From street food to fine-dining restaurants, Mexico City is a food lover’s dream come true. And, yes, there are tacos too.
The cobblestoned alleyways in Centro Histórico were quiet, a stark contrast from the maddening morning crowd. The day’s dishevelled remnants remained, strewn about carelessly, only to be swept clean before dawn. My partner and I walked past one architectural gem after another, buildings boasting varied styles yet harmoniously forming a cohesive pattern for the eyes. It felt like hours, walking in search of elusive meaty glory, getting lost with the warm glow of the street lamps for company. We briefly contemplated returning to the suite comforts of Gran Hotel Ciudad de México, the historical art nouveau masterpiece boasting spectacular views of Zócalo, after I felt my calves tighten; but we prodded on.
Suddenly, a faint meaty smell filled the air, beckoning us to turn at the next corner. As we did, a smile crept up on our faces for there stood the elusive destination — a tiny, unassuming joint with a line of hungry locals patiently waiting in the dead of the night — Taquería Los Cocuyos.
Edible history
There is no dearth of good food in Mexico City as I discovered on a recent trip. A city so vast, boasting inherent layers of historical amalgamation that have birthed many a culinary tradition and a culmination of styles and flavours from around the country, Mexico City is truly a never-ending food city. It’s no wonder that traditional Mexican gastronomy, integrating pre-Hispanic ingredients and techniques with the ‘New World’, is recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO (2010).
Maize or corn, chilli peppers, beans and squash formed the backbone of indigenous Mexican food — staples that had been cultivated or domesticated, and consumed for centuries, probably from Mayan times. Let’s not forget other native foods so intrinsic to their eating habits like tomatoes, cactus, insects, and cacao. However, the Spanish conquest in the 15th century introduced new cooking techniques and ‘new goods’ from Europe, thereby integrating the food landscape to create a unique fusion we find in Mexico today.
Tasting notes
Starting our Mexico City food odyssey at Pujol was a good decision. Located in the chic Polanco district amid lush greenery, the brainchild of Chef Enrique Olvera has consistently ranked high among the 50 Best list (No. 5 in 2022). Reservations fill out months in advance so I suggest reserving the seven-course tasting menu before booking the flight. That’s what I did. Pujol celebrates Mexican gastronomy, changing its menu seasonally. We feasted on delicate amberjack ceviche, punchy tuna tostada, and delectable sea bass ikejime. Yet, the dish that left me wanting more was their iconic mole. Two concentric rings of mole — the rich mole madre aging for 265+ days, and mole nuevo — served with hoja santa (Mexican pepperleaf) tortillas combined to sing harmoniously with each bite. I still dream of the flavours.
Quintonil (No. 9) is Mexico City’s second mention in the list. Chef Jorge Vallejo, who has worked in leading kitchens, including Noma, believes in emphasising traditional ingredients like escamoles (ant larvae), chapulines (grasshopper) or huauzontles (a pre-Hispanic herb) and techniques for the modern palate. Try the 10-course tasting menu (which can be adjusted to accommodate different diets) or pick your fancy from the à la carte section, the overall experience will leave you satiated.
Uniquely own
A visit to the nearby Teotihuacán pyramids is sure to be on the list for a first timer to this city. However, after a morning of exercise (walking the entire Mayan archaeological complex), we slipped out of Gate No. 5 and crossed the road to cool off, literally under the ground. La Gruta has been serving patrons traditional food for decades inside an illuminated volcanic cave with sunshine pouring through a large hole in the ceiling. The air inside is naturally cool, multicoloured chairs are a contrast against pristine white-clothed tables. We dug into escamoles al epazote (ant larvae tossed with wormseed herb) and barbecue mutton (merging pre-conquest cooking technique with meat from the ‘New World’). I recall the location rather than the taste, but the experience is recommended.
Tequila is good, but have you tried mezcal? Distilled from agave plants, a traditional source of not just beverages but also food, medicine and ornaments, mezcal is typically produced in the territory protected by the Denomination of Origin Mezcal or DOM. Cooked inside earthen pits lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before distilling in clay pots, mezcal is grouped by age and is served with citrus slices and sal de gusano (ground worms in salt). In Mexico City, start with a tour at Museo del Tequila y el Mezcal (MUTEM) located in Plaza Garibaldi for a quick lesson on the production of the country’s two iconic beverages (there’s a tasting at the end and an option to purchase more) before heading off to drink some more of the smoky spirit. There’s La Botica at six locations but try the original mezcaleria at Condesa or La Clandestina in the same neighbourhood for a night of tastings. My favourite treat was sitting at La Terraza, overlooking the night sky over Zócalo, sipping a fine smoky mezcal with the wind blowing in my hair.
Morning grub
Desayuno (breakfast) is a serious affair. We began each day with a hearty one. We picked up steaming tamales from street carts, filled our bellies with gigantic servings of chilaquiles topped with eggs at our hotel, or ventured out to a few must-try places.
El Cardenal at Centro Histórico has been serving patrons, famous and locals, since 1969. Try their concha con nata (sweet pastry bread with clotted cream created from boiling raw milk) with a coffee or, if you prefer, huevos rancheros for a heavy meal. There’s Azul Histórico nearby, too, owned by respected author and chef Ricardo Munoz Zurita. Inside Downtown Hotel and preferred by couples for romantic dinners under a canopy of greens and hanging candles, they do serve a mean breakfast. Eat but also opt for the chocolate caliente as a server will make it right in front of you the old school way.
The most local way to eat breakfast would be to head to a fonda. These tiny, no-frill eateries open early and usually serve hearty eggs, guisados and, of course, café de olla or spiced coffee that’s steeped in Mexican revolutionary history. It was said to be a favourite of Emiliano Zapata, the fearless guerrilla leader of that time.
Taco heaven
No trip to Mexico City is ever complete without indulging in tacos. The best-known Mexican export has taken over the world. However, the one taco Mexico is most famous for is the al pastor. A chunk of marinated pork is slow cooked on a trompo (vertical spit) for hours until tender, and served sliced in warm tortillas with onions, chopped coriander, pineapple bits and salsa. There are discrepancies to its origin story but what’s undeniable in its history are the influence of Lebanese immigrants in the late 19th century, and the foundation of three eateries in Puebla (southeast of the capital) in the 1930s that served tacos árabes — spit-roasted lamb in warm pita. This eventually morphed into the al pastor, the lamb and pita replaced by pork and tortilla with an addition of a spicy adobo rub. When El Huequito opened in Centro Histórico in 1959, they claimed to be the first place to serve this kind of taco, and they are still a must-visit spot.
Taquerías are as common to Mexico City as Michelin-star restaurants to Tokyo. Some fan favourites are El Vilsito, a mechanic shop by day where al pastor connoisseurs descend by night; El Turix, a hole-in-the-wall serving Yucatan-style cochinita pibil; Cariñito, a hipster taqueria with modern flavours; Tacos Rueben’s, the street side cart with the best combination special (suadero, longaniza, and tripe); and Los 3 Reyes, the seven-decade institution serving lamb barbacoa on weekends. These are but the tip of the iceberg.
Back to the quiet night at Centro Histórico, the smells from a gigantic, bubbling meat-filled vat whetted our appetite as we joined the hungry line at Los Cocuyos. Our first round order should have been enough between two — longaniza (sausage), suadero (brisket), trompa (snout), tripa (tripe), cachete (beef cheeks), and campechano (mix of flank, sausage and chicharrónes), all on corn tortillas, showered with coriander and chopped onions, doused with fresh salsas from large metal bowls on the counter. The flavours were so simple — meats cooked in lard confit with salt, pulled from the bubbling vat and chopped on a fat-stained block that’s been witness to time. Yet as the tacos left the master taqueros’s hands, he knew you’d be back for more. For each bite brought about a new wave of swoon. Not just for us, but for everyone. I swear I heard the girl standing next to me cry with joy.
With our bellies full but greed overcoming logic, my partner went to order another round as I sighed contentedly. We had justifiably nullified all the walking from our adventurous day. But there were no regrets. After all, eating at the late Anthony Bourdain’s favourite taqueria could only enhance our first-time Mexico City experience.
Locations
Pujol (Tennyson 133, Polanco IV Section; Opens 1.30pm; Reservations required; pujol.com.mx/eng)
Quintonil (Newton 55, Polanco; Opens 12.30pm; Reservations required; quintonil.com/en)
La Gruta (Circuito Arqueologico, Av. del Puente S/N, 55820 San Francisco Mazapa; Opens 8am; Reservations recommended; lagruta.mx)
MUTEM (Plaza Garibaldi s/n Col. Centro; Opens 11am; mutemgaribaldi.mx)
La Botica (Timings vary across locations)
La Clandestina (Av. Álvaro Obregón 298, Colonia Condesa; Opens 6.30pm)
La Terraza (Av. 16 de Septiembre; Opens 7am; granhoteldelaciudaddemexico.com.mx/en/terraza)
El Cardenal (C. de la Palma 23; Opens 8am; Reservations recommended; restauranteelcardenal.com)
Azul Histórico (Isabel la Catolica 30; Opens 9am; Reservations recommended; azul.rest/azul-historico)
El Huequito (Ayuntamiento 21, Centro Histórico; +52 55 5518 3313)
El Vilsito (Av. Universidad Narvarte Poniente; Check Facebook page for hours)
El Turix (Av. Emilio Castelar 212, Polanco; Opens 10am; +52 55 5280 6449)
Cariñito (Guanajuato 53, Roma Nte; Opens 2pm: Check Instagram)
Tacos Rueben’s (Av. Jose Marti 199, Escandon 1 Secc; Opens 6pm; Check Facebook page)
Los 3 Reyes (Pablo Veronés 12, Alfonso XIII, Álvaro Obregón; Opens 8.30am weekends; Check Facebook page)
Taquería Los Cocuyos (Calle de Bolívar 57, Centro Histórico; Open 24×7)
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