This year was such an incredibly busy and exciting year for the Mexico City food scene. It felt like every single week, two or three new restaurants or bars were opening their doors. Sometimes, we admit, it even felt like a challenge to keep track – which is a happy problem, to be sure. At the same time, our favorite haunts and timeless classics beckoned, reminding us that, despite the inevitable change, quality will always stand the test of time.
As a testament to that statement, we pay tribute to the always creative and delicious Expendio de Maíz, where corn-based surprises lead the culinary journey, as well as the ever-comforting Caldos de Gallina Luis, which brought us back to life more than once during the year. However, this wouldn’t be Mexico City without a dose of innovation, which is why we included Tencüi, a mushroom-forward eatery in the up-and-coming Santa María la Ribera neighborhood. Extending our reach, we headed to Texcoco to try a hard-to-find local delicacy, and back to the Centro Histórico for some icy sweet treats. A healthy mix of styles, budgets, and flavors – just as it should be in this city.
Classic Soup at Caldos de Gallina Luis
Is there anything more comforting than chicken soup? Better yet, the chicken soup – actually, the hen (gallina) soup, if you’re translating literally – at old favorite Caldos de Gallina Luis. With two locations in Colonia Roma, this family-run joint has become a bit of a cult favorite, while remaining incredibly casual and unpretentious. The main draw is, you guessed it, the chicken soup, offered with your choice of chicken thigh, quarter or breast. Aromatic, hearty and flavorful, the broth is packed with rice, cilantro, onions and chickpeas, and is served with lime slices, chiles and giant tortillas on the side. To say that this is a full meal is an understatement. This is a full experience, as the broth is made every day with chickens that are cooked for hours, resulting in an extremely rich and satisfying soup.
This year, we discovered that the soup is available to go, which can be a lifesaver if you’re dealing with a hangover or a bad flu. However, there’s something special about arriving at the no-frills restaurant and sharing such a simple yet spectacular meal with fellow diners. – Cristina Alonso
The Tasting Menu at Expendio de Maíz
Dining at Expendio de Maíz is never the same experience twice, and that has nothing to do with its quality standards – it’s a testament to the creativity behind its kitchen, led by chef Jesús Salas Tornés. Here, heirloom corn is the star and the main ingredient in each dish of the unscripted tasting menu. This year, we loved coming back to the relaxed Colonia Roma joint and confirming that the food is as good as ever. We enjoyed corn-based delights like sopes, enmoladas and gorditas, as well as the ever-beloved pig-shaped amuse bouche, all topped with fresh vegetables, cheeses and perfectly cooked sauces. Portions and pacing are smart and thoughtful, allowing each diner to enjoy their food and decide how many dishes they want to include in their meal. – Cristina Alonso
Many Mushrooms at Tencüi
The still under-the-radar neighborhood of Santa María la Ribera is the perfect location for a concept as unique as Tencüi, where the mushroom reigns supreme. Helmed by chef Mario Espinosa – of popular restaurant Madereros – the kitchen here serves pure flavor and creativity, with every dish and drink showcasing a type of mushroom.
Meals at Tencüi should start with one of their creative cocktails, which also feature fungi. Take the Kombu, a refreshing mix of house strawberry kombucha, sour fruit mix, Campari and Aperol, which makes for a perfect aperitivo on warm Mexico City afternoons. Appetizers are perfect for sharing – don’t skip the sopes, made with juicy pink mushrooms, or the green mushroom ceviche with dried coconut. As appealing for vegetarians and vegans as it is for carnivores, Tencüi also serves hearty meat- and fish-based dishes, such as a delicious catch of the day with shiitake mushrooms wrapped in aromatic hoja santa leaf and a juicy chicken with glazed mushrooms of the day. At the end of your meal, ask your server for a tour of the upstairs chamber, where the team grows an incredible array of fungi under delicately controlled conditions. – Cristina Alonso
Stuffed Squash Blossoms at Azulísimo
Azulísimo is chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita’s newest restaurant, located in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico. Here we found a different menu from his famous Azul Histórico, Azul Condesa or Azul & Oro. Each restaurant is a guarantee of authentic regional Mexican cuisine, but Azulísimo came as a surprise, an even deeper and more creative exploration of the roots of Mexican cuisine of various regions.
The dish that stood out the most was the vegetarian plate of flor de calabaza con queso de cabra y miel de abeja del mezquite. The presentation could not be more spectacular – a squash blossom comes stuffed with goat cheese on a blue rectangular board, fanned out and topped with small edible flowers. The final touch is a swirl of mesquite honey. Beyond the beauty of the plate that arrived at the table, the mix of flavors is just perfect. It evokes life in rural México – milpa, goats and bees. – Paco de Santiago
Popsicle Sampler at Las Ricas Paletas
In Mexico City we have loved helados and paletas since ancient times – it is said that the Mexica Emperor Moctezuma enjoyed the ice from the volcanoes Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl on his table every day. These days, you can still find cold treats like nieves (made with ice and fruits) and helados (made with milk or a lactose base) everywhere in the megalopolis. Nevertheless, Las Ricas Paletas are one of a kind. Located at the corner of Rodriguez Puebla and República de Venezuela streets, the locale stands out for its huge refrigerator and signs on the sidewalk. The streets are always crowded with vendors, buyers and diableros, the people moving merchandise from one place to another on heavy carts. So a quick stop for a paleta (ice popsicle) is a must, especially at midday when the sun really hits.
They have so many flavors beyond the classics. Many are made with commercial sweets, candies and chocolates we Mexicans have been loving for years, like Gansito (a mini cake), Pulparindo (a bar made with tamarind and chile), Paleta Payaso (marshmallow covered with chocolate and gummy bears), Pica Fresa (strawberry and chile) and many more. Recently, Las Ricas Paletas opened a space inside the Mercado Abelardo with seats. There, you can enjoy an ice popsicle sampler topped with chili powder, chamoy, swinkles, gummy bears and more. Our favorite: fresa, limón and mango (strawberry, lime and mango)! – Paco de Santiago
Taco Especial at El Huequito Gourmet Tintoreto
Why would we recommend a franchise with 10 restaurants in Mexico City as the place to eat pastor tacos? The answer is simple: Tacos El Huequito started as a hole-in-the-wall in 1959, and its Tintoreto Restaurant, located in front of the Plaza de Toros México, may just have one of the best trompos – the giant spinning grill of meat – in town.
The Taco Especial here is, without any doubt, one of our best bites of the year. A happy conjunction of perfectly marinated pork meat and two salsas: one green, guacamole-style and one orange made with chile de árbol. All served with a stack of small, thin corn tortillas made especially for this special taco. The Taco Especial lives up to its name: special because of its flavor, but also because of its towering dimension. It’s like several tacos in one! – Paco de Santiago
Maguey Worms at El Original de Texcoco
Every year, Texcoco, a municipality located a short 20-mile drive northeast from the historic center of Mexico City, celebrates one of the most important fairs in the country: the Feria Internacional del Caballo, or international horse fair, which takes place in the spring. As part of the many activities during this three-week-long fiesta – which includes Mexican rodeos, bullfights, cockfights, equestrian spectacles, dressage shows, massive free concerts, carnivals, handicrafts and more – the food court offers an amazing selection of local rural cuisines. It was here, at El Original de Texcoco, where we tried this Mexican delicacy: maguey worms, or chinicuiles. Agave production is still an important part of the Texcoco economy, and this species of Lepidoptera is found on the agave plant (from which we obtain the spirit known as mezcal). Farmers recollect these worms, or gusanos, in the rainy season, during which they are in great demand.
We enjoyed them as simply as it gets: roasted on the comal just with a bit of salt, alongside grilled cactus paddles and spring onions. Less is more – the salsa should always be very mild so that it does not overcome the delicate mezcal-flavored chinicuiles. – Paco de Santiago
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