30 editor picks across Mexico.
30 mexican restaurants worth the trip across Mexico, editor-ranked. All cuisines in Mexico.
Contramar in Mexico City is Gabriela Camara's lunch-only Durango Street seafood room in Roma Norte since 1998, the kitchen that made the tuna tostada Mexico.
OrderThe tuna tostada and the pescado a la talla, split red and green down the middle.
TipOpen lunch only; arrive by 13:00 or expect a 45 minute wait. Half the dining room books out for the same lunch every Wednesday.
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.
OrderThe tuna tostada and the pescado a la talla, half red half green down the middle.
TipOpen lunch only; lines start at 13:00. Walk-ins land easier on Mondays than mid-week.
Levadura de Olla on Garcia Vigil is Thalia Barrios Garcia's Michelin-starred room (2024, retained 2025), Mexico's first regional star outside the capital.
OrderSierra Sur tasting menu, Tetelas, Mole negro
Alcalde in Guadalajara is Paco Ruano's Avenida Mexico room since 2013, modern Mexican on porcelain plates and the Lafayette anchor for one-star Michelin.
TipLunch tasting at 14:00 is the easier reservation; the a la carte slow-cook short rib and the duck taco are the canonical.
Maximo Bistrot in Mexico City is chef Eduardo Lalo Garcia's one-Michelin-star Roma Norte room on Alvaro Obregon, the seasonal Mexican kitchen with a French.
OrderThe seasonal tasting menu; whatever vegetable arrives that morning from the chef's farm.
TipClosed Mondays; book three weeks ahead. The taller dining room moved to Alvaro Obregon in 2021 from the original Tonala location.
Rosetta in Mexico City is Elena Reygadas' one-Michelin-star Roma Norte room in a 1920s townhouse on Colima, the kitchen where Italian technique meets Mexican.
OrderThe hoja santa ravioli; the seasonal pasta of the week.
TipClosed Sundays; sister Panaderia Rosetta is across the street for morning conchas. Reygadas was named World's Best Female Chef 2023.
Maximo Bistrot in Mexico City is chef Eduardo Lalo Garcia's one-Michelin-star Roma Norte room on Alvaro Obregon, seasonal Mexican cooking with French bistro.
OrderThe seasonal tasting; whatever vegetable arrived that morning from the farm.
TipClosed Mondays; the dining room moved to the larger Alvaro Obregon space in 2021. Book three weeks ahead.
Rosetta in Mexico City is Elena Reygadas' one-Michelin-star Roma Norte room in a 1920s townhouse on Colima, the kitchen that earned the World's Best Female.
OrderThe hoja santa ravioli; the seasonal pasta of the week.
TipClosed Sundays; book the second-floor balcony tables. Sister Panaderia Rosetta is across the street for morning conchas.
Tierra del Sol on Reforma is Olga Cabrera's three-floor Oaxaca room, named Mexico's Restaurant of the Year for 2026, with a rooftop comal of tetelas.
OrderTetelas, Chichilo, Tlayuda al comal
Tierra del Sol on Reforma is Olga Cabrera's three-floor Oaxaca room, named Mexico's Restaurant of the Year for 2026, with a rooftop comal of tetelas.
TipSkip the prix fixe and graze through the rooftop comal section; the chichilo and mole amarillo are the headlines.
Em in Mexico City is chef Luis Lucho Martinez's one-Michelin-star Roma Norte tasting room on Tonala, the contemporary Mexican kitchen with Japanese.
OrderThe full tasting menu; the wagyu carnitas course is the room's signature.
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays; tasting menu only. Book three weeks ahead via OpenTable. Originally opened as Emilia in 2018 before relocating.
Sud 777 in Mexico City is chef Edgar Nunez's one-Michelin-star Pedregal room on Boulevard de la Luz, the vegetable-driven Mexican kitchen with a 12-course.
OrderThe 12-course tasting; the garden vegetable course built from the on-site greenhouse.
TipClosed Sundays; book three weeks ahead. Worth the ride south from Polanco for the courtyard dining room and the in-house farm.
Sud 777 in Mexico City is Edgar Nunez's one-Michelin-star Pedregal kitchen on Boulevard de la Luz, the 12-course vegetable-driven Mexican tasting menu opened.
OrderThe 12-course tasting; the cactus and corn course from the in-house garden.
TipClosed Sundays; worth the cab south from Polanco for the courtyard dining and the kitchen garden.
Em in Mexico City is chef Lucho Martinez's one-Michelin-star Roma Norte tasting room on Tonala, a contemporary Mexican kitchen with Japanese fermentation.
OrderThe full tasting menu; the smoked-fish course is the signature.
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays; tasting menu only. The 12-seat counter is the room.
Itanoni on Belisario Dominguez is Amado Ramirez Leyva and Gabriela Fernandez Orantes's criollo-corn tortilleria since 2001, a room that nixtamalizes rainbow.
OrderMemelas de criollo, Tetelas de frijol, Tlayuda con asiento
Origen is Rodolfo Castellanos's Benito Juarez flagship since 2011, a Michelin-Guide selected room where modern technique meets criollo corn.
OrderDuck enchiladas in mole, Catch of the day with clam risotto, Mezcal sour
Itanoni on Belisario Dominguez is Amado Ramirez Leyva and Gabriela Fernandez Orantes's criollo-corn tortilleria since 2001, where rainbow maize lands.
OrderMemelas, Tetelas, Tlayudas
Karne Garibaldi in Guadalajara is the Santa Teresita comedor on Calle Garibaldi since 1970, the Guinness world record holder for fastest restaurant service.
OrderCarne en su jugo, Frijoles charros, Tortilla a mano
Masala y Maiz in Mexico City is chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval's one-Michelin-star Juarez room on Marsella, the kitchen that bridges Mexican.
OrderThe garam masala mole; the plantain dosa to start.
TipClosed Mondays and Tuesdays; the room is small and books out a week ahead via Resy.
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.
Nicos in Mexico City is Gerardo Vazquez Lugo's family-run Azcapotzalco room on Cuitlahuac, the traditional Mexican kitchen ranked on the Latin America 50.
OrderThe mole almendrado; the sopa seca de natas, a layered creamy casserole.
TipClosed Sunday dinner and Monday; the slow-cooked moles are the move at lunch. Worth the cab from Polanco for the home-cooking depth.
Expendio de Maiz in Mexico City is chef Jesus Salas' tiny no-reservations heirloom-corn counter on Yucatan in Roma Norte, the kitchen that built its name.
OrderWhatever the daily handwritten menu lists; the blue-corn tlacoyo with squash blossoms.
TipNo reservations; only ten counter seats. Open Wed-Sun 13:00-19:00; arrive at opening and bring cash.
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.
OrderThe hot chocolate with pan de nata; chiles en nogada in season.
TipSunday brunch fills by 09:30; arrive at opening at 08:00 to avoid the wait. Three other branches across the city.
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.
OrderA tlacoyo de haba; a quesadilla de masa azul de huitlacoche; a torta of the day.
TipOpen daily 08:00-18:00. 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 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.
OrderThe daily handwritten menu; the blue-corn tlacoyo with squash blossoms.
TipTen counter seats; no reservations. Open Wed-Sun 13:00-19:00; arrive at opening with cash.
Masala y Maiz in Mexico City is chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval's one-Michelin-star Juarez room on Marsella, a kitchen that bridges Mexican.
OrderThe garam masala mole; the plantain dosa.
TipClosed Mondays and Tuesdays; lunch only Sundays. Small dining room books out two weeks ahead via Resy.
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.
TipClosed Sunday dinner and Monday; lunch is when the slow-cooked moles peak.
Casa Oaxaca el Restaurante is Alejandro Ruiz's 18th-century townhouse below Santo Domingo, the rooftop terrace room with contemporary Oaxacan menus.
OrderMole negro, Tableside guacamole with chapulines, Pescado a la talla
Criollo is Enrique Olvera's Pujol-backed Madero room with Luis Arellano on the stoves, a courtyard-built tasting menu of Oaxacan recipes since 2017.
OrderTasting menu, Cacao-on-cacao dessert
Casa Oaxaca el Restaurante is Alejandro Ruiz's 18th-century townhouse in the shadow of Santo Domingo, the room that built modern Oaxacan technique.
TipBook the rooftop terrace for sunset; the guacamole prepared at the table with grasshoppers is the canonical opener.
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