$$$$
Modern Baja California MexicanCondesa
Merotoro in Mexico City is chef Jair Tellez's Condesa kitchen on Amsterdam, the Baja-California-rooted room that put Ensenada produce on the Mexico City.
OrderThe whole grilled fish for two; the seasonal Valle de Guadalupe wine list.
TipClosed Sundays; the high counter seats face the open kitchen and book first.
$$$$
Contemporary MexicanPolanco
Pujol in Mexico City is Enrique Olvera's two-Michelin-star Polanco room on Tennyson, the kitchen that put modern Mexican on the world map with its mole madre.
OrderThe Mole Madre Mole Nuevo, served with fresh tortillas.
TipBook at least four weeks ahead via the website; lunch is shorter and slightly easier to land than dinner.
$$$$
Contemporary MexicanPolanco
Quintonil in Mexico City is Jorge Vallejo and Alejandra Flores' two-Michelin-star Polanco kitchen on Newton, ranked number three on the World's 50 Best.
OrderThe tasting menu; the charred avocado tartare is the room's signature.
TipClosed Sundays; book six weeks out via the website. Lunch is the easier window.
$$$$
Mexican SeafoodRoma Norte
Contramar in Mexico City is Gabriela Camara's lunch-only Durango Street seafood room in Roma Norte since 1998, the kitchen that made the tuna tostada Mexico.
OrderThe tuna tostada and the pescado a la talla, split red and green down the middle.
TipOpen lunch only; arrive by 13:00 or expect a 45 minute wait. Half the dining room books out for the same lunch every Wednesday.
$$$$
Modern Mexican With French TechniqueRoma Norte
Maximo Bistrot in Mexico City is chef Eduardo Lalo Garcia's one-Michelin-star Roma Norte room on Alvaro Obregon, the seasonal Mexican kitchen with a French.
OrderThe seasonal tasting menu; whatever vegetable arrives that morning from the chef's farm.
TipClosed Mondays; book three weeks ahead. The taller dining room moved to Alvaro Obregon in 2021 from the original Tonala location.
$$$$
Mexican-italianRoma Norte
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.