972 Best Restaurants in Mexico

Chilaquiles, pancakes, waffles, baked goods, omelets … whatever you want for breakfast, they have it. This Nuevo Vallarta newcomer has been a total success and a great excuse to leave your nearby hotel to eat good food any given morning. It tends to be full on Sunday, so reservations are a good idea.

The menu here is as an encyclopedic take on Yucatecan cuisine, with everything from salbutes to start to manjar blanco (a milk-based delicacy) for dessert. Before sitting down to eat in the courtyard or one of the rooms that open onto it, explore the modest displays on regional food in the colonial-style building and Maya-style houses in the garden. There are also cooking demonstrations, including those using the traditional method for cooking cochinita pibil, buried in a pit in the ground.

The menu of this sleek corner space with striking ceramics and statuary lining the walls celebrates the flavorful cuisine of the scenic mountain town of Malinalco, about 70 miles southwest of Mexico City. Some of the more interesting dishes include a starter of chilacayote squash with mint and citrus and a yellow-tomato pico de gallo salsa, and a main dish pork ribs served with a rich red mole sauce.

One of the first purely vegan options in the area, this hidden spot serves more South Asian fusion rather than the traditional Indian fare that's advertised. Still, it’s a great option for vegans, with very affordable prices, a lively color scheme featuring brightly painted peach and turquoise walls, and five white tables alongside the kitchen. The restaurant looks out onto Jardín Mascarones Park.

The cavernous space, lined in red brick, makes the restaurant look rather generic, but it's actually family-owned and run and oh-so-personable. Try the regional dishes like goat stew and enchiladas, pizza, or a daily special such as beef tongue or jocoque (strained yogurt). It's named for the small town 14 km (9 miles) from Mascota, not the Christmas holiday, which is the only day this restaurant closes. 

There are always lines out the door at Neveria Güero Güero Güera Güera, where you can get a huge cup of cacahuate (peanut), fresa (strawberry), or more than a dozen other flavors of ice cream for only a buck. Locals say the name came about when the owner used to shout güero and güera, meaning blond-haired man or woman, to catch the attention of passing foreigners.

Throughout the day, Condesa's traditional Mexican ice-cream parlor—and its several other locations around the city—packs in kids and hipsters alike with its nieve (sorbet) flavors like maracuyá (passionfruit) and tuna (prickly pear cactus fruit) and its helado (ice cream) flavors, including rompope (eggnog) and macadamia. Popular since it opened in 1946, it's distinctly old-school, with teal vinyl chairs, white tables, and bright fluorescent lights, but the quality is first-rate. Roxy enjoys a friendly competition with another beloved ice-cream chain, Tepoznieves.

Cabo San Lucas's original sushi restaurant, Nicksan has remained a go-to date night and celebration location for over 30 years. Owner Angel Carbajal is an artist behind the sushi counter (he also owns fishing boats that collect fish each day), having been mentored by Masayuki Niikura (one of the first-ever Japanese chefs to prepare spicy tuna), and his creative Japanese-Mexican fusion dishes, nicknamed “Nicksan style,” expertly balance the culinary traditions of Japan with the unique flavors of Mexico. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekend nights and during high season. Otherwise, be prepared for a wait.

For fresh, inventive sushi, there's no question that the Nicksan franchise corners the market, and this outpost in The Shoppes at Palmilla shopping mall wins the prize. Pair wine or sake with each of your selections, perhaps the lobster roll (with cilantro, mango, mustard, and curry oil), lobster sambal (marinated in sake with soy, ginger, and garlic), or tuna tostadas served on rice crackers with avocado.

This bustling café open for breakfast and dinner, with a few sidewalk tables and an art deco aesthetic turns out tasty, globally influenced victuals throughout the day, including bagels and lox, eggs shakshuka, chilaquiles, and fluffy pancakes with a rotating array of toppings in the morning to a variety of creative sandwiches, pastas, and salads later in the day. There's also an impressive array of pastries, desserts, and espresso drinks as well as mimosas and other cocktails.

Covered by a nestlike dome and surrounded by espejos de agua (water mirrors), the Viceroy's sophisticated, design-forward restaurant impresses with its truly unique setting. The menu is equally original, with an eclectic mix of Japanese delicacies, Mexican fusion creations, and a gourmet raw bar. Start with a shrimp kimchi aguachile; continue with the robatayaki al pastor, and end this fascinating culinary experience with an omakase for two that is a true revelation.

All of the delicious homemade ice cream at this popular, eco-conscious dessert spot is served in waffle cones or bowls with edible spoons---no plastics or inorganic materials are used here. There are always about a dozen flavors on hand, including seasonal specials like cempasúchil (marigold) and pineapple-basil as well as regular favorites like lemon pie and marzipan.

Owned by a couple of expats, this cute restaurant just half a block from the malecón is a hidden gem in Puerto Vallarta's crowded dining scene. Every dish is unique in its own way and no matter if it's the soup of the day or the Korean bulgogi steak, they all look amazing. Come for lunch and stay all afternoon for the cocktails.

One of two (the other is in Polanco) Mexico City locations of the famous, see-and-be-seen Nobu Japanese restaurant empire, this stylish space with soaring ceilings, a long sushi bar, and plush booths is in the affluent Arcos Bosques complex, between Santa Fe and Lomas Altas. Signature dishes from the extensive menu include salmon tataki with cilantro sauce, a Peruvian-style tiradito of Japanese scallops, grilled black cod with miso, and gyozas filled with wagyu and foie gras.

Sitting pretty as one of the world's most famous high-end restaurant chains, Nobu exudes luxury and cool. The Los Cabos location features the classic menu by namesake chef Nobu Matsuhisa---traditional Japanese cuisine fused with Peruvian flavors---as well as specialty plates inspired by ingredients local to the region. Despite the hefty per-item price, most dishes are served as small plates and designed to share, so be prepared to order (and spend) quite a bit. Opt for an omakase experience where the waiter and chef hand-select the best compilation of bites based on your preferences.

Although it's open all day, this sparkling little coffee shop is best known for its breakfasts. This branch opened after the success of the original eatery in downtown Zihuatanejo. It's both more polished and more endearing, yet serves the same deli-style fresh Mexican food that's been served for 30 years at the original restaurant. Sit at the counter, at the varnished wood tables with six swivel chairs, or in the tiny booths. Options include fresh fruit juices, coconut milk shakes, banana splits, omelets, enchiladas, salads, soup, and tortas (sandwiches on large, crusty rolls with beans, avocado, and cheese).

If you’ve been dreaming about Oaxacan cuisine, but don’t have the time to travel there, this authentic restaurant that serves up breakfast, lunch, and early dinners is the next best thing. Service can be a bit chaotic but always friendly, and the quality of the food makes up for any wait. It tends to get very busy for lunch, and that crowd spills out of the eatery's brick walls onto the sidewalk.

Based on seating availability alone, this is, without question, the most popular restaurant in Cabo San Lucas. Day and night, the place is packed, thanks to its well-prepared and well-portioned seafood-based menu and drinks, as well as its history of being the first-ever palapa to grace Médano Beach's sandy shore. It's a bit touristy, for sure, but the near-perfect views of El Arco and the merry atmosphere make up for it.

On busy weeknights, it seems everyone in Puerto Escondido wants to eat here. Originally created to serve backpackers at the hostel of the same name, the restaurant began drawing food fans willing to make the pilgrimage across town to enjoy its winning combination of expertly prepared cuisine, good value, and fun vibe. The eco-friendly decor and contemporary menu are inspired by the music of the 1960s and '70s, so expect to see dishes such as "Groovy Chicken" or "Give Peace a Chance" (a generous portion of fresh dorado breaded with toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds and slathered with chili aioli). Sides include tabbouleh salad, crispy browned baby potatoes, and local greens. The eclectic menu has lots of vegetarian choices, pizzas, and pastas—all served with flair.

A second-story restaurant that overlooks the activity of La Crucecita's zócalo, Onix is emblematic of the high-concept development that has sprung up around Huatulco to complement its luxury resorts. Options on the ambitious menu include lobster with four butters, fragrant with local flavors such as epazote and chipotle. The wine selection is better than average.

A modern, warmly lit neighborhood spot, Ostería 8 uses mostly organic, regional ingredients in its handmade pastas and thin-crust pizzas. The pie topped with jamón Serrano, mascarpone, and fresh arugula is a favorite, while tagliatelle pasta with guanciale, wild mushrooms, garlic, and white wine shine among the pastas. Save room for the warm chocolate pudding.

If a restaurant could be an "It Girl," the queen bee of Todos Santos would be Oystera. The historic building that houses it---the town's oldest (former) sugar mill---is covered with lush, elegant ivy and the oysters here are some of the best you'll find in Baja. The greenery climbs inward, with a mountain of ferns topping the interior bar, and then outward, as patio seating overlooks the beautiful gardens and palm groves of the Todos Santos oasis. But she's more than just a pretty face: Michelin Guide agrees, having recently recommended Oystera in their first-ever Mexico Guide.

A charming little place perfect for lunch or early dinner, Pakaa specializes in Portuguese cuisine, though, of course, it’s not uncommon to find a serrano pepper and some salsas on the table (this is Mexico after all). With a bright and welcoming atmosphere inside, it also has outdoor seating along a relaxed stretch of San Rafael.

Playa de Hornos, a popular stretch of sand south of the Acuario de Veracruz, is lined with thatch-roof seafood shacks. They all serve basically the same thing: fish cooked any way you like it. This place, with a giant neon sailfish positioned on the roof, is among the closest to the aquarium and one of the best. Grab a table in the open-air dining room or one under an umbrella along the surf.

This bakery just a few blocks north of Parque Santa Ana is a great place to start your day with a light breakfast of a pastry and a coffee. It has a small garden and plenty of seating if you want to linger for awhile at your laptop. The decor is an inviting updated colonial style with pasta-tile floors and more contemporary touches, such as the steel staircase leading up to the second-story seating. You'll only wish it didn't close so early—at 1 pm during the week and 2 pm on the weekends.