Mexico City's luxury spine north of Chapultepec Park, with Pujol on Tennyson, Quintonil on Newton, designer flagships on Avenida Masaryk and the city's tallest fine-dining concentration.
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.
Signature: Mole Madre Mole Nuevo, Taco omakase, Tasting menu
Order: The Mole Madre Mole Nuevo, served with fresh tortillas.
Tip: Book 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.
Signature: Cactus salad, Tasting menu, Charred avocado tartare
Order: The tasting menu; the charred avocado tartare is the room's signature.
Tip: Closed Sundays; book six weeks out via the website. Lunch is the easier window.
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.
Signature: Cabreria, Arrachera, Cortes de Angus
Order: The cabreria; the molcajete-grilled arrachera with handmade tortillas.
Tip: Plaza Carso location runs daily 13:00-23:30; the original Avenida Insurgentes Sur branch is the older sister.
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.
Signature: Carnitas, Empanadas de platano, Mole de Xico
Order: The carnitas; the empanadas de platano with frijoles refritos.
Tip: Open daily 09:00-22:00; the Azcapotzalco original opened 1972 and is the deeper room for connoisseurs.
Pujol in Mexico City is Enrique Olvera's two-Michelin-star Polanco tasting room on Tennyson, the kitchen that built modern Mexican fine dining around mole.
Order: The Mole Madre Mole Nuevo at the dining-room table; taco omakase at the bar.
Tip: Lunch is the easier service to land than dinner; the bar runs an a la carte taco omakase for walk-ins on quieter nights.
Quintonil in Mexico City is Jorge Vallejo and Alejandra Flores' two-Michelin-star Polanco tasting room on Newton, the kitchen ranked number three.
Order: The full tasting menu; the charred avocado tartare is the signature.
Tip: Closed Sundays.
Alcalde in Mexico City is chef Paco Ruano's Polanco room on Masaryk, the Guadalajara-import tasting kitchen that brought modern Jalisco cooking.
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.
El Bajio in Mexico City is chef Carmen Titita Ramirez's Veracruz-rooted regional Mexican kitchen with the Polanco branch on Alejandro Dumas.
Signature: Carnitas, Empanadas de platano, Mole de Xico
Order: Carnitas; empanadas de platano relleno de frijol; tamal de mole.
Tip: Open daily 09:00-22:00. The Azcapotzalco original is the deeper room for Veracruz regional depth.
Le Pain Quotidien in Mexico City is the Belgian organic bakery chain in Polanco on Oscar Wilde just off Masaryk, a daytime sit-down room with sourdough.
Worth the queue: Country bread
Fifty Mils in Mexico City is the Four Seasons Mexico City hotel cocktail bar in Polanco, a World's 50 Best Bars regular under the Four Seasons garden.
Signature drink: Pineapple Cobbler
Food: Snacks
Mundo Mezcal in Mexico City is the annual agave-spirits gathering at Campo Marte in Polanco, with palenques from Oaxaca, Guerrero, Durango and Michoacan.