Food · Mexico City · Mexico
What to eat in Mexico City
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Mexico City, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Gobierno CDMX, CC0
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Quick answer
Start with Tacos al pastor, Chilaquiles and Tamales and atole. Taste al pastor, suadero and tacos de canasta at different stands in the Centro or Roma; busy stands with high turnover are a good sign of fresh food. Lunch (comida) is the main meal, usually from about 2pm to 5pm; dinner is lighter and often after 8pm.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Tacos al pastor
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 8
- Tipping
- Tip 10–15% in restaurants, often by telling the server the amount to add when paying by…
- Food experiences
- 5
12 foods to try
Street food
1.Tacos al pastor
Thin slices of chilli-marinated pork carved from a vertical spit (trompo), a method brought by Lebanese immigrants, served on small corn tortillas with pineapple, onion, coriander and salsa.
Where: Taquerías across the city, from long-established El Huequito in the Centro to late-night stands in Roma and Condesa; look for a busy trompo.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
2.Chilaquiles
Fried tortilla pieces simmered in red or green salsa and topped with cream, cheese and onion, often with chicken or a fried egg; the classic Mexico City breakfast.
Where: Cafés, fondas and market stalls across the city; Roma and Condesa cafés serve elaborate versions.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
3.Tamales and atole
Steamed corn-dough parcels filled with salsa verde chicken, pork in red chilli or rajas with cheese, eaten with a warm corn drink (atole); the 'guajolota' puts a tamal inside a bread roll.
Where: Street stands outside Metro stations and on corners in the early morning.
Street food · Vegetarian
4.Tlacoyos
Oval cakes of blue-corn masa stuffed with beans, fava beans or cheese, griddled and topped with nopales (cactus), salsa and fresh cheese.
Where: Women's griddle stands in markets and near Metro stations, especially in the Centro and Coyoacán.
Street food · Vegetarian
5.Quesadillas
Folded masa turnovers, fried or griddled, filled with squash blossom, huitlacoche (corn fungus), mushrooms or meat; in Mexico City cheese is not automatically included, so ask for 'con queso'.
Where: Market fondas and street stalls across the city.
Dish
6.Mole
Complex sauces of chillies, spices, seeds and sometimes chocolate, served over chicken or turkey; mole poblano is the best known, but the city's restaurants serve regional varieties from across Mexico.
Where: Traditional restaurants and fondas; the town of San Pedro Atocpan in the south of the city is famous for mole-making.
Dish
7.Chiles en nogada
Poblano chillies stuffed with meat and fruit, covered in walnut cream sauce and pomegranate seeds, in the green, white and red of the national flag. It is a seasonal dish, served mainly in August and September around Independence Day.
Where: Traditional restaurants across the city during the season.
Dish
8.Barbacoa
Lamb slow-cooked in an underground pit wrapped in maguey leaves, eaten in tacos with a cup of its rich consommé; a weekend-morning tradition.
Where: Market stalls and roadside barbacoa stands, mostly on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Churros and hot chocolate
Fried dough sticks rolled in sugar, dipped into thick Mexican or Spanish-style hot chocolate.
Where: El Moro, a churrería open since 1935 on Eje Central in the Centro, with branches across the city.
Bakery · Vegetarian
10.Conchas and pan dulce
Sweet bread rolls topped with a shell-patterned sugar crust, part of a huge range of Mexican pan dulce eaten for breakfast or merienda.
Where: Neighbourhood panaderías and the vast Pastelería Ideal in the Centro.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Pulque
A milky, slightly sour drink of fermented agave sap, drunk since pre-Hispanic times, often 'curado' (blended with fruit such as guava or oats).
Where: Traditional pulquerías in the Centro and newer ones in Roma.
Drink · Vegetarian
12.Mezcal
Agave spirit, often smoky, sipped neat with orange slices and sal de gusano (chilli and agave-worm salt). Most comes from Oaxaca, but the city has some of the best mezcal bars in Mexico.
Where: Mezcalerías in Roma, Condesa and the Centro.
Food experiences
Street-taco crawl
Taste al pastor, suadero and tacos de canasta at different stands in the Centro or Roma; busy stands with high turnover are a good sign of fresh food.
Comida corrida
The set lunch served from about 2pm in fondas across the city: soup, rice, a main course and a drink, at a very low price.
Traditional cantinas
Old cantinas in the Centro, such as La Ópera Bar with its ornate dining room, often serve free snacks (botanas) with each round of drinks.
Fine dining
Mexico City has several restaurants regularly ranked among Latin America's best, such as Pujol and Quintonil in Polanco; book weeks ahead.
Market breakfast
Eat quesadillas, tlacoyos and fresh juices at the Mercado de Coyoacán or Mercado de Medellín in Roma.
Quick bites and street food
- Tacos al pastor — Taquerías across the city, from long-established El Huequito in the Centro to late-night stands in Roma and Condesa; look for a busy trompo.
- Chilaquiles — Cafés, fondas and market stalls across the city; Roma and Condesa cafés serve elaborate versions.
- Tamales and atole — Street stands outside Metro stations and on corners in the early morning.
- Tlacoyos — Women's griddle stands in markets and near Metro stations, especially in the Centro and Coyoacán.
- Quesadillas — Market fondas and street stalls across the city.
- Conchas and pan dulce — Neighbourhood panaderías and the vast Pastelería Ideal in the Centro.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 8 are usually vegetarian: Chilaquiles, Tamales and atole, Tlacoyos, Quesadillas, Churros and hot chocolate, Conchas and pan dulce, Pulque and Mezcal. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch (comida) is the main meal, usually from about 2pm to 5pm; dinner is lighter and often after 8pm.
- Ask for the bill ('la cuenta, por favor'); it won't arrive until you request it.
- Choose street-food stands that are busy with locals and cook food fresh in front of you.
- Don't drink tap water; restaurants serve purified water and ice.
- Book popular Roma, Condesa and Polanco restaurants ahead for weekend dinners.
Tipping
Tip 10–15% in restaurants, often by telling the server the amount to add when paying by card; tip a few pesos to supermarket baggers and petrol-station attendants, and to musicians you request songs from.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buenos días | Good morning |
| Provecho | Enjoy your meal |
| La cuenta, por favor | The bill, please |
| ¿Cuánto es? | How much is it? |
| ¿Qué onda? | What's up? (informal) |
| Chilango | A person from Mexico City |
| Ahorita | Right now, or later on, depending on context |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Mexico City famous for?
Tacos al pastor, Chilaquiles, Tamales and atole and Tlacoyos. Thin slices of chilli-marinated pork carved from a vertical spit (trompo), a method brought by Lebanese immigrants, served on small corn tortillas with pineapple, onion, coriander and salsa.
+Is Mexico City good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Chilaquiles, Tamales and atole and Tlacoyos.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Mexico City?
Tip 10–15% in restaurants, often by telling the server the amount to add when paying by card; tip a few pesos to supermarket baggers and petrol-station attendants, and to musicians you request songs from.