The restaurants worth a reservation in Mexico City, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Mexico City. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Pujol in Mexico City is Enrique Olvera's two-Michelin-star Polanco room on Tennyson, the kitchen that put modern Mexican on the world map with its mole madre.
OrderThe Mole Madre Mole Nuevo, served with fresh tortillas.
TipBook at least four weeks ahead via the website; lunch is shorter and slightly easier to land than dinner.
Quintonil in Mexico City is Jorge Vallejo and Alejandra Flores' two-Michelin-star Polanco kitchen on Newton, ranked number three on the World's 50 Best.
OrderThe tasting menu; the charred avocado tartare is the room's signature.
TipClosed Sundays; book six weeks out via the website. Lunch is the easier window.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lardo in Mexico City is Elena Reygadas' all-day Condesa room on Agustin Melgar, the Mediterranean wood-fired sister of Rosetta opened in 2015.
OrderThe wood-fired flatbread of the day; the brunch eggs with Roma garden tomatoes.
TipOpen all day from breakfast; the corner-window two-tops fill first. Walks-ins land best at 11:00 weekdays.
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.
Cafe de Tacuba in Mexico City is the Mollinedo family's 1912 Centro Historico room on Tacuba, the colonial-palace dining hall that defines traditional.
OrderThe enchiladas de mole; the tamales served with hot chocolate.
TipOpen daily 08:00-23:00. The Sunday strolling student trio singing Aztec songs starts around 13:00; mariachi runs evenings.
Loma Linda in Mexico City is the 1924 Mexican steakhouse that claims first-charcoal-grill credit in the capital, with the Plaza Carso branch on Lago Zurich.
OrderThe cabreria; the molcajete-grilled arrachera with handmade tortillas.
TipPlaza Carso location runs daily 13:00-23:30; the original Avenida Insurgentes Sur branch is the older sister.
Havre 77 in Mexico City is Eduardo Lalo Garcia's classic French bistro in Juarez, the Maximo Bistrot sister room that pours natural wine and serves a plateau.
OrderThe steak frites; the plateau de fruits de mer to share, weekend lunch only.
TipClosed Mondays.
Azul Historico in Mexico City is chef Ricardo Munoz Zurita's traditional Mexican kitchen inside the courtyard of the Downtown Mexico hotel on Isabel la.
OrderThe mole negro from Oaxaca; the cochinita pibil tacos.
TipSit in the open courtyard under the Indian laurel; ask for the table closest to the fountain. Brunch lasts till 17:00 weekends.
El Bajio in Mexico City is chef Carmen Titita Ramirez's Veracruz-rooted regional Mexican kitchen with locations across the city, with the Polanco branch.
OrderThe carnitas; the empanadas de platano with frijoles refritos.
TipOpen daily 09:00-22:00; the Azcapotzalco original opened 1972 and is the deeper room for connoisseurs.
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.
El Hidalguense in Mexico City is the Roma Sur weekend-only barbacoa pit on Campeche, the Hidalgo-style maguey-pit lamb that fills the room from Friday.
OrderThe barbacoa de borrego with consomé; the pancita stew on the side.
TipOpen Friday to Sunday only, 07:00-18:00. Arrive by 09:30 Sunday or the consomé runs out by noon.
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.
San Angel Inn in Mexico City is the 1692 hacienda turned restaurant on Diego Rivera, a courtyard-and-garden colonial room in San Angel where the Margarita.
OrderChiles en nogada when in season July to September; the sopa de tortilla year round.
TipThe patio is the seat; book two weeks ahead for Saturday lunch under the bougainvillea. Mariachi runs Sunday afternoon.
Los Danzantes in Mexico City is the Coyoacan plaza-side Oaxacan kitchen on Jardin del Centenario, the room that pairs house-distilled Los Danzantes mezcal.
OrderThe mole negro with chicken; a flight of the house Espadin, Tobala and Madrecuixe mezcales.
TipTerrace seats face the plaza but get loud weekends; the upstairs interior is the quieter move. Open daily.
Merotoro in Mexico City is chef Jair Tellez's Condesa kitchen on Amsterdam, the Baja-California-rooted room that put Ensenada produce on the Mexico City.
OrderThe whole grilled fish for two; the seasonal Valle de Guadalupe wine list.
TipClosed Sundays; the high counter seats face the open kitchen and book first.
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