7 Best Restaurants in Mexico

Cafe D'Priss offers great coffee and breakfast; their waffles are the best in town. Portions are reasonable and prices are low, making it a favorite among locals and visitors.

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.

A serene tropical garden lies behind the unremarkable facade of this coffee bar on the busy road into Las Brisas hotel zone. The long list of caffeinated options are Big American franchise quality at about half the price. It opens at 8 am for breakfast; the offerings range from the healthy (fruit-granola-yogurt combos) to the hearty (chilaquiles). Come back later for the desserts, which include the good (carrot cake), the bad (ice cream), and the wicked (tres leches cake). You can score a beer, too.

Originally a coffee-and-dessert stop and fashionable hangout for Mascotans, this snug little eatery serves big breakfasts and now main dishes at lunch and dinner, too. Sit on the small street-facing patio, in the small dining room, or facing the glass case featuring fantastic-looking cakes, pies, and tarts. You can get wine and beer as well as pizza, barbecue, spaghetti, and other Italian food.

This lively street-side café-bakery-restaurant is a hub for locals, visitors, and those passing through; everything you need to know is being passed around by word of mouth here. Almost always full but with speedy service, the restaurant is best known for its hearty breakfasts, Mexican specialties such as enchiladas and quesadillas, aguas de frutas (fruit water), and reliable Wi-Fi. Kid-friendly chow such as hamburgers and spaghetti plus sturdy high chairs make it extra appealing to families with toddlers. The daily special is an especially good deal. Popular bakery items include fruit-filled pastries, whole-wheat bread, and cinnamon buns. There's another branch—slightly spiffier but minus the view—on La Rinconada

There's no kids' menu, but you get 30% off on half orders of any dish.

If you need a break from seafood, this small, sophisticated café serves outstanding coffee, Mexican breakfasts, and classic burgers for lunch. They have live music during the week.

If you are a pastry lover ... then heaven awaits. Every single one is a delicacy, although the sticky buns and scones have a particular fan following. Expect long lines every morning, but it's because each cup of coffee is made fresh.