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 and smoke threaded through the menu.
Must order: The full tasting menu; the smoked-fish course is the signature.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays; tasting menu only. The 12-seat counter is the room.
Address: Tonala 133, Roma Norte, Cuauhtemoc, 06700 Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico City
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 technique since 2011.
Order: The seasonal tasting; whatever vegetable arrived that morning from the farm.
Tip: Closed 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 Chef title in 2023.
Order: The hoja santa ravioli; the seasonal pasta of the week.
Tip: Closed Sundays; book the second-floor balcony tables. Sister Panaderia Rosetta is across the street for morning conchas.
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 technique since 2011.
Order: The seasonal tasting; whatever vegetable arrived that morning from the farm.
Tip: Closed 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 Chef title in 2023.
Order: The hoja santa ravioli; the seasonal pasta of the week.
Tip: Closed Sundays; book the second-floor balcony tables. Sister Panaderia Rosetta is across the street for morning conchas.
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, Indian and East African larders.
Order: The garam masala mole; the plantain dosa.
Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; lunch only Sundays. Small dining room books out two weeks ahead via Resy.
Merotoro in Mexico City is chef Jair Tellez's Condesa room on Amsterdam, the Baja-California-rooted kitchen ranked on the Latin America 50 Best list that opened in 2010.
Order: The whole grilled fish for two; a Valle de Guadalupe bottle from the wine list.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the bar counter facing the open kitchen books first.
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 Best list since 2014.
Order: The mole almendrado; the sopa seca de natas casserole.
Tip: Closed Sunday dinner and Monday; lunch is when the slow-cooked moles peak.
Alcalde in Mexico City is chef Paco Ruano's Polanco room on Masaryk, the Guadalajara-import tasting kitchen that brought modern Jalisco cooking to the capital in 2021.
Order: The seasonal tasting; the chile en nogada when in season July to September.
Tip: Closed Sundays. The bar pours strong Mexican wine and mezcal; the open kitchen seats are the move.
