($100) that makes this place one to brag about. You’ll be shaking your head in amazement with oysters on the half shell, clam ceviche, seared abalone, and tempura oyster tacos. The vineyard view takes it up a notch, with communal tables under market lights, and an open kitchen where you can watch the chef top dishes with steaming chili butter and crunchy pork belly chicharrones. If you know your oysters, you’ll be treated to only the finest species of pai pai, chignon, and kumiai. Bring your phone because this place is definitely Instagram worthy. 

Although best known for the artisanal mezcals produced by its widely known and well-regarded Conejo en La Luna label, this bustling restaurant with a long, covered patio is a great option for grabbing a meal before or after your time visiting the adjacent pyramids. It's one of the area's better breakfast options, with a nice range of classic Mexican egg and chilaquiles dishes, and later in the day you can enjoy hearty fare like lamb barbecue (on weekends only), escamoles (ant larvae) sauteed in herb butter, and tacos filled with cecina (locally produced cured beef). It's open until 6 on weekdays and 7 on weekends, making a potential early-dinner option after exploring the ruins. There's a second location in CDMX's Condesa neighborhood.

Come before 1 pm or make an online reservation to avoid the long wait at this airy seafood haven, a power-lunch spot for the creative and celebrity sets since it opened in 1998 (there's often less of a wait for the casual outside tables). While the people-watching is prime, your attention will be on the food: start with the famed tuna tartare tostadas, then try some fish cooked al pastor or a bowl of clam chowder, minced soft-shell crab or octopus tacos, or the huge butterflied pescado Contramar with red chile. Be sure to save room for dessert, too (the banana pie is memorable). And there are few better places to enjoy the Mexican tradition of sobremesa, lingering over drinks and conversation after a meal.

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.