Mexico City - What to Order

• Seasonal contemporary menu, changes often
• Order broadly and share

Michelin Recommended, OpenTable 4.7 (1,300+). Elegant townhouse, easy online 4-tops. Colima 150. The audit's trigger: field-vetted 2026-07-10.

• Seafood small plates, meticulous sourcing
• Natural wine list

Bib Gourmand AND The Infatuation's #1 in the city right now. Cda. Orizaba 3B. Young-chef seafood gem.

• No menu: they cook, you eat, corn everything
• Cash only

1 Michelin star at a sidewalk heirloom-corn counter. Av. Yucatan 84. Go hungry and surrender.

• Refined seafood, raw and cooked
• Sharp wine list

Bib Gourmand. Merida 21. The polished seafood alternative when Contramar hours don't work.

• Quesabirria
• Birria consomme

Bib Gourmand birria specialists. Colima 134. Casual, kid-workable lunch.

• Bangkok-trained kitchen, order the classics

Bib Gourmand. Monterrey 204. The non-Mexican night the crew will eventually want.

• Seasonal Italian with Mexican produce

Bib Gourmand. Sinaloa 67. Neighborhood Italian a notch calmer than Sartoria.

• Creative seafood-leaning plates

Bib Gourmand corner bistro. Cordoba 212.

• Contemporary Mexican, wood-fire touches

Bib Gourmand. Av. Veracruz 62.

• Guerrero-style tacos (Taco Chronicles fame)

Bib Gourmand. Chiapas 46. Cult stand, expect a line.

• Handmade pastas: cacio e pepe
• Twenty-layer lasagna

Michelin Recommended + Infatuation Top 25. Marco Carboni (ex Osteria Francescana). Orizaba 42. On OpenTable.

• Natural wines incl. Mexican bottles
• Seasonal small plates

Michelin Recommended, OpenTable 4.6. Av. Veracruz 38. Low-key date night.

• Tableside chicken parmesan

Infatuation Roma pick. Buzzy Italian. Tabasco 189.

• Mediterranean plates, fine-dining quality

Infatuation Roma pick: fine-dining cooking without steep prices. Sinaloa 252.

• Wood-fired Pacific Northwest cooking

OpenTable 4.7. Plaza Rio de Janeiro 53, one of Roma's prettiest squares.

• Contemporary menu in a grand mansion

OpenTable 4.6 (1,380+). Colima 168, next door to Rosetta. Group-friendly stunner; sister of Blanco Castelar.

• European all-day menu

Michelin Recommended, new 2026 entry. Colima 235. Handsome room for a long lunch.

• Chinampa-driven seasonal Mexican

Michelin Recommended, new 2026 entry. Valladolid 96.

• Baja boat-to-table seafood

Michelin Recommended. Colima 124. Casual energy, seafood lunch tier.

• Peruvian-Chinese chifa tacos

Michelin Recommended cult corner stand. Guanajuato 53.

• Hidalgo lamb barbacoa + consomme

Infatuation Roma pick. WEEKEND ONLY (Fri-Sun, daytime). Campeche 155. A Saturday/Sunday lunch mission.

• Gastro-cantina plates, high energy

Infatuation Top 25. Aguascalientes 93. Mexico's first gastro-cantina; loud and fun, adults' night.

• Oysters + grilled seafood

LatAm 50 Best alum. Av. Alvaro Obregon 31. Raucous oyster bar, great for 4+. Also in Polanco (Homero 135).

• Negronis, spritzes, amari
• Aperitivo snacks

North America's 50 Best Bars #14 (2025), world #54. 1970s-Milan homage, zero mezcal obligation. Tabasco 149. Book via IG @barmauromx.

• Mole almendrado
• Sopes/tacos de tuetano
• Flan de cajeta

Bib Gourmand. Virgilio 40. Home-style comfort at Polanquito prices; best as a casual family LUNCH.

• Fish al pastor, arrachera w/ shoestring potatoes
• Off-menu octopus tacos (ask)
• Avoid for Alyssa: campechano (green chorizo)

Bib Gourmand. Taqueria on Isaac Newton (256/300 block), sit-down Comedor at Ejercito Nacional 314. Heirloom nixtamal.

• Galician-style Spanish seafood

Michelin Recommended. Emilio Castelar 185, on the Polanquito strip.

• Alejandro Ruiz's Oaxacan moles

Michelin Recommended. Av. Presidente Masaryk 513. The Oaxaca night without leaving Polanco.

• Wood-fired contemporary Mexican

Michelin Recommended. Av. Isaac Newton 104.

• Seasonal contemporary Mexican, seed-to-plate

Bib Gourmand. Schiller 331.

• Wood-fired all-day menu, lamb chops

Infatuation Polanco pick. Emilio Castelar 208, terrace. All-day cafe energy.

• Spanish-Mexican menu in a mansion room
• Lobby bar works as drinks-only

OpenTable 4.6+ and Resy. Emilio Castelar 163. Glam group dinner inside Polanco.

• Lebanese classics since 1974

OpenTable 4.7. Homero 424. The family-style Lebanese institution; easy with kids.

• Bone marrow with crispy octopus
• Creative seafood

OpenTable 4.8. Julio Verne 89, steps from Parque Lincoln.

• Mimosas / grapefruit spritz on the terrace
• Croque madame (comes with bacon: Alyssa mods)

Field-verified 2026-07. Emilio Castelar 95, terrace facing Parque Lincoln, open from 8am. The daytime drink stop.

• Pan dulce to take home
• Macarons, merengues

Artisan bakery, Oscar Wilde 12. M-Sa 7:30-20:00. Polanco's best take-home pastry play.

• Cochinita pibil: panucho or taco

ALL PORK (Ace-solo stop). Emilio Castelar 212, curbside legend, opens 10-11am.

• Slow-broth contemporary ramen

Kids-dinner alternate to ZhuYi. Galileo 31. 1pm-10pm, CLOSED WEDNESDAYS. IG @janken.menya to reserve.

• Smoosh: Lope de Vega 157 (M-Sa 10-9)
• Boba Tea Shoppe: Lope de Vega 304 (10:30-8:30, CASH ONLY, taro-Oreo)

The kids' boba block, 4-5 min walk from home base. Gong Cha Polanco = no-line fallback.

• Bold shared plates at night
• Cafe by day

1 Michelin star (new). Av. Mazatlan 190. Condesa's second star after Esquina Comun.

• Zero-waste chinampa-to-table menu

Michelin Green Star. Antonio Sola 26. Fed by its own Xochimilco farm; a story-of-the-city dinner.

• Ceviches and aguachiles, Peruvian accents

Bib Gourmand, on OpenTable. Campeche 340.

• Tortilla-centric snacks from Olvera's corn mill

Bib Gourmand. Benjamin Hill 146. Casual daytime; the accessible Pujol.

• Kimchi carbonara
• Sichuan esquites

Bib Gourmand Korean-Mexican fusion. Pachuca 51.

• Natural wine by the glass

Bib Gourmand wine bar, award-winning somm Romina Arguelles. Iztaccihuatl 52, Hipodromo.

• Heirloom-corn sopes, gorditas, guisados

Bib Gourmand + Infatuation Top 25. Protasio Tagle 66A. Hidden comal, daytime.

• Signature cocktails, full spectrum

World's 50 Best Bars alum. Hidden behind a taqueria facade, Turin 52. RESERVATION-ONLY = the bookable alternative to Handshake's walk-in lottery.

• Pre-Hispanic botanicals, mezcal-leaning

50 Best Discovery. Basement den, Copenhague 6. Ace's lane more than the table's.

• Award-winning creative cocktails

50 Best Discovery. Four Seasons courtyard, Reforma 500. Polished, easy seating for 4.

• Oysters, onion soup
• The burger

Infatuation + OpenTable 4.6. French brasserie in a restored townhouse, Havre 77.

• Mediterranean charcoal cooking

Infatuation Top 25, on OpenTable. 1905 hacienda room, Gral. Prim 34.

• Asian sharing plates, 56th-floor views

OpenTable 4.7 (7,800+). Hakkasan group, Reforma 509. The wow-the-guests skyline dinner.

• Modern Mexican, native ingredients

Michelin Recommended. Allende 3, stone-walled room. Pair with a Centro day + Los Cocuyos.

• Tableside margaritas + classics

Infatuation Top 25. Historic hacienda, Diego Rivera 50. THE Bazar Sabado (Saturday) pairing.

• Oaxacan-Mexican plates, house mezcal

Michelin Recommended. Jardin Centenario 12, on the plaza. The Coyoacan-day anchor lunch.

• Pescado del dia in green mole (the signature)
• Tamal de pescado with salsa macha
• Fish pate with pumpkin-flower pesto

Condesa's Michelin star. Rooftop 7-course tasting, Thu-Sun only. Book weeks out. Special-occasion night.

• Ceviche tostada with seared uni
• Smoked chicken with crispy gnocchi
• Valle de Guadalupe rose by the glass

Michelin-rec Baja seafood from the Amaya team, great Mexican wine list. Easier to book than Esquina Comun.

• Guacamole con chapulines
• Enchiladas in mole negro Oaxaqueno
• Tlacoyos de masa azul with huitlacoche

Ricardo Munoz Zurita's temple to regional Mexican, some of the best mole in the city. Reserve.

• Croque madame (the breakfast order)
• Grilled octopus in peanut-tomato sauce
• House pastries + guava roll (Rosetta pedigree)

Elena Reygadas' all-day Condesa spot. No res for breakfast, go ~8am or grab a bar seat.

• Conchas with nata (some say best in city)
• Panque de elote (corn cake)
• Chilaquiles

Old-world cafe-bakery facing Parque Mexico (Ozuluama 4). Traditional Mexican breakfast. Busy weekend mornings.

• Guava-and-cream-cheese rolls
• Chilaquiles
• Enfrijoladas / egg dishes

Elena Reygadas' pastry-forward all-day cafe (Amsterdam 108-B branch). Popular weekend brunch, expect a wait.

• Ribeye taco (topped with shoestring fries)
• Taco de papa con queso (great veg option)
• Braised octopus, smoked-chile salsa (upstairs)

Michelin-listed taqueria milling its own heirloom-corn masa. No res, 20-30min wait. Cheap eats.

• Miso caramel croissant (worth the queue)
• Ham and cheese sandwich (gouda, mayo, dijon)
• Oreja for the road

Cult French-technique bakery. Only 8 outdoor tables, go at 7:30am open or dodge the noon-2pm rush.

• Quesotote (cheese-stuffed chile with shrimp)
• Tacos de camaron (fried to order)
• Fish/marlin tacos, loaded from the free salsa bar

Sonoran seafood-taco counter, "best $3 in Condesa." May show as "La Pezciosa" (same spot/menu). Cash, line.

• Tacos de trompo / al pastor (the must)
• Tacos de chicharron
• Taco de res

"Arguably the best al pastor in CDMX" (target the Yucatan 3 Hipodromo branch). No res, best late-night.

• Old George Sour (tequila, absinthe, cucumber, cardamom)
• Plan Z (gin, cassis, chai, fig, mascarpone)
• Martini on a Tuesday

No.48 North America's 50 Best, Limantour's intimate sister. Small, walk-in but reservable. Open late.

• Lemon ricotta pancakes
• Fruity French toast
• Coffee and linger

Cafe and bookshop on Av. Amsterdam, relaxed brunch. Good for a coffee-and-read stop.

• Nitro cold brew (the serious cup)
• Huevos shakshuka
• Oaxaca hot chocolate

Specialty coffee on Av. Tamaulipas 141. The best-cup pick of the Condesa cafes.

• Tamal de esquite (the standout)
• Mole tlayuda (the "mole pizza")
• Silver Rush cocktail (tequila, fermented honey)

Olvera's dark sequel to Pujol, in the old Pujol space. Reserve; great late-night mezcal stop too.

• Tomahawk for two (dry-aged showpiece)
• Bone marrow
• Beef tartare

The city's most formal steakhouse. Splurge, book ahead, ask for tableside martini service.

• Mesquite-smoked aged ribeye (the rave)
• Empanada de quesos (roquefort-walnut)
• Provoleta

Argentine charcoal grill, livelier than Harry's. Dinner; service can run slow when busy.

• Tuna tostadas (Contramar's famous dish)
• Butterflied grilled fish (a la talla)
• Strawberry meringue cake

Contramar's Polanco sister, none of the hour wait. Ask for the upstairs terrace.

• Tortilla de patatas
• Croquetas de jamon serrano
• Pulpo a la gallega; Sunday paella

Called the best Spanish in CDMX. Reserve, it's full most nights.

• Ravioli caprino (goat cheese)
• Lasagna Napolitana
• Seasonal seafood pasta special

Handmade pasta at fair prices, rare for Polanco. Relaxed weeknight spot.

• Cachetada de picaña (the signature)
• Spicy tuna tostada
• Mango sorbetto

Polanco's see-and-be-seen taco spot. No res, 20-30min wait, free beer while you stand.

• Catch of the day
• Torta de higos (fig)
• Pastries with coffee

Olvera's casual all-day cafe. Weekday for calmer service.

• 5-course omakase (the reason to go)
• Toro nigiri with caviar
• Eel with foie gras

Tiny 16-seat counter, itamae Roberto Sasaki. Reserve well ahead.

• The Kilt (Hendrick's, Drambuie, rose)
• Mezcal negroni

Hidden basement speakeasy, door behind the freezer. Live jazz Tuesdays. Reserve.

• Wagyu A4 taco (the flex, ~$335)
• Ribeye en costra (cheese crust, melts)
• Trompo picaña taco + salsa negra
• Spicy tuna tostada; tres leches to finish

1 Michelin. Wait 30-60min, go early or sit at the counter.

• Pescado a la talla (half green / half red adobo, whole fish)
• Tuna tostadas (started the whole craze)

Lunch is the loud, festive scene. Reserve ahead.

• Daily tasting menu (Lalo Garcia's market run)
• Abalone tostada
• Onion with comte cruffin; asparagus hollandaise

1 Michelin. Book ahead.

• Charred avocado tartare with escamoles
• Smoked baby corn, chicatana-ant mayo
• Creme fraiche sorbet, Melipona honey & caviar

No.3 World's 50 Best, 2 Michelin stars. Book ~2-3 months out.

• Mole madre / mole nuevo (the icon)
• Baby corn, coffee mayo, chile costeno
• Taco omakase bar (soft-shell crab, wagyu memela)

2 Michelin. Hardest res in the city; try the taco bar for walk-ups.

• Chiles en nogada (in season Jul-Sep)
• Maria va a la floreria (the dessert)
• Huauzontle tart, pasilla-cinnamon

STATUS UNVERIFIED (2026-07-10): Google flags it permanently closed while IG @dulcepatriamx posted 2026-07-09 and the official site is live. Call 55 3300 3999 before targeting.

• Corn tamale, celeriac, white mole
• Lechon with pink mole, hibiscus, hoja santa
• Cabbage tacos, pistachio puree

Elena Reygadas, 1 Michelin. The sit-down spot vs your bakery pin.

• Escamole croquettes, serrano
• Grilled corvina, spinach, garlic foam
• Mamey dessert trio

Lucho Martinez, 1 Michelin Mexican-Japanese. Date night.

• Suadero or potato samosas, pepitas
• Veracruz prawns, vanilla butter
• Chocolate tamal, avocado mousse

1 Michelin African-Indian-Mexican. Easier res, great value.

• Crispy corn infladita, octopus, green mole
• Suckling pig, build-your-own tacos
• Soft-shell crab, surf-and-turf mayo

1 Michelin garden-to-table. A touch more relaxed than Pujol/Quintonil.

• Sopa seca de natas (the must-order)
• Chilaquiles parranderos
• Chicken in almond mole

Lifetime Achievement (LatAm 50 Best). Warm, kid-friendly. ~20min ride.

• Omakase at the counter (the move here)
• Flamed kampachi nigiri; maguro / toro / chu toro
• Fresh oysters; otoro

Tiny 16-seat bar, no reservations, arrive early. Fridays get special fish flown from Japan.

• Tuna flight (a must)
• Tiger roll; truffle sashimi
• Robata short rib / wagyu

Izakaya + robata. Order off the grill, not just rolls.

• If Tori Tori: marinated tuna rice bowl
• "Sushi cake" (crispy rice); Alaska roll

Your pin's name looks like a street. Confirm it's Tori Tori (upscale Japanese).

• House micheviche (ceviche)
• Red shrimp aguachile
• Smoked marlin taco (Culichi); micheladas rated best-ever

Go at peak hours for the freshest fish.

• Guava roll (the famous one)
• Cardamom roll
• Chocolate concha

Sells out; go before 9am weekends. Mostly to-go.

• Fried chicken sandwich (the favorite)
• Short rib sandwich
• Grilled cheese with tomato soup

Bread & pickles in-house. Daytime only, closes 6pm.

• Gold Taco (veg), Lord Buddha (dosa/tikka)
• Empanaderia, Camarones Cajun

Graze 2-3 stalls, then the rooftop beer garden.

• Chocolate-hazelnut croissant (huge)
• Raspberry tarte; date croissant

Pastry + coffee stop, not sandwiches (slow service).

• Prosciutto-and-egg croissant sandwich
• Yogurt, fruit & house granola
• Hot chocolate from the shop next door

Monica Patino institution. Weekday before 10am.

• Guava croffin (the signature)
• Dark chocolate croissant; almond croissant

Speakeasy bakery, ring the bell at Tonala 143. Go early.

• Plain butter croissant (best-in-city talk)
• Ham-and-cheese croissant; the fougasse bread

Quiet French-leaning cafe, short walk from home.

• Tonkotsu (2 free noodle refills)
• Spicy Chinese-style ramen (the star)
• Gyoza

Customize noodle thickness. Small, go off-peak.

• Pho tai (rare beef)
• Pork belly bao; fried spring rolls
• Vietnamese iced coffee

Good, not transcendent, and pricey. Skip the bun cha.

• Prosciutto al vino tinto
• Beef bolognese ravioli
• Shrimp in white wine; tiramisu

Build-your-own pasta counter. Go for the house picks above.

• Chicken (malai) tikka
• Dal makhani; paneer makhni
• Tikka masala

Not the downtown "Swagat", different place.

• Trompo Negro Fuego (signature)
• Trompo mixta; gringa / costra
• Flautas

Michelin Bib. Real wait, no res, go off-peak.

• Al pastor
• Suadero (the standout)
• Longaniza

Cash only, street stand, ~16 pesos each. Order several.

• Flor de calabaza; huitlacoche
• Picadillo; nopales

Blue-corn masa. Fillings rotate daily, ask what's fresh.

• Gaonera (ribeye + marrow fat, invented here)
• Bistec taco; chuleta

The only Michelin-starred taco stand on earth. Cash, standing, 4 items.

• Suadero (house specialty)
• Campechano (suadero + longaniza)
• Tripa

Bourdain's spot, 24/7 since the 80s. Best late-night.

• Original al pastor, tortilla dipped in drippings
• Order it "con todo"

Birthplace of modern al pastor (1959).

• Gringa de pastor (the signature)
• Al pastor "con todo," extra pineapple

Mechanic's garage by day, legendary pastor by night (~9pm-3am).

• 4-pack cinnamon-sugar churros + Mexican hot chocolate
• Consuelo (churro ice-cream sandwich)

Open very late, fast turnover. Post-dinner or post-taco stop.

• Paloma Blanca (clarified grapefruit)
• Tascalate Sour
• Bites: tuna tostada, Oaxaca-cheese "burrata"

No.3 North America's 50 Best Bars. Standing room, go with a group.

• Mexi-Thai (the signature)
• Matcha Yuzu; Olive Oil Gimlet

World's No.1 Bar (2024 & 2025). Res-only, unmarked door, 90-min seating.

• Margarita al Pastor (the signature)
• Jamaica Mezcal; Mango Enchilado

Birthplace of CDMX's craft-cocktail scene. Weeknights calmer.

• Pepe el Toro (whiskey, Nixta corn liqueur)
• Soldado Medina (tequila, cactus sorbet)
• Regional mezcal flight

Top-5 North America's 50 Best, surrealist mansion.

• Grilled octopus (the standout)
• Salmon risotto

Sunset & Sunday-brunch spot, rotating guest chef. Reserve for golden hour.

• Margarita clasica
• Oaxacan hot chocolate; ham-cheese torta

More bar than food. Go for the vibe and live music at night.

• Crepe Lilou (the signature)
• Tuna tostadas
• Ribeye with frites; short rib in Cabernet

Brunch inside the InterContinental. Go earlier in the day.