A roasted poblano chile stuffed with picadillo of pork, beef, apple, pear, peach, almonds and raisins, topped with a creamy walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds. The green, white and red colors echo the Mexican flag.
Where to eat it: 9 restaurants across 2 cities.
Chiles en nogada were created in 1821 by the Augustinian nuns of the Convento de Santa Monica in Puebla, in honour of Agustin de Iturbide passing through after the signing of the Plan de Iguala. The dish's three colors match the Mexican tricolor flag, which is why the dish is the patriotic-season specialty served late July through early September. The 1821 origin is documented and the dish is now obligatory across Mexico City's traditional Mexican kitchens during the patriotic season.
Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.
Guided tour · 4 hours
Explore La Merced and Sonora Market, two of Mexico City’s most fascinating and authentic markets, while tasting local food and discovering the...
Guided tour · 9 hours
Discover the tequila route. A day full of learning and fun where you'll discover its ancient culture and the secrets to identifying a 100% agave...
Guided tour · 2h 30m
Taste the real traditional food at Oaxaca's markets, which are some of the best places to try traditional Oaxacan cuisine. Try local Oaxacan food and...
Guided tour · 5 hours
Embark on an exciting bus ride to the local home and learn how to cook up a traditional menu. Visit the main market to pick out fresh ingredients for...
Common allergens: Tree nuts, Dairy
Tip from the editors. The walnut sauce must be very smooth; soak and skin the walnuts properly or the sauce will be bitter. Serve cold sauce over warm chile, not hot.
El Cardenal in Mexico City is the Briz family's 1969 Centro Historico room on Palma, the traditional Mexican breakfast institution where hot chocolate.
OrderThe hot chocolate with pan de nata; chiles en nogada when in season July to September.
TipOpen 08:00-18:00; the Centro location seats four floors and still queues by 09:30 on Sunday morning.
Azul Historico in Mexico City is chef Ricardo Munoz Zurita's Centro Historico courtyard kitchen at the Downtown Mexico hotel, the regional Mexican mole.
OrderMole negro from Oaxaca; cochinita pibil tacos; an agua fresca de la temporada.
TipThe open courtyard table closest to the fountain is the seat; brunch lasts till 17:00 weekends. Walk-ins land most weekdays.
San Angel Inn in Mexico City is the 1692 hacienda turned restaurant in San Angel, a courtyard-and-garden colonial room where Saturday brunch sits.
OrderChiles en nogada (July to September); a Margarita Sabra.
Nicos in Mexico City is chef Gerardo Vazquez Lugo's family-run Azcapotzalco kitchen on Cuitlahuac, the slow-cook Mexican room ranked on the Latin America 50.
OrderThe mole almendrado; the sopa seca de natas casserole.
Book1 week ahead
TipClosed Sunday dinner and Monday; lunch is when the slow-cooked moles peak.
El Mural de los Poblanos on 16 de Septiembre pours three moles at once in Puebla: the 26-ingredient house recipe, mole de Xico and mole de Quimixtlan.
Book3 to 7 days ahead
TipMole plates run between 245 and 395 pesos, and the Encuentro de Moles in May adds guest recipes from outside Puebla.
Augurio is chef Angel Vazquez's Pueblan dining room on 9 Oriente, added to the 2026 Michelin Guide selection and built around a six-mole tasting in Puebla.
WineMexican labels chosen to sit against mole
FoodFull Pueblan menu
TipSommelier Gina de la Mora builds the list around the six-mole tasting, which is a harder pairing job than it sounds.
Restaurante Casareyna holds a 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand in Puebla, serving a four-mole tasting plate under Talavera vaults on Privada 2 Oriente.
Book2 to 5 days ahead
TipMole plates land between 205 and 245 pesos, which is what the 2026 Bib Gourmand is recognising more than the dining room.
Restaurante La Noria works the grounds of an old hacienda in Puebla, cooking mole, pipian and huazontles, plus chiles en nogada from July to September.
Book1 week in nogada season ahead
TipFrom July to September the hacienda fills with chiles en nogada bookings, so reserve at least a week out in August.
Salon Mezcalli sits in Barrio de Analco in Puebla, matching manchamanteles con lechon and mixiote de cordero with a wall of artisanal agave distillates.
Book2 to 4 days ahead
TipBudget 500 to 600 pesos a head, and let the bar pour the agave flight rather than ordering mezcal by the label.
More cities are in research. Want chiles en nogada covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.
