Modern Mexican$$$centro-historicoMon-Thu 09:00-23:30; Fri-Sun 09:00-24:00
Santoua works a grand Centro building on 2 Sur in Puebla, running Pueblan regional plates and international dishes from a nine-in-the-morning start.
Signature: Pueblan regional plates, Breakfast
Order: Breakfast from nine, before the Centro tour groups reach 2 Sur.
Tip: The dining room is grand enough for an occasion but the nine-in-the-morning start makes it a workable everyday breakfast too.
Steakhouse$$$$angelopolisMon-Wed 12:00-24:00; Thu-Sat 12:00-02:00; Sun 12:00-22:00
Mochomos Puebla cooks Sonoran-style beef and seafood in Angelopolis, pouring from a list of more than 120 wine labels beside the carne asada tacos.
Signature: Rib eye, Tacos de carne asada, Camarones aguachile
Order: Carne asada tacos, cut from the same Sonoran beef as the rib eye.
Tip: The cellar runs past 120 labels, which is the deepest wine list in Puebla, and the kitchen serves until 02:00 at weekends.
Pueblan$$los-remediosDaily 13:00-22:30
Antojitos Mellos is the weekend mole and pipian stop in Barrio de los Remedios, Puebla, with pozole and mole de panza on the board the rest of the week.
Signature: Mole poblano, Pipián, Mole de panza
Order: Mole poblano or pipián, but only at the weekend when both are cooked.
Tip: Pozole and mole de panza cover the weekdays; the mole and pipián are Saturday and Sunday only, from one in the afternoon.
Pueblan$$centro-historicoDaily 08:30-20:00
Fonda Tipica la Poblana cooks mole poblano and chalupas on 8 Norte in Puebla, a plain fonda that opens at half past eight and runs until eight at night.
Signature: Mole poblano, Chalupas
Order: Mole poblano at about 150 pesos, served with rice and tortillas.
Tip: This is a plain fonda rather than a restaurant, so come at lunch when the mole has been on the heat for a few hours.
Pueblan$$centro-historicoDaily 09:00-19:00
Clementina Cocina Poblana keeps a short mole and pipian list on 6 Oriente in Puebla, a daytime kitchen a block from the Calle de los Dulces.
Signature: Mole poblano, Pipián
Order: A mole plate between 139 and 195 pesos, the cheapest sit-down mole nearby.
Tip: It sits one block from the Calle de los Dulces, so finish lunch here and walk straight into the camote shops.
Pueblan$arboledas-de-guadalupeSat-Sun 09:00-18:00; Mon-Fri closed
La Ververa cooks chalupas, memelas and mole poblano at neighbourhood prices in Arboledas de Guadalupe, Puebla, on Saturdays and Sundays only.
Signature: Chalupas, Mole poblano
Order: Chalupas, then a mole plate that lands under 100 pesos.
Tip: Arboledas de Guadalupe is residential rather than touristy, and the kitchen only opens on Saturday and Sunday, nine until six.