In a district this rich in culture and history, countless “B-sides” deserve their turn in the spotlight. This proves particularly true when it comes to eating in the Centro: For every famous taco stand or restaurant, there are countless others that feel equally enticing, if not more so. Along the way, we’ll get a crash course in Mexico City’s history, layer by delicious layer. The Centro Histórico, Mexico City’s oldest quarter, has served as the metropolis’s beating heart for some 700 years. The Mexicas, more commonly known as the Aztecs, first built their capital here; Spanish conquerors later claimed the area as the center of their colonial empire; and modern Mexico City eventually expanded outward from these streets into today’s sprawling megalopolis. The neighborhood also holds many of the city’s “Greatest Hits,” including the churches, palaces and museums found on nearly every visitor’s itinerary. We’ll begin the day at two neighborhood breakfast institutions that have helped generations of locals start their mornings. As we work our way through the Centro’s bustling cobblestoned streets, we’ll stop at beloved food stands, including one serving exceptional carnitas and another where Doña Estela pours tepache – a lightly fermented pineapple drink that dates back to pre-Hispanic times – from her sidewalk stall. We’ll duck into a side alley for homey enchiladas at a workers’ lunch spot, visit a small museum devoted entirely to Mexican gastronomy inside a colonial-era building and explore the edible offerings of a covered market dating back to the 1930s, also home to a striking collection of public art. Later, we’ll join the regulars for cold brew at a recently opened specialty shop that celebrates Mexico’s rich history of coffee growing, buying its beans directly from farmers in Oaxaca and Veracruz. To close the day, we’ll sit down for a mezcal tasting at an intimate, appointment-only venue, where we’ll uncover the stories, traditions and techniques behind Mexico’s celebrated agave spirit. It will be a day full of rewarding surprises, the kind only El Centro can provide.
Read More