20 casual dining worth the trip across Mexico, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Mexico guides.
Contramar ★ 4.9 · Mexico City
roma-norte · Calle de Durango 200, Roma Norte, Cuauhtemoc, 06700 Ciudad de Mexico
Contramar in Mexico City is the Gabriela Camara-run Durango Street seafood room in Roma Norte since 1998, the lunch-only kitchen that built its name on the tuna tostada and the split-color pescado a la talla.
Tip: Open lunch only; lines start at 13:00. Walk-ins land easier on Mondays than mid-week.
El Cardenal Centro ★ 4.6 · Mexico City
centro-historico · Calle de la Palma 23, Centro Historico, Cuauhtemoc, 06000 Ciudad de Mexico
El Cardenal Centro in Mexico City is the Briz family's 1969 Centro Historico breakfast room on Palma, the Sunday-morning institution where hot chocolate is frothed tableside with raw-milk nata.
Tip: Sunday brunch fills by 09:30; arrive at opening at 08:00 to avoid the wait. Three other branches across the city.
Molino El Pujol ★ 4.6 · Mexico City
condesa · Sinaloa 217, Hipodromo Condesa, Cuauhtemoc, 06170 Ciudad de Mexico
Molino El Pujol in Mexico City is Enrique Olvera's Condesa heirloom-corn cafe on Sinaloa, the daytime molino that grinds native maize for tlacoyos, tortillas and tamales open to the public.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to 18:00. The blue-corn tortillas to take home are sold in stacks at the counter; the public is welcome to watch the milling.
Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre ★ 4.6 · Mexico City
roma-norte · Yucatan 84, Roma Norte, Cuauhtemoc, 06700 Ciudad de Mexico
Expendio de Maiz in Mexico City is chef Jesus Salas' tiny no-reservations heirloom-corn counter in Roma Norte, the kitchen that built its name on native masa from Oaxaca and Tlaxcala.
Tip: Ten counter seats; no reservations. Open Wed-Sun 13:00 to 19:00; arrive at opening with cash.
Lardo ★ 4.5 · Mexico City
condesa · Agustin Melgar 6, Condesa, Cuauhtemoc, 06140 Ciudad de Mexico
Lardo in Mexico City is Elena Reygadas' all-day Condesa room on Agustin Melgar since 2015, the Mediterranean wood-fired sister of Rosetta that runs from morning eggs to late dinner pasta.
Tip: Open from breakfast; the corner-window two-tops fill first. Walks-ins easier at 11:00 weekdays than 14:00.
Lalo! ★ 4.5 · Mexico City
roma-norte · Zacatecas 173, Roma Norte, Cuauhtemoc, 06700 Ciudad de Mexico
Lalo in Mexico City is chef Eduardo Garcia's all-day Roma Norte counter on Zacatecas since 2014, the Maximo Bistrot casual sister with communal tables and breakfast that runs to noon.
Tip: Walks-ins only; arrive before 09:00 weekends or expect a wait. Closed for full service Sunday afternoon.
Azul Condesa ★ 4.5 · Mexico City
condesa · Nuevo Leon 68, Hipodromo Condesa, Cuauhtemoc, 06170 Ciudad de Mexico
Azul Condesa in Mexico City is chef Ricardo Munoz Zurita's Condesa room on Nuevo Leon, the regional Mexican kitchen that tours a different Mexican state on a rotating menu every month.
Tip: Closed Sunday dinner; the rotating monthly menu is announced on Instagram. Daughter of Azul Historico in Centro.
Fonda Margarita ★ 4.5 · Mexico City
del-valle · Adolfo Prieto 1364B, Tlacoquemecatl del Valle, Benito Juarez, 03200 Ciudad de Mexico
Fonda Margarita in Mexico City is the Del Valle morning fonda on Adolfo Prieto since 1948, the open-air breakfast counter that has fed cabbies and politicians the same plates for over seven decades.
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 06:30 to 12:00, closed Mondays. Arrive before 09:00 or expect a 30 minute wait on the street.
Havre 77 ★ 4.5 · Mexico City
juarez · Havre 77, Juarez, Cuauhtemoc, 06600 Ciudad de Mexico
Havre 77 in Mexico City is Eduardo Lalo Garcia's classic French bistro in Juarez, the Maximo Bistrot sister room with a natural-wine list and Loire pours.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Walk-ins land easier than booking; the deep Loire natural-wine list is the move.
El Hidalguense ★ 4.5 · Mexico City
roma-norte · Calle Campeche 155, Roma Sur, Cuauhtemoc, 06760 Ciudad de Mexico
El Hidalguense in Mexico City is the Roma Sur weekend barbacoa pit on Campeche, the maguey-pit lamb that fills the room from Friday through Sunday morning with Hidalgo-style platefuls.
Tip: Open Friday to Sunday only, 07:00 to 18:00. Arrive by 09:30 Sunday or the consomé runs out before noon.
Los Danzantes Coyoacan ★ 4.4 · Mexico City
coyoacan · Plaza Jardin del Centenario 12, Coyoacan, 04000 Ciudad de Mexico
Los Danzantes in Mexico City is the Coyoacan Jardin del Centenario Oaxacan kitchen, the plaza-side room that pairs house-distilled Los Danzantes mezcal with a black-mole tasting menu.
Tip: Terrace seats face the plaza but get loud weekends; the upstairs interior is the quieter move.
San Angel Inn ★ 4.4 · Mexico City
san-angel · Diego Rivera 50, San Angel Inn, Alvaro Obregon, 01060 Ciudad de Mexico
San Angel Inn in Mexico City is the 1692 hacienda turned restaurant on Diego Rivera, a courtyard-and-garden colonial room where the Margarita Sabra anchors Saturday brunch under the bougainvillea.
Tip: Book two weeks ahead for Saturday lunch on the patio. Mariachi runs Sunday afternoon.
El Parnita ★ 4.4 · Mexico City
roma-norte · Av. Yucatan 84, Roma Norte, Cuauhtemoc, 06700 Ciudad de Mexico
El Parnita in Mexico City is the Roma Norte antojitos kitchen on Yucatan since 2010, a casual modern Mexican room with hand-rolled tortillas and a tight chipotle-fish taco menu.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Lunch service runs the heaviest; the patio is dog friendly. Walks-ins land most days.
Azul Historico ★ 4.4 · Mexico City
centro-historico · Isabel la Catolica 30, Centro Historico, Cuauhtemoc, 06000 Ciudad de Mexico
Azul Historico in Mexico City is chef Ricardo Munoz Zurita's Centro Historico courtyard kitchen at the Downtown Mexico hotel, the regional Mexican mole specialist with seats under the Indian laurel.
Tip: The open courtyard table closest to the fountain is the seat; brunch lasts till 17:00 weekends. Walk-ins land most weekdays.
Maque Condesa ★ 4.4 · Mexico City
condesa · Av. Ozuluama 4, Hipodromo, Cuauhtemoc, 06100 Ciudad de Mexico
Maque in Mexico City is the Condesa morning room on Ozuluama that pairs handmade pan dulce with chilaquiles and huevos divorciados, a regular Sunday brunch stop on the Parque Mexico spine.
Tip: Daily 07:30 to 22:00. Walks-ins fill by 09:30 Sunday; arrive earlier or expect a 30 minute wait for the patio.
Cafe de Tacuba ★ 4.3 · Mexico City
centro-historico · Calle de Tacuba 28, Centro Historico, Cuauhtemoc, 06000 Ciudad de Mexico
Cafe de Tacuba in Mexico City is the Mollinedo family's 1912 Centro Historico room on Tacuba, the 17th-century palace dining hall that runs every traditional Mexican breakfast format the capital invented.
Tip: Daily 08:00 to 23:00; the strolling student trio on Sunday afternoons is the move for the room's full character.
El Bajio Polanco ★ 4.3 · Mexico City
polanco · Alejandro Dumas 7, Polanco IV Seccion, Miguel Hidalgo, 11550 Ciudad de Mexico
El Bajio in Mexico City is chef Carmen Titita Ramirez's Veracruz-rooted regional Mexican kitchen with the Polanco branch on Alejandro Dumas, the dependable daytime stop for tamales and mole.
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 22:00. The Azcapotzalco original is the deeper room for Veracruz regional depth.
El Pescadito ★ 4.3 · Mexico City
condesa · Atlixco 38, Condesa, Cuauhtemoc, 06140 Ciudad de Mexico
El Pescadito in Mexico City is the Sonora-import battered-fish taqueria with multiple branches; the Condesa stand on Atlixco runs the standing-counter style with marlin, shrimp and battered fish tacos.
Tip: Stand-up counters; no reservations. Open 12:00 to 22:00 daily. Cash preferred.
Fonda Fina ★ 4.3 · Mexico City
roma-norte · Av. Medellin 79, Roma Norte, Cuauhtemoc, 06700 Ciudad de Mexico
Fonda Fina in Mexico City is the Roma Norte modern fonda on Medellin from chef Juan Cabrera, a daytime Mexican kitchen that updates traditional Mexico City home cooking with a tasting-menu format.
Tip: Lunch is the move; the dining room runs more festively on Saturdays. Closed Monday.
Casa de Tono ★ 4.0 · Mexico City
juarez · Londres 144, Juarez, Cuauhtemoc, 06600 Ciudad de Mexico
Casa de Tono in Mexico City is the citywide pozole and antojitos chain that opens daily and hands out free atole de arroz at the door; the Londres branch in Juarez is the closest sit-down room from Roma and Reforma.
Tip: Open 24 hours at many branches; cash and card accepted. A reliable late-night pozole stop after a long Roma or Centro night.