OaxacanChef Osciel Solórzano and Abraham Serug$$$centro-historicoMon-Sat 13:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-20:00Book 2 to 5 days ahead
Casa Bacuuza brings Oaxaca to Puebla on 3 Poniente: tasajo from Zaachila, quesillo from Reyes Etla and tlayudas brought in from San Antonio de la Cal.
Tip: The produce list is Oaxacan rather than Pueblan by design, from Zaachila tasajo to Reyes Etla quesillo, named by village on the menu.
Pueblan$$$centro-historicoMon-Sat 08:00-23:00; Sun 08:00-18:00Book 2 to 4 days ahead
La Casa del Mendrugo cooks mole poblano and pipian verde inside a former Jesuit college on 4 Sur in Puebla, with a museum and a jazz room attached.
Tip: The mole here runs about 190 pesos and the ticket includes the museum, which is a rare pairing in the Centro Historico.
Pueblan$$$centro-historicoMon-Thu 08:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 08:00-23:30; Sun 08:00-19:00Book 2 to 4 days ahead
Casa Barroca occupies an 18th-century house on 7 Oriente in Puebla, pairing artisanal Mexican cooking with a tapas bar and a gallery courtyard.
Tip: The courtyard tables are the ones to ask for, and the tapas bar runs later than the main dining room on Friday and Saturday.
Steakhouse$$$$angelopolisMon-Wed 12:00-24:00; Thu-Sat 12:00-02:00; Sun 12:00-22:00Book 1 week at weekends ahead
Mochomos Puebla cooks Sonoran-style beef and seafood in Angelopolis, pouring from a list of more than 120 wine labels beside the carne asada tacos.
Tip: Expect 600 to 1,000 pesos a head with wine, and note the kitchen runs to 02:00 from Thursday through Saturday.
Pueblan$$$centro-historicoMon-Thu 08:00-22:00; Fri-Sun 08:00-02:00Book 3 to 5 days for weekends ahead
Attico 303 crowns Hotel Casa Rosa in Puebla with a cathedral-level terrace, pouring cocktails beside Spanish plates and contemporary Pueblan cooking.
Tip: Ask for a terrace table when you book: the interior room has none of the cathedral view that makes this worth the climb.
PueblanChef Liz Galicia$$$analcoTue-Sat 08:00-23:00; Sun 08:00-18:00Book 2 to 4 days ahead
Salon Mezcalli sits in Barrio de Analco in Puebla, matching manchamanteles con lechon and mixiote de cordero with a wall of artisanal agave distillates.
Tip: Budget 500 to 600 pesos a head, and let the bar pour the agave flight rather than ordering mezcal by the label.