Mexico City

By Eduardo | @eduardoplaschinski

The experience at Alfonsina starts the moment you walk into Jorge Leon’s home on the outskirts of Oaxaca Airport. You’ll be driving through windy, narrow streets until you reach one of the many dirt roads of San Juan Bautista La Raya, Oaxaca. The first time you visit Alfonsina, you’ll probably be driving up and down the street a hundred times with no luck finding the place. No signage, Alfonsina is located inside a modest brick home. Home to Jorge, his mom, siblings and cousins. Together they work hard to serve affordable lunch menus to the community nearby and a 5-course menu available to those who seek a simply delicious meal. 

Each day, early in the morning the team visits la Central de Abasto market in the heart of Oaxaca to buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are grown in different parts of the state which accompany dishes based on corn, seafood, and meat. Jorge’s family is originally from the Mixteca, a small community 4 hours from the city. This is where the corn and meat come from. 

You’ll be sitting in a naturally-lit room with two communal tables facing a small open kitchen. Jorge’s dad does the nixtamalización, his mom will be making the tortillas, his siblings will be serving, and one of his cousins will be cooking right next to him. 

Dishes range from an enmolada to fresh fish with jicama or a sope with sausage sourced from Etla, a small valley in Oaxaca. For dessert a traditional cup filled with fruit jello, yogurt, and fresh fruit.

Jorge’s career brought him through some of the best restaurants in the country such as Casa Oaxaca and Pujol, though it’s back at home where he’s chosen to do what he loves. 

Alfonsina works based on a direct message reservation system, it is not open to the public. If you’re reading this you’ll want to know how to reserve for your next trip to Oaxaca — it’s as easy as messaging @cocinan on Instagram. 

Alfonsina, Calle García Vigil 183, San Juan Bautista la Raya, Oax., Mexico

By Eduardo | @eduardoplaschinski

Walking along Liverpool street in Mexico City’s Colonia Juárez, I stumbled upon a tiny, beautiful space filled with natural wood, large containers with different kinds of heritage corn varieties displayed, and hard-working people hand-making tamales on a large workspace with stools for customers to sit and enjoy the action.

Regina and José are the founders of Tamales Madre. Friends and cousins that are on a mission to find the best corn varieties in Mexico. Heritage corn, free from genetic modification, pesticides, chemicals and toxins. Tamales Madre works with different heritage corn producers that deliver corn varieties that are rich in flavor, texture and color. 

Both Regina and José were convinced that the tamal scene in Mexico City wasn’t represented correctly. Mexicans perceive tamales as street food, far from something delicate or looked after, and the cousins teamed up to change that. 

After lots of test runs and analyzing recipes and methods used in traditional Mexican kitchens, Regina and José realized animal fat wasn’t a necessary ingredient in the preparation.

The tamales here are prepared with vegetable shortening, as opposed to traditional tamales that are made with lard. This means lighter on the stomach, healthier and leaving the corn as the protagonist in the batter – opposed to dominating the flavor of the heritage corn. 

The decadent tamales range from savory to sweet. Black beans and hoja santa, mole and plantain or cacao with pinole custard. Each month there’s a new tamal available on the menu, a special that focuses on representing a certain region’s techniques and flavors. 

Tamales Madre is a deep dive into culture, tradition and knowing the origin of the ingredients that are used to prepare the tamales that you’ll crave each time you walk by.

Tamales Madre, Calle Liverpool 44a, Juárez, 06600 Ciudad de México

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

I have enjoyed being the Mexico City picks correspondent here at PatiJinich.com. Today’s recommendation is quite personal and may be a bit biased because the place I am recommending was opened by my mom (Karen) and I. It is called Niddo.

Niddo is a small corner space on a quiet, tree-filled street called Dresde. In Mexico City’s Colonia Juárez, just a block behind Paseo de la Reforma and a couple minutes away from the iconic Diana Cazadora statue. It’s a street most people had never heard of or drove by, yet it’s located in the very heart of this city. 

The space is divided into two concepts: the open kitchen and the café. Breakfast, lunch and Sunday brunch in the kitchen space. Coffee from Chiapas, baked goods, beverages and a collection of items that we’ve been curating for some time are for sale in the café space.

We like to call our food “comida que apapacha,” which means food that hugs your soul — and your stomach. We make very simple food with the best ingredients and let some of our family roots and history into each dish. From babka to shakshuka to chilaquiles or a grilled cheese sandwich. I grew up in a Jewish family in Mexico. My great-great-grandparents were Polish, and we lived for a long time in Vancouver, a very multi-cultural city. We picked up on a lot of different cuisines along the way.

Niddo is tiny, yet was designed to feel abundant with mirrors on almost every wall, tall ceilings and arched passageways — and a guaranteed view of the open kitchen at every seat. One of our main goals while designing the space was to eliminate the division you usually find between the kitchen and dining room at a traditional restaurant. Niddo’s entrance is actually through the kitchen.

The shakshuka at Niddo is the perfect breakfast. A rich and hearty tomato and bell pepper stew mixed with cumin, cayenne pepper, zaatar, fresh parsley, two poached eggs, and Lebanese yogurt. My mom learned to make it during the frequent trips to Israel as a child and perfected it after years and years of making it at home.

Niddo’s menu is small and is constantly changing and evolving. We try to travel as much as we can around Mexico and different countries to absorb different cultures into our food and bring home ingredients.

Niddo feels like home and tastes like it too. 

Niddo, Dresde 2, Colonia Juárez, CDMX

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

A 3- by 3-meter window in Mexico City’s Colonia Juárez where passionate people make perfect Italian gelato using seasonal Mexican ingredients, and the result is hard to compare to anything else.

It was during a dream one night that Kirén Miret (founder, co-owner and master gelato maker at Casa Morgana) decided she was going to open a gelato shop. That night, she quickly woke up and started jotting down ideas — flavors, ingredients, anything that came to her mind. This would result in becoming the root of the ice cream shop she’d always dreamed of. Kirén had no gelato experience. The next morning, she started searching for gelato courses in different parts of the world until one in Los Angeles popped up.

Shortly after, she was back in Mexico City making gelato with a small home gelato maker and bringing samples into her office. Kirén’s passion grew stronger, and a couple months later, she was all the way in Italy perfecting her skills. There she graduated as a master gelato maker.

Casa Morgana is run by Kirén, Diego (Kirén’s nana’s son), Elías (Diego’s father), Tani and Javi. It’s pretty much a family business. They make gelato because it makes them happy, not for any other reason. No artificial coloring, flavors or preservatives are used. Only fresh seasonal ingredients, sugar and milk, which are turned into gelato in a machine Kirén compares to a Ferrari.

The flavors at Casa Morgana range from mango, to rosca de reyes, to chocolate oaxaqueño. It all depends on the season, and each day means a different menu. November brings pan de muerto gelato, and December brings churros and ginger snap.

Each detail at Morgana is looked after. The containers in which the gelato is stored, the sugar to milk ratio, the cups that are flown in from Canada, the metallic spoons, the spades which are used to serve – they all work together to make Morgana’s gelato so creamy and irresistible.

Kirén has always been an ice cream person. When she was a little girl, she liked the more normal, chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream pops with sprinkles. Today, her mission is to make the best ice cream in Mexico – and she’s up there.

Heladería Casa Morgana, Calle Milán 36, Juárez, CDMX

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

Mexico City’s freshest and tastiest seafood, many say. Contramar is known to be the city’s most buzzing spot for locals and foreigners alike. There’s no trip to Mexico City and no weekend well spent without lunch at Contramar.

Cramped wooden chairs and small tables with white tablecloths, woven lamps, blue painted murals, a daily inspirational quote written in large font on the wall, and fast-moving waiters that have been working at the restaurant for over a decade make up the ambiance.

Gabriela Cámara, owner and founder of Contramar, had a very clear vision from the start: honest and fresh food made from the best product, outstanding service, and a great vibe that would provoke sobremesa. Andrés Barragán, chef of Contramar, met Gabriela at the very beginning, almost 20 years ago. Andrés, originally from Puebla, developed his cooking skills with Gaby and continued to improve them on his own. Tuna tostadas, fresh clam ceviche, pescado a la talla and the tuna carnitas are some favorites.

Contramar’s tuna carnitas are made using the fatty part of the tuna, which is chopped then fried until crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. After frying, the meat is served with chunky guacamole, refried beans and fresh tortillas made with heirloom corn from Tepoztlan. For dessert, waiters will be dancing around with large trays filled with sweets ranging from fresh chocolate cake to mountains of fresh merengue with whipped cream and strawberries.

Contramar just turned 20 and things just keep getting better for everyone.

Contramar, Calle de Durango 200, Roma Norte, CDMX

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

There are so many places to eat tacos al pastor in Mexico City and each one is unique. El Huequito’s original location on Ayuntamiento, a busy street in Mexico City’s downtown, has been serving tacos al pastor for almost 60 years. You order off the street and eat on the other side of the sidewalk at an aluminum high-top table with a variety of spicy salsas and freshly cut limes.

Pastor is crispy shavings of vertical spit-roasted pork marinated with dried chiles and spices. Very similar to shawarma or doner kebab, pastor was influenced by the strong Lebanese migration that occurred in Mexico in the early 1940’s.

In 1959, Guillermo Buendía and Amelia González started the business in a one-by-one-meter location. Due to the size, clients would refer to the taco shop as a “huequito,” meaning a very small space in Spanish.

The tacos al pastor at El Huequito are different than all the rest in Mexico City. No pineapple and no cilantro here. Just freshly shaved pastor meat wrapped in a tortilla with a little green salsa, chile de árbol salsa and onion, then straight back on the grill to seal in the flavor.

If you visit one of El Huequito’s newer locations, like the one in Condesa neighborhood, you’ll experience a longer menu with classics such as the especial — a mountain of pastor topped with corn tortillas, onion and green salsa, so you can make your own tacos.

A couple tacos al pastor with an ice-cold agua de horchata is probably one of the best combinations that exists in Mexico City’s street food scene today.

El Huequito, Ayuntamiento 21, Colonia Centro, Centro, 06050 Ciudad de México

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

In Mexico, and many parts of the world, roasted turkey is mainly served during the holiday season. Imagine a place where shaved slices of juicy roasted turkey are served on a soft telera smothered with avocado and spicy rajas. This place exists, it’s located in the heart of downtown Mexico City and, here, you can devour a turkey torta during any month of the year.

El Rey del Pavo has been in business for over a century. It was founded in 1910 by Ramón Avellana, a Spanish man from Gironella, a small town just North of Barcelona. Ramón moved to Mexico in 1906 and brought with him homey recipes, which are still used in the kitchen, and the idea of charcoal roasting the turkeys. The first location was at Palma Street #19. After moving locations twice, Ramón’s nephew, Carlos Moreno, is in charge of the restaurant’s new location, just a couple blocks down, at Palma Street #32 in Mexico City’s historic center.

Walking in you’ll see an open kitchen and lined up are the torteros and taqueros making turkey tortas and tacos by the dozen. There are lots of options here ranging from turkey breast in adobo, thigh, and turkey chicharrón. The restaurant is simple, lots of wooden tables with blue leather chairs that make for a diner-like feel. Most of the people who go in for a bite have been visiting the place for years and bring different generations of the family to try it.

Each time I visit, I’ll start off with a taco and end with a torta, accompanied by a hot bowl of turkey broth to dip. It’s hard to leave this place without a takeout bag to enjoy for dinner.

El Rey del Pavo, Calle de la Palma 32, Centro Histórico, Ciudad de México

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

From one day to the next, heirloom corn became a strong topic of conversation in Mexico. However, heirloom corn varieties have been a cornerstone of Mexican cuisine.

Chefs in Mexico City, Enrique Olvera included, have been using heirloom corn in their restaurants for years to make fresh tortillas, tamales, gorditas, or other antojitos that are made after the nixtamalized corn is turned into masa. Personalities like Olvera are aware of the importance of communicating the use of non-modified, non-GMO, pure, heirloom corn to Mexicans and the world.

At the end of April, Molino “El Pujol” was born. A small tortilla shop in the Condesa neighborhood run by Enrique and his team, whose main restaurant Pujol is on San Pellegrino’s list of the 50 best restaurants in the world.

The team behind Molino has gotten very creative and built up a small menu that ranges from an avocado taco wrapped in an acuyo leaf, to the more complex corn cob smothered with chicatana ant, coffee and costeño chile mayo, to a cold glass of corn water to wash it all down. Molino is a sophisticated tortilleria, indeed.

The place itself is simple, yet impressive. As you walk in, on the right, you’ll find a large corn mill and baskets of different heirloom corn varieties for sale. On the left, there is a small 6-seat counter with illustrations by Hilda Palafox, a well known Mexican artist and illustrator. At the end of the counter, you’ll see a refrigerator with fresh salsas and Mexican craft beer.

Molino “El Pujol” supports numerous families in different states of Mexico whose livelihood depends on producing heirloom corn varieties.

Molino “El Pujol,” General Benjamín Hill 146, Hipódromo Condesa, Ciudad de México

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

Oaxaca is one of Mexico’s most interesting states, rich with culture, ingredients and tradition, and is home to a small and simple eatery that a big part of the country’s foodies talk about.

Itanoní is basically made up of plastic chairs, tables, colorful decorations hanging from the ceiling, clay comales and señoras who have a lot of experience cooking on them. Here you’ll find anyone from local kids enjoying an afternoon snack to business executives stopping in for lunch.

The main ingredient here is heirloom corn in many different varieties. Once the corn has gone through the nixtamal process and has been transformed into masa, lots of different dishes are made. The menu ranges from tetelas, which are triangular corn masa pockets that can be filled with various ingredients, such as fresh cheese and squash blossoms, to the traditional fried egg over a warm tortilla finished with a fresh acuyo leaf and a little red or green salsa.

A century ago, there was a lot more heirloom corn on the Mexican market than there is today. A lot of different varieties of heirloom corn got contaminated with genetically modified corns. Itanoní has managed to maintain using a rainbow of heirloom varieties and is one of the few restaurants in Mexico that do so.

Itanoní Tortillería y Antojería, Av Belisario Domínguez 513, Reforma, Oaxaca

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

Over 140 years ago, the Guizar family opened a small candy shop in the heart of Mexico City’s historic downtown. Dulcería de Celaya was located on Plateros Street, which is now Madero, a rarity in Mexico’s downtown core because it is only open to pedestrians. Today, the dulcería is located on Cinco de Mayo Street.

This dulcería is like a hidden jewelry store that sells some of the tastiest and most delicate candy in the city. The candies are showcased in hand-crafted wooden display windows and are handled like precious gems as you order.

During the first few years of business, the different candies were sourced from various states across Mexico. After the shop’s reputation grew and gained popularity, the Guizar family decided to buy recipes from some of their most trusted suppliers and began also producing candy in the basement of the family home.

Strawberry, orange, guava, pineapple are all flavors you’ll taste, and the freshly grated coconut in their cocada dorada candy is a must. A few other, more traditional, Mexican flavors to try are marzipan and cajeta. As soon as you step foot in this tiny candy shop, you’ll find it hard to not walk out with a bag full of flavor.

Dulcería de Celaya, Av. Cinco de Mayo 39, Centro Histórico, Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

Seven years ago, bread maker Hugo González opened up what is known to be one of the best bakeries in Mexico. As you walk along Chihuahua Street in Colonia Roma, a vibrant and historic neighborhood, the strong aroma of freshly baked bread will lure you over.

Hugo studied culinary arts at Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana, a highly esteemed culinary school in the south of Mexico City and completed his thesis on bread fermentation. Soon after he was given the opportunity to stage at Ferran Adrià’s 3-Michelin star restaurant, El Bulli in Spain.

Everything at Pancracia is made with a sourdough starter that Hugo has been carefully nurturing for over 20 years. The thick & rustic crust and the soft & tangy crumb is a result of the fermentation-focused philosophy, different from classic bakeries in Mexico that stick to more traditional varieties using fresh yeast.

The bakery itself is a tiny ten by ten feet space divided into two different levels. On the first level is a large oven, racks of freshly baked bread and a small wooden working table. Up top is a fridge space where the rare sourdough starter is kept and shelving where dough is left to ferment. The temperature on the second floor is slightly higher and perfect to make the most of the fermentation process.

If you arrive early in the morning, you’ll be able to take home anything from doughy yogurt-based chocolate and vanilla conchas to savor through breakfast or fresh-out-of-the-oven fennel loaves to eat with dinner. Come late morning, some of Mexico City’s most renowned restaurants will be stopping by to pick up their artisanal orders.

One of my favorite things are the vigilantes: oval shaped butter-based sweet bread bathed in lemongrass honey – native to South America. Once you eat one, it’s hard to not eat a whole tray.

Over the years, Pancracia has made its mark on the neighborhood and has evolved into a strong reference for some of the best sourdough bread in the country.

Pancracia, Chihuahua, 181, Roma Norte, Ciudad de México

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

If you’re a very early morning person who will eat lots during breakfast – Fonda Margarita is for you. If you’re not – you still need to go. It’s a true Mexico City breakfast experience. Lots of plate-licking involved.

Fondas are small, simple and unpretentious restaurants serving real, delicious inexpensive Mexican food. You feel as if your grandma was cooking some of her best dishes for you. Well, only if your grandma was Mexican, and had the best sazón.

My grandpa was the first person to introduce me to this 50-year-old fonda. I’m not super keen on waking up at 5:00 in the morning, yet will wake up without a problem just thinking that I’ll soon be wrapping a fresh tortilla around all the different guisados. They open at 5:30AM and that’s when everything is the freshest. This early in the morning you’ll be bound to encounter people who sneak in a quick breakfast before work and crazy people like myself who simply have a strong craving. Closing time depends on how fast all the food they have prepared for the day is eaten, which is usually around 11:00AM.

Long communal tables, an open kitchen, large casseroles, stacks of crispy churros, fast moving waiters and a live guitarist make up the feel of this place. Alberto Castillo, one of the three siblings who inherited the fonda from his hard-working mother will always be at the front of the kitchen, welcoming people as they walk in and making sure everything’s running smoothly.

Like most fondas, there’s new and different menu items every day of the week. There’s also the traditional dishes they’ve been preparing for years. Frijoles negros con huevo (black beans scrambled with eggs), chicharrón en salsa verde (crispy pork skins in tangy green salsa), bistec en pasilla (thin steak in pasilla chile salsa) are just a few of the classics. The communal seating allows you to take a peek at what everyone else is eating. The best way to make the most of the experience is to go with friends, order a variety and wrap everything you eat with a warm tortilla. Finish off your breakfast with a hot, sugary churro dipped in a steaming café de olla.

Thank you, abue Miki, for introducing me to one of my favorite breakfasts in Mexico City about 10 years ago, and to one of my close friends, Eduardo García, for the recent repeated visits.

Fonda Margarita, Adolfo Prieto 1364, Tlacoquemecatl del Valle, Ciudad de México

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

Now-a-days, pan francés (French toast) is commonly said in Mexico City’s culinary neighborhoods thanks to Chef Eduardo García, one of Mexico’s most creative and admired chefs, highly known for his product-focused philosophy.

Lalo (Eduardo’s nickname in Spanish) grew up as a migrant worker in the US, he gained valuable kitchen experience from Chef Eric Ripert in New York and was deported back to Mexico on several occasions. Upon his last deportation, Eduardo came across an opportunity to work with Enrique Olvera as Chef de Cuisine at Pujol restaurant in Mexico City. Today, Lalo and his wife Gabriela own and operate three of the best restaurants in Mexico: Maximo Bistrot Local, Havre 77 and LALO!

Three years ago, Garcia’s iconic pan francés was introduced at LALO! – the more casual concept of the group. The first glance, walking into the restaurant, is of bright and colorful walls covered with graffiti by Belgian artist Bue The Warrior and a long communal wooden table filled with locals and foreigners alike. You’ll be able to spot lots of orders of pan francés on the table.

A lot of Mexicans, including myself, will line up for up to an hour on weekends just to have a bite and satisfy the craving. In fact, a lot of the restaurant’s hype and success is due to the large and thick slice of homemade brioche soaked in a vanilla-milk-egg-sugar mixture, fried in butter until crispy on the outside and topped with fresh whipped cream, mixed berries and blueberry compote. The most important component, what makes it so addictive, is the house-made brioche. Buttery, soft and moist, it took the team at LALO! time to perfect it.

Despite all the mouth-watering breakfast options there are in Mexico, I make room for pan francés at least once a week. Usually on Sunday mornings, with a side of bacon and two fried eggs to accompany.

LALO!, Zacatecas 173, Roma Norte, Ciudad de México

By Eduardo | @cazadordelomejor

In Mexico, there are infinite possibilities between two slices of bread. Mexicans are very creative. We’ve come up with all sorts of combinations. From a simple telera filled with mayo, beans, ham, quesillo and rajas to a more complex torta, which involves grabbing a whole different dish, such as tamales or chilaquiles, and incorporating them into the torta.

The torta is part of Mexican culture. It’s difficult for a Mexican to go through a day without saying, thinking about or eating one. On the way to work, I will probably pass by ten different torta shops. My office is four blocks from home. Whenever I walk by construction sites in the city during lunch hours, it’s hard for me not to notice the construction workers making tortas with soft teleras, freshly sliced ham and canned rajas and beans. My mouth immediately starts to water.

Most vendors that sell tortas in Mexico stick to one type, and they work hard to perfect it. Each torta maker has their own trick to making them better than the rest. Whether it’s getting rid of the migajón, brushing butter on each slice of bread, using a certain brand of mayonnaise or sourcing ingredients from their hometown. They’re convinced it makes the difference, and they’re right. For many it may seem simple to make a torta, but it’s the care and dedication of each ingredient that makes the difference.

My most recent torta experience was at Tortas Atlixco. The small, yet revamped, hole in the wall torta shop opened up in December 2016 and is owned by Arturo Ibarra, a Mexican torta aficionado, Sofía Aguilar, the owner of a creative branding firm in Mexico City and New York, and Juan Ángel Cordova, a Mexican entrepreneur. Arturo lived off tortas in Spain for years and has tried and experimented with all sorts of tortas. He’s managed to sophisticate the traditional Mexican torta at his tiny six seat shop.

To start off, the team at Tortas Atlixco has gone as far as to reach out to one of Mexico’s most recognized chefs, Elena Reygadas, to create a special, rustic and thick-crust sourdough bread exclusively for their use, as opposed to a traditional soft and airy bolillo or telera. If you’re familiar with the food scene in Mexico City, you’ll know that Elena is one of the most esteemed bread makers there is in the country and dedicates a lot of her time to perfecting the fermentation process of her creations. She was awarded Latin America’s Best Female Chef in 2014 by San Pellegrino and her main restaurant, Rosetta, is on the San Pellegrino list of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants year after year.

The menu at Tortas Atlixco ranges from milanesa to chilaquiles tortas. Each is unique and the ingredients sourced will not travel more than ten blocks to arrive at Arturo’s kitchen. I quickly chose the chilaquiles torta off the menu. Each bite was memorable. The green tomatillo sauce was spicy and perfectly seasoned, the fried tortilla strips were crunchy, the breaded chicken was moist and the fresh cream, quesillo and thinly sliced red onion gave the torta a lot of flavor. Indeed, Elena’s sourdough is what brings everything together and is what makes Tortas Atlixco unique. Arturo has succeeded at maintaining the torta tradition, while improving only certain components he considers necessary to create a revolutionary torta.

Tortas Atlixco, Calle Atlixco 155, Condesa, Mexico City