Things We Ate: Mexico City (Part Two!)

This post is a follow-up to my first Mexico City food post – you can find Part One right here!

I’d be lying if I said that food wasn’t among my top three reasons to return to Mexico City (the other two? Probably the culture and the people!). I’d been dreaming of the meals I ate during my visit in September so I was anxious to return to some of my favorites and to find some new ones too.

While my first Mexico City food post is structured by meal, this post is better classified by type of food and where/how it is consumed. A meal for two in April 2019 cost Michael and me anywhere from MXN 20 MXN (about USD 1) to MXN 5,950 (or USD 311.25), with many meals under MXN 200 (USD 10). We wanted to enjoy a broad spectrum of dining establishments, but meals can be had at any price point (and honestly I could probably subsist happily on street tacos and mangos alone).

Food in Mexico varies greatly from region to region, but as we were visiting the capital city, we were fortunate to have foods from all over Mexico available at any moment (despite this, truly, we’ve still barely scratched the surface on one of the world’s richest and most diverse cuisines). Yet no matter their origin, many of our meals contained the same basic elements of corn, meat, and salsa – even so, no two meals were alike.

In today’s post I’m sharing everything I ate over our five days in Mexico City, broken down by category: antojitos (which literally means “little cravings” but really refers to street foods and snacks), restaurantes (you probably figured out what that means, but these are sit-down meals consumed within a restaurant), dulces (sweets and desserts), café (or coffee, and there’s a lot of good stuff brewing in CDMX), and ending in bebidas (that just means drinks, but here it refers to alcoholic ones).

Let’s work up an appetite, shall we?

ANTOJITOS

Street Tamales

The tamale vendor’s morning begins very early, so he or she can be up and ready to serve the masses as they head to work. You’ll know the tamale vendor when you see him or her – they’re easily identified by their large metal pots. There’s usually no sign or menu; you’ll just have to ask what they have on offer. You can choose to eat it the difficult way as we do, with a fork, or eat it like locals on the run: as a guajolota (or torta de tamal). The vendor will unwrap the tamale and sometimes fry it before placing it in a bun. The ultimate grab-and-go meal!

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Molino El Pujol

Molino El Pujol | Gral. Benjamín Hill 146, Hipódromo Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Molino El Pujol has grown much more popular since our last visit (they even have a website now). The word is out. But it’s okay because as long as you visit during the off-peak hours you can probably snag a seat. We were pretty full by the time we arrived but managed to make room in our stomachs for an ear of elote and room in our suitcase for tortillas to bring home.

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Tacos “El Gato Volador”

Tacos "El Gato Volador" | 06700, Av. Álvaro Obregón 206, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

So nice we ate here twice! You’ll see taco vendors all over town with metal stalls that say “Super Tacos” alongside the name of that particular stall. Tacos “El Gato Volador” was a five-minute walk from where I was staying, but this 24-hour stall is worth seeking out from wherever you are in the city. Tacos are MXN 10 each (or MXN 12 with cheese), about USD 0.50+, and they deserve to be topped with the delicious peppers, nopales, and salsas available along the counter. Another guest saw us eating our tacos without cactus and got off his stool to walk us over and insist we add them to our plates. He was right – thank you, kind stranger!

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Frutas, Jugos, y Licuados

It’s easy to find fruit and juice stands throughout the city, and they’re just the ticket in the mid-afternoon when the sun is at its hottest. Don’t expect to receive one of the display juices or cups of fruit though; your order will be freshly prepared in front of you. And don’t skip the toppings on your cup of fruit either, even though once you eat mango with chili you’ll never be able to eat it without the spicy powder again.

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El Turix

El Turix | Av. Emilio Castelar 212, Polanco, Polanco III Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

I’m really fortunate to have a partner who will walk to the ends of the earth with me in order to have a good meal. El Turix felt like it was at the ends of the earth after spending the morning in Chapultepec and not having an idea of what we wanted to eat for lunch. We tried a combination of walking by and Googling places to eat, and hours later, El Turix fit the bill. This tiny gem tucked away in a ritzy part of the city offers only one thing: cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork from the Yucatán region. We ordered it in tacos and panucho, a crispy fried tortilla topped with beans and the same delicious pork. My recommendation? Skip all of the fancy Polanco places and go to El Turix instead.

RESTAURANTES

Pujol

Pujol | Tennyson 133, Polanco, Polanco IV Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Do you need to go to Pujol when you visit Mexico City? No. You can enjoy incredible cuisine at a fraction of the price on just about any block. But it is a really special place to celebrate, if you’re looking to do so. You can read all about our dinner at the now-famous restaurant here. Reservations essential.

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Contramar

Contramar | Calle de Durango 200, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Contramar is likely to pop up when you search for “best restaurants in Mexico City.” And we did indeed have a very good meal at the seafood restaurant. We shared two of their most famous dishes, which kind of irked the staff, I believe, who were hoping we’d order more – but it was plenty of food for both of us. The pescado is brought to diners at the table prior to cooking, and apparently the fish doesn’t take long to cook, as we were served the fish shortly after with black beans and lime in a tortilla. If you’re ordering, go with the Contramar-style fish, which has both red and green sauces (I’d love to hear which is your favorite!). For dessert, we shared the fig tart, which has a cheesecake-like layer and is simply perfect. Reservations recommended.

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Fonda Fina

Fonda Fina | Medellín 79, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Unless we’re sharing a meal, we always order two different dishes when we travel and then argue over who ordered the best dish. At Fonda Fina, I was easily the winner, not because Michael’s dish (the beef huarache) was bad, but because mine was so good. I ordered the smoked beef picaña with esquites and mole, and this dish puts almost any fancy steakhouse to shame (except maybe Bern’s, but that’s a different ballgame). Fonda Fina is priced higher than other fondas in Mexico City as it is a more “modern” take on the traditional, casual bistro-like atmosphere, but our two entrees, two beers, and bottled water rang in around the USD 40 mark.

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Eno

Eno | Multiple Locations

We ate at Enrique Olvera’s Eno twice during our visit, somewhat unintentionally. It was located a short walk from our Airbnb, which made it a great first stop on arrival for a coffee and snack, and also a perfect place to grab breakfast early one morning (well, not that early – which is why we’ve yet to make it to Fonda Margarita because we have trouble getting out the door before 8 a.m. on vacation). Michael enjoyed the squash blossom quesadilla so much that he ordered it twice, and I can’t say I blame him because it is flawless in its simplicity. I ordered a concha for us to share and the huevos rancheros which were quite good, though I found myself wishing for a little texture in the dish. This was a great place to try café de olla, or pot coffee, a coffee brewed in a clay pot for reheating as needed, with spices like cinnamon and anise as well as piloncillo (raw brown sugar).

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Taquería Orinoco

Taquería Orinoco | Multiple Locations

Hands down, Taquería Orinoco has the best website out of any listed on this page. We’d wanted to visit this fun and funky taquería since our previous visit when they just so happened to adjust their hours for the day (fair warning – this happens a lot in Mexico City. Don’t bother going anywhere near opening or closing hours). To ensure we didn’t miss our chance again, we visited Orinoco on our first day in the city, and our proactiveness paid off. Visiting in the daytime (as opposed to the evening – they’re open until 4 a.m. and the lines are looooong at night) is best if you’re looking for a quick and comfortable bite. You’ll want to know what you want to order before you make it to the register, which means you’ll probably need to look it up online as you wait since you can’t easily see the menu until you reach the counter; you’ll want to get something with trompo, though – the big, dripping spit of meat you see when you walk in. We went for one of the Gringa and one of the Campechana Especiales (larger tacos with cheese, corn chips, onions, avocado, and cilantro) and were struggling a little to finish. I can’t wait to go back.

DULCES

Churreria el Moro

Churreria el Moro | Multiple Locations

Of course we returned to Churreria el Moro on our second visit to Mexico City. It seems like there is one around every corner, except we had trouble locating the Polanco location. Google Maps indicated we were standing right next to it, yet as it turns out, this branch is located in El Palacio de Hierro, an upscale fortress of a shopping mall. I don’t typically recommend visiting malls, but the food court at the Polanco location is worth a visit. It’s one of the best I’ve visited, even if we were just there for the churros.

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Dulcería de Celaya

Dulcería de Celaya | Av. 5 de Mayo 39, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Decision paralysis hit at Dulcería de Celaya. The tiny shop’s cases are packed full of incredible-looking sweet treats, and my curiosity and desire to try them all piqued immediately. We mumbled back and forth, trying to convince each other that the items we each wanted were the best choice (well, not that there are any bad decisions in a place that’s been around since 1874). We finally settled on a puerquito, a cake-like cookie shaped like a little pig, and a sweet coconut cookie to bring back to our Airbnb. Our future selves were very proud of our past selves.

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Nieves 100% Artesanales

Nieves 100% Artesanales | Multiple Locations

Nieves 100% Artesanales was exactly what we needed to cool down after a stroll around the shadeless Zócalo during the hottest part of the day. We promised each other we wouldn’t finish the grande size 1/2 tres leches and 1/2 mezcal with cranberries ice cream we ordered (MXN 30 or about USD 1.50) but somehow we ended up with an empty cup…

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Catfecito

Catfecito | Baja California 266. Col. Hipódromo Condesa, Colonia Condesa, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Catfecito is impossibly cute – and almost impossible to get into. And while they do have more than just sweets, that’s all we were there for (well, we were really there for the cats but needed to order something to eat). Let’s just say that they were really obsessed with Game of Thrones which had a season premiere while we were visiting CDMX. Not only was the cafe decorated to the nines with GOT trimmings for their two-day event, but the entire weekend menu was dedicated to the show. They even changed their wifi password to reflect the theme. We visited at the end of the day, and it was clear the cats were pretty exhausted from all of the snuggling, except for Astro, the one-eyed cat who consented to a photo with me (did you notice the sandwich board outside is a painting of Astro?!).

CAFÉ

Volador Café

Volador Café | Av Michoacán 43, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Volador Café sits on a corner that is perfect for people- (and dog-!) watching. The staff seem perfectly laid-back yet are serious about their coffee. If you have the time, take your coffee para aquí and relax for a while.

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Tierra Garat

Tierra Garat | Multiple Locations

We stopped at Tierra Garat for a simple coffee, but ultimately ended up with chocolate and coffee drinks because they all sounded amazing! There are a few locations in the city, and the two we visited seemed like great places to relax and recharge – or to get work done on laptops.

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Café Curado

Café Curado | Sinaloa 10, entre insurgentes y Monterrey, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Café Curado is a few short blocks away from the Insurgentes metro stop, and it’s worth the MXN 5 fare to get there. I have to say, I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself in NYC after walking back out the doors of this coffee shop.

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Buna

Buna | Multiple Locations

We visited Buna in September and were thrilled to return for an iced cafechata – an espresso-horchata hybrid that is greater than the sum of its parts.

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Chiquitito

Chiquitito | Multiple Locations

Not only is “Chiquitito” fun to say, but they also make great coffee. Get the drink with the same name – an espresso with condensed milk.

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Almanegra

Almanegra | Multiple Locations

We first visited Almanegra on our last trip to Mexico City, and couldn’t resist another stop during this trip. The coffee is great and the atmosphere is calm (a welcome respite from busy street noise!).

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Café B

Café B | Pl. Popocatépetl 30, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

We had to be up earlier than we would have liked to visit Teotihuacan. Luckily Café B was open – in fact, they were the only coffee shop open at 7 a.m. in the neighborhood.

BEBIDAS

Pulquería Las Duelistas

Pulquería Las Duelistas | Aranda 28, Colonia Centro, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06400 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

I didn’t know what to expect when visiting Pulquería Las Duelistas, but I’ve never quite seen anything like it. I’d wanted to try pulque on our previous visit, but we never quite got around to it. So this time, we made a point to stop at this popular pulquería near the city centre – and we almost couldn’t get through the saloon doors. The couple walking a few steps ahead of us peeked in and with a “no manches” (“no way”) turned on their heels and left. Michael pleaded with me but I insisted we go in, so we pulled the doors open and dove headfirst into the wall-to-wall crowd. A tall man appeared out of nowhere and asked what we’d like to drink and we quickly chose the sampler. Someone else saw us standing and invited us over to sit on the one unoccupied stool in the entire place, and eventually, our sampler of pulque found us. We tried each one as the crowd around us sang every word to every song playing on the speakers. Michael was not a fan of the texture (I’ve heard it described as “snot” but it’s very similar to a viscous aloe beverage, except with alcohol), but I quite enjoyed all of the flavors except the toothpaste-like mint. Our kind rescuer shared some of his pitcher of vino tinto (a syrupy red wine) before emptying the rest into his water bottle and leaving. We also finished our sampler quickly as the heat from so many people was stifling, and after all, we had much left to do that day since it was only 5 p.m.

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Pulquería Los Insurgentes

Pulquería Los Insurgentes | Av. Insurgentes Sur 226, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Our visit to Pulquería Los Insurgentes was vastly different than Las Duelistas. There are many rooms in this funky multi-story bar (it’s easy to get a little lost) but you’ll want to head straight up to the covered rooftop. There is a lot on offer, so even non-pulque lovers can find something to drink.

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Baltra Bar

Baltra Bar | Iztaccihuatl 36D, Colonia Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

We stopped at Baltra Bar for pre-dinner drinks one evening, and it was a delightfully cozy place to relax with a good cocktail. The cocktails have a vintage vibe; order something a little out of your comfort zone.

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Level Up Game Bar

Level Up Game Bar | Monterrey 227, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

We’d decided to go see a Mexican movie one evening when we were tired, but Google gave us the incorrect show times. A quick search on our phones showed that we were near Level Up Game Bar, which ended up being a much more fun and interactive way to spend our evening. The game system emulator at each table emulates a number of consoles and arcade games; you simply scroll through to the console you want (say, Nintendo64), and then choose a game (Mario Kart). The selection is good, but sometimes the system was buggy. No matter – unlike a traditional arcade bar, you don’t have to pay for the use of the gaming system. Order a cheap local beer and challenge your friends!

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: DINING IN MEXICO CITY

Don’t drink the water

You’ve already heard this, but it bears repeating: don’t drink the water. Bottled water is inexpensive, but you’ll want a lot of it during your stay as the elevation can make you more prone to dehydration. And remember that water comes in many forms, like coffee, ice, and a cleanser for fruit. It’s okay to be a little choosy where you order from; you won’t look out of place with bottled water from the 7-Eleven in your hand (though you’ll probably feel guilty like we did at the sight of our water bottle graveyard). At restaurants, you can order bottled water or ask for filtered water (and hey, beer is always safe!). No matter what, be sure to pack Immodium just in case.

Know the Spanish words for foods you want to avoid

Ideally, you’ll know more words than this, but if you really don’t want to eat tripe or octopus, know that you’ll want to skip over anything that says tripa or pulpo. Those who follow a strict diet will likely need to do a little research before they leave. Though many dishes contain animal products, vegans and vegetarians will have ample opportunity for amazing meals. Tamales with vegetable fillings, squash blossom quesadillas, and cactus tacos can easily be found; there are also an astounding number of vegan-only restaurants in CDMX. Those who do not or cannot eat gluten can breathe easy as well; more often than not the tortilla of choice is a corn one (though of course, Celiac diners should take extra precautions in case of cross-contamination). Don’t be afraid to share with staff that you have an allergy (“Soy alérgico al… gluten, leche, etc.”).

Eat at the proper times

Meals in Mexico City are consumed later than meals here in the U.S. Many places that serve lunch don’t open until 1 p.m. (but see the guideline above about showing up anywhere at opening time), and you’ll likely be the only ones in the restaurant if you try to eat dinner at 6 p.m. That being said, street food is fair game any time!

Don’t fear the street food

If you visit Mexico City and don’t eat at a street stand, I’m sorry, but we can’t be friends. Most stands you encounter are as fresh and safe as any restaurant, but to be sure, only stop at ones that are busy. This means that food is moving quickly and not sitting out, and that locals know it’s safe (and delicious!). Order quickly and have a seat if there’s room – it may be on a stool or it might just be on an overturned bucket. When your food is ready, add whatever toppings you’d like from the bowls on the counter, but go easy on the salsas to start. There will undoubtedly be one as hot as fire, but you’ll never be able to tell without tasting it. You may have to squeeze past someone to get to the condiments; just say “con permiso” and go for it. Looking for napkins? Look up. They’re often hanging from the top of the cart. Unless you’ve ordered your food to go, payment is made at the end of the meal; after all, you’re a guest at their stand. Have exact change if possible, and be sure to throw a little extra in the jar that says propina.

Be polite

This is a general travel tip, but I want to emphasize how important it is to use your “please” and “thank yous” (por favor y gracias) with the people serving your food. It seems straightforward, but it can be easy to forget niceties when you’re simply trying to place and pay for an order in a language you don’t understand. Your brain will be working overtime, and you’d be surprised how quickly saying “please” can drop from your vocabulary. When you arrive at a restaurant or stand, greet the staff with a “buenos días,” “buenas tardes,” or “buenas noches” depending on the time of day (morning, afternoon, and evening) – or at the very least a friendly and sheepish “hola.” To order, you’ll say, “me da [item], por favor” which translates to “give me [item] please,” yet is not impolite, despite sounding so in English. The second person can then say, “y para mí, [item] por favor” (“and for me, [item], please”) or “el mismo para mí, por favor” (“the same for me, please”). And always, always say gracias.

¿Para aquí o para llevar?

You’ll hear this often if you choose to visit quick-serve places. This just means “for here or to go?” If you can, take your items para aquí, por favor.

¿Con queso?

Most items from street stands don’t automatically come with cheese unless you ask, but the one you’d expect to come with cheese doesn’t unless you ask (or unless the cook takes pity on you and asks): the quesadilla. That’s right – in Mexico City, quesadillas don’t contain cheese unless you ask for it.

Toss it correctly

The areas of Mexico City we visited were on it in terms of recycling. There are often at least three in a cluster: one for recyclables, one for compost, and one for all other trash. Do your part and make sure your things end up in the right bin.

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