San Miguel de Allende
is one of the top food cities in Mexico; just ask Chicago restaurant owners
Mary Nguyen Aregoni and Theresa Nguyen of Saigon Sisters and Bang Chop Thai
Kitchen who flew in to SMA last month just to eat.
CHEFS...
The culinary scene in
SMA did a 180 when Chef Matteo Salas came to town. His innovative cuisine,
whether he's cooking solo or with other master chefs like Eduardo Gracia, is without
equal. Aperi will introduce a new menu shortly and now gives cooking classes
for those who want a comprehensive learning experience
with one of SMA’s best chefs.
This year, Chef Donnie
Masterton added two more jewels to his already impressive list of restaurants: Fatima
7, which will open later this spring and Café Casa Blanca. Both restaurants are
located in one of SMA’s most attractive properties, the new Hotel Casa Blanca 7.
Chef Masterton put together another exceptional team for both restaurants,
headed up by Chef Juan Jose (JJ ) Castaneda. Chef Donnie Masterton celebrated
the 10-year anniversary of The Restaurant earlier this year, marked by a
gathering of celebrity chefs and a week-long celebration. One of the first
Chefs in SMA to work with local farmers, ranchers, cheese makers and vineyards,
he was a principal chef at the Outstanding in the Field dinner in January.
After you have a perfect
meal, you deserve the same for dessert. At Nomada cocina de interpretacion, you’ll
get both. The meals by this chef team consistently rank in the top three in
SMA. Chefs Marco Cruz and Sofia Antillon moved Nomada cocina de interpretacion to
a new location last year and opened a fine-casual Mexican restaurant, Marchanta
Comedor. Both chefs are committed to delivering some of the most innovative feasts
in the city. Their Wednesday tasting menu is renowned; the menu changes weekly.
This young chef has produced some of the best Mexican food in
SMA since he opened
Jacinto 1930 two years ago; his awards are many. An expert when it comes to Mexico’s
top flavors, Chef Israel Loyola Espinosa’s creations, many inspired from Oaxaca
where he was born, are both complex and unique.
The sweetest city in the world got a
whole lot sweeter when Pastry Chef Sofia Antillon came to town. Her relentless
desire to expand her horizons is one of the many elements that make her
pastries so exciting; we’ve eaten enough of her desserts
to know. Always a feast for the eye and the palate, her impressive
Pavlova is one of our favorite desserts of 2017.
Chef Arturo Sandoval fuses cuisines – mainly
Mexican, Peruvian, and Spanish. Look at his track record and you’ll understand why he’s the best
new chef in SMA. 14 dishes into his menu, we’re already smitten.
If you’re attending one
of the many festivals around town, you’ll find Buenos Aires de Campo; it’s the
one with the longest lines. You’ll never go away hungry when Mariano is doing
the cooking.
Our first choice is Chef Mariano Alvarez’s grilled pork belly
sandwich but we wouldn’t turn down a single dish that has his name on it.
Long table dinners are what Chef
Linnea Rufo is known for but she’s got a lot of other fabulous reserves in her
playbook. You get an added bonus with the drop-dead gorgeous views from Casa
Linnea. In just three years time, she’s managed to amass a client list that reads like a Who's Who of SMA.
When someone makes a
textbook mole, you pay attention. She’s got superb qualifications: she grew up
in Tijuana, learned to cook from her grandmother, graduated from the Culinary
Art School in Tijuana, interned
at Pujol in Mexico City then cooked with Chef Matteo Salas at Aperi. At Under
the Table’s Lucky 7 dinner at Casa Linnea last year, her mole was our favorite
dish of the meal; everything else was a close second.
Hernandez Macias #88
Chefs Marco Cruz and
Sofia Antillon, two of the best chefs in SMA, create some of the most exciting
food; from the well-known Wednesday tastings to
a Sunday brunch that’s cooked entirely on a wood fired grill. The two
travel, harvesting inspiration for their new menus, like the Japanese Hamachi
they discovered in the Chelsea Market in NYC this past fall. One thing for
sure, their changing menus will never consume your palate; there’s always
something fresh and exciting to check out, with most dishes under $200 pesos. A
second restaurant, Marchanta Comedor, opened in 2017.
Cuna de Allende #3
Put Chef Arturo
Sandoval with the Josper Charcoal Oven from Spain and you get magic, pure and
simple. We tried 14 things off the menu; every one of them outstanding. Nothing
beats great food, remarkable service and a tremendous view. Atrio continues to
amaze us with impressive additions to an already outstanding menu. The mouth-watering
Rib Rice was our favorite dish in SMA last year.
Above, Atrio owners, José María Calvo (Chema) and Jesús Manuel Calvo (Chus), celebrate another successful restaurant opening.
Above, Atrio owners, José María Calvo (Chema) and Jesús Manuel Calvo (Chus), celebrate another successful restaurant opening.
Salida a Celaya #69
Focusing on three classic styles of French
techniques - viennoisserie, boulangerie and patisserie – there’s no more wandering all over SMA to find the best
pastries and breads; they’re all at Panio’s new state-of-the-art facility on
Salida a Celaya. A go-to for artisan rustic breads, the Outstanding in the Field dinner convinced
us it’s the real deal when it comes to a world class bakery. We found sweets
beyond the ordinary at their satellite location in Doce 18, where we tried their
latest creation, a Parisina, made with puff pastry and caramel with a tall Mocha
Frappe on the side.
Panio gives workshops on making artisan breads and pastries.
Stirling Dickinson #33
Because so many things
we love to eat, from almond croissants to Italian cookies and breads are made
by owners, Pedro and Ornelas. Want to catch a cooking class or learn a little
Italian? At 11:30 AM every Monday, Ornelas conducts classes in her native Italian
language.
Mesones #62
If you count on having
a great meal in SMA, Buenos Aires Bistro is a good bet. All of their steaks are
top-quality, sourced from Rancho 17. Chef Mariano Alvarez took his food show on
the road, creating Buenos Aires de Campo in 2017. It’s one of the first
restaurants we went to in SMA; it’s still one of our favorites. We like to sit
in the window and watch SMA walk by.
Best Asian: Casa de Cocinas
Chef Michael Coon
recently sold out an Asian dinner in less than an hour, added a second night
and still had people on his waiting list. If this chef ever decides to open a
restaurant, we would eat there at least 4 times a week. Michael also does
Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean dinners; those best of categories fall to Casa
de Cocinas as well. He’s one of the top all around chefs in SMA; we just happen
to love his Asian food the best.
Carretera Dolores Hidalgo-San Miguel de
Allende Km 7 (10.05 mi)
We've had great BBQ
all over Oklahoma, Texas, St. Louis, Kansas City and Memphis. This was some of
the best BBQ brisket we've ever eaten.
We love all of these
restaurants for breakfast… and so does the rest of SMA:
Nicasio Comedor Mexicano, Hidalgo
#28 – Molletes, Chilaquiles or Pancakes.
Hernandez Macias #48
Duck on a homemade
waffle, Eggs Benedict with a pile of hash browns, delicious homemade Scones,
Pate, Greek Yogurt and fresh fruit, Mimosa with pineapple-orange juice, stone
crab…lucky for us the list of items on Chef Marcela Bolano’s brunch menu just keeps
getting longer.
Hidalgo #8
Chef Alan Carias spent
a lot of time cooking in Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya; his flavors are
so clean and tropical, you feel like you’ve been transported to the beach every
time you go. Try any of the seafood dishes; many caught fresh and flown in that
day.
The extra: A stunningly beautiful restaurant, you get a spectacular view of SMA from any of their many
terraces.
These are the top
spots to get inexpensive and tasty street eats; one for each day of the week:
Best Chefs Table: Aperi
Quebrada #101
No matter how many
chefs tables there are in SMA, this will always be the best as long as Chef
Matteo Salas is doing the cooking.
Cerrada de San Gabriel 1, El Obraje
Café Muro delivers the
same great taste every time you go. You see multi-generations of hungry eaters
packing the house every day, especially on Sunday for breakfast. Owners
Gerardo Arteaga and Carlos Muro know how to make their customers feel at home. Their
long list of regulars pays tribute to the terrific food and service.
Sollano y Dávalos #25
Ki’bok Coffee SMA has
five essential things going for them to land at the top of the list: delicious brews,
a calming atmosphere, a healthy menu, sunny patio views and Canada de la
Virgen’s wholesome bone broth.
Otomí Residencial, Km2 camino a San Miguel
Viejo
When you go to one of
the most beautiful spots in the countryside, Farm to Table is a given. Count on
some surprises from Chef Stephanie Cerón; her desserts and pastries are well-known.
The menu changes every weekend and with the seasons. Many of the equestrian
events in the city are held at this scenic restaurant, owned by SMA restaurateur,
Daniel Estebaranz.
Doce 18 at Relox #18
Birdies Burgers and Taco Lab are located right next to each other in Doce 18 at Relox
18.
Best Feels Like Home Restaurant: Bacco
Best French Restaurant: El Vergel Bistro and
Market
Best German Restaurant: Berlin
Best Food Truck: Mio Bistrock
Best Hidden Gem Restaurant: Querencia
Best Italian Restaurant: Trattoria da Laura a
Los Mezquites by La Cucina di Afrodita
Best Restaurant Meal: Dinner with Chefs Matteo
Salas at Aperi with Eduardo Garcia of Maximo Bistrot, Lalo! and Havre 77
Best Mediterranean Restaurant: Marsala, cocina
con acentos
Best Mexican Restaurant: Jacinto 1930
Best Peruvian Restaurant: La Parada
Preview 2018:Alexandra and her
husband,Juan Leon de Vivero, just opened a Mezcal bar called San Mezcal,
located at Recreo #88. They also have some other projects in the works for 2018. Stay tuned.
Best Restaurant Manager: Eduardo Perez Calvo,
La Azotea, Umaran
#6 AND Luis Vela, Atrio, Cuna
de Allende #3
Eduardo Perez Calvo
has only one speed, rapido, and he sets the pace for the rest of the team. One
of the many reasons we like La Azotea is because of Eduardo and we feel the
same way about Luis Vela, the Manager at Atrio.
In their book, there's only one boss, the customer, and in the case of both Eduardo and Luis, every guest gets treated like a VIP.
Best Restaurant Service: There aren’t too many women in highly visible service positions in SMA but in 2017, we can all take a lesson from the ladies. These are three of the best.
Carla Janet Cuevas Soto, La
Azotea, Umaran #6
Mireya Cerroblance, The
Restaurant, Sollano #16
Teresa Villegas, Lavanda
Café, Hernandez Macias #87
Best Rooftop Restaurant: Atrio Restaurant and
Lounge, Cuna
de Allende #3
Best Street Food Restaurant: Andy’s,
Hidalgo y Insurgentes
Best Sushi Restaurant: Rosewood 1826 Tequila
Bar, Nemesio Diez
#11
Best Restaurant Views:
Antonia Bistro SMA, San
Francisco #57
FOOD…
Best Appetizers: The Restaurant
Best Avocado Toast: Nomada cocina de
interpretacion
Best Barbacoa: Rodriquez II
Best Beef Tacos: Tacos Don Santos
Best Blue Cheese Burger: The Restaurant
Best Bread: Panio
Best Bread Dish: Soft Bread with Gouda, Nomada
cocina de interpretacion
Best Brioche: Three Perfume Brioche, Paino
Best Butter: Goat Butter
Best Cake: Petit Four
Marsala cocina con acentos
Nuova Spaghetteria La Cucina di
Afrodita
Best Carnita: Bautista Brothers
Best Cheese: La Romita
Best Cheesecake: Cheesecake de Mandarina,
Atrio Restaurant and Lounge
Best Chicken Wings: Pong’s Kung Pao Chicken
Wings, The Restaurant
Best Chilaquiles: Nicasio Comedor Mexicano
Best Churros: Café San Agustin
Best Comida: Hacienda at Canada de la
Virgen
Best Cookie: Fudge Cookie, Artenasa
at the
Rosewood Hotel
Best Croissants: Almond Croissant, Buonforno
Baker
Best Doughnut: Panificadora la Buena Vida #72
Best Enchiladas: Enchiladas Gloria, Tacos Don
Felix
Best Fake
Sushi: Chef Ulises Delgado Altamirano, Aperi
One of the most imaginative desserts in SMA, we were wowed by Chef Ulises Delgado Altamirano’s take on sushi as dessert so we created a category just to feature it:
Gunkan of fake wakame: coconut mousse, with
chocolate tile, agave honey with balsamic and green tea gelatin and white
sesame.
Gunkan of fake fresh salmon: coconut mousse, carrot wrapped with rice vinegar, banana compote and caramel, and mango jelly, passion fruit and lemon yellow.
Best Fish: Lobina with Green Sauce, Nomada
cocina de interpretacion
Best Food Art: Chef Marco Cruz, Nomada cocina
de interpretacion Hernandez
Macias #88
Best French Dip: Marsala cocina con acentos
Best French Fry: Bovine
Best French Fry – Animal Style: Birdie’s
Burgers
Best Gluten Free: Postres Artesanale
Best Gordita: Gordita Migajas, Bautista
Brothers
Best Gumbo: Hank’s SMA
Best Hamburger: Birdie’s Burgers
Best Hot Dog: Costco
Best Ice Cream: Avocado at La Mezcalaria
Best Lamb:
Fried Eggs in a Pot of
Lamb: Marsala’s Mediterranean lamb dishes are some of the best in SMA. This pot
of lamb with fried eggs also has jocoque (some classify this as a queso fresco)
and zathar; served with one of the chefs celebrated homemade pitas. It’s one of
seven delightful dishes on the Sunday brunch menu and since we’ve eaten the entire
menu, we know this dish is one of our favorites.
Lamb Ragu: One of the
top lamb entrees in SMA; now you just have to beg Chef Marcela Bolano to put it
back on her menu. The Requesón in this dish is a Mexican fresh cheese that is
somewhat like a Ricotta with a creamy and slightly tart, slightly salty taste,
offset by the flavor of the mint.
Preview 2018: Try one
of the many great lamb dishes coming your way at the 8th Annual Lamb and Mezcal Festival on June 2nd.
Unlimited lamb and Mezcal are included in the price of a ticket - $500 pesos in
advance; $600 at the door.
Best Lasagna: Lasagnetta Croccante, Trattoria
da Laura a Los Mezquites
Best Lobster: Nomada cocina de interpretacion
Best Mixiotes: El Pato
Calzada de la Estacion #175
Best Mole: Mariana Gonzalez Gutierrez, Under
the Table
Best Molletes: Nicasio Comedor Mexicano
Best Mushrooms: Simbiosi
Preview 2018: Arif is teaching
mushroom classes every Monday at 4:30 PM at Chef Alicia Wilson Rivero’s Pura
Vida Kitchen in Mercado Sano.
Best Pancakes: Café Muro
Best Pasta: We like good pasta; these restaurants make pasta into something else entirely:
Aperi, Quebrada 101
Best Pie: Claudia's Bakery
Best Pizza:
Fulvio Carbonaro,Pizzaiuolo, AVPN Certified (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletan), Culinarian Expeditions
When eating out, it’s
a given that the best pizza in SMA is made at MiVida; created by Chef Greta
Ortega Casañas. She uses only the best ingredients, which is the key to
making a really good pizza. Many ingredients are grown in the garden,
flourishing in back of the restaurant. Chef Greta Ortega Casañas was one of the
first chefs in SMA to plant a garden in her restaurant.
Preview 2018: Except
for three, much-loved holdovers, the summer menu is all new at MiVida; try the white
mole. MiVida has been remodeled with an Italian deli up front. Take a night off
from cooking with some of the best takeout in town: pastas, ice creams, wines, meats,
salads and desserts.
Best Pozole: La Alborada
Best Pudding: Caramel Pudding, Marsala cocina
con acentos
Best Pulpo:
Two chefs; two very
different cooking methods; we loved them both.
The best pulpo we’ve
ever had was at Aperi when guest Chef Eduardo Garcia of Maximo Bistro showed
his simple method for cooking it to give it the texture of lobster. He boiled
it for 20 minutes and rested it. That's it - no plunging in ice water or as he
said "killing the octopus", resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth
finish. What did he do to prep it? We preserve culinary secrets,
especially when they’re this delicious.
We've had way too much
pulpo that's been tough and chewy. In fact, pulpo is one of those things that’s
terrible if it isn’t perfect. Chef Marco Cruz of Nomada cocina de
interpretacion has it down to a science; his is perfect. He brines the pulpo in sea salt,
beats it until the muscle fibers break down, gives it a quick bath in boiling
water three times and then cooks it for 45 minutes.
Best Ramen:
Atrio Restaurant and Lounge
Preview 2018: new to the
recent SMA ramen scene, El Café de la
Mancha now makes a version with Beef Shank on top. We can tell you early
on, it’s one of our favorites this year.
Best Rice: Rib Rice, Atrio
Restaurant and Lounge
Best Salads: Chef Donnie Masterton, The
Restaurant
Preview 2018: We LOVE Café Casa
Blanca, where you can select three, five or seven dishes to split for lunch;
three for $310 pesos, five for $480 pesos and seven for $600 pesos. Where else can
you get high-quality, delicious food for this price? We think this Mediterranean gem is Chef Donnie Masterton’s
best restaurant yet, with Chef J.J. Castaneda heading up the
kitchen. See you on the rooftop: Fatima 7 is scheduled to open
in May with delicious views of SMA’s historic churches.
Preview 2018: One
of the most delicious salads we had last week was made by Chef Xavier Pinero
Moreno of OCRE. OCRE selects the freshest ingredients that add layers of flavor
and texture to every bite. Appropriately named the Fresh Salad, the charred endive
was topped with apple, caramelized peach, mustard seeds, goat cheese,
nasturtium with a peach dressing; certainly not ingredients you use every day
in a salad. At $120 pesos and some of the best flavors around, this is one
salad we could eat every day.
OCRE’S Chef, Xavier
Pinero, Sous Chef Danny Duran and Pastry Chef Fernando
Arias are the new, young trio to beat this year.
Best Salsa:
Best Seafood: Trazo 1810
Seafood in inland
Mexico can’t get any fresher than this.
Best Soup: Burnt Bread Soup, Panio Atelier Du
Pain
Best Steak:
Buenos Aires Bistro
Bovine
Best Steak Frites:
El Vergel Bistro and Market
Marsala
cocina con acentos
We went crazy when we
saw three bins of russet potatoes in Marcela Bolano’s storage closet. Russets
have arrived in SMA and we couldn’t be more ecstatic. Besides, just look at the
size of this steak.
Best Sweetbreads: Argentinean Sweetbreads,
Atrio Restaurant and Lounge
Best Sweet Indulgence: Almond Crumble, Chef Abi
Verde
A classic: Burnt Caramel Sundae, Chef Donnie Masterton, The Restaurant . After nearly five
years of an ongoing love affair with this dish, it’s still one of our favorite
after dinner treats. We don’t need an excuse to indulge; it’s now a SMA classic.
Preview 2018: La Unica, a new restaurant in SMA with other
La Unica locations in Mexico City -Polanco and Puebla, makes a dessert called the Cordelion: a
chocolate brownie, chocolate mousse, caramelized acorn, vanilla ice cream and
hot fudge. The best dessert in SMA? If you’re a chocolate lover, it’s a yes!
The rooftop at La Unica opens this week.
Best Sushi: Rosewood Hotel’s 1826 Tequila Bar
Best Taco:
Shrimp Jicama Taco, La Azotea
Softshell
Crab Taco, Atrio Restaurant and Lounge
Best Tamale: Tamales La Chappis
Best Tapas: Vino + Tapas
Best Tea: Green Tea and Strawberries,
Marchanta Comedor
Best Tongue: Chef Israel Loyola Espinosa of Jacinto
1930 at Canada de la Virgen
Nicasio Comedor Mexicano
With the largest selection of
tortas in SMA, our favorite sandwich at Tortitlan
is filled with lettuce, tomato, and avocado, then piled high with delicious, oven
roasted pork; drown in salsa verde and heap on the fire-roasted peppers and
onions. SMA sandwich lovers take note: this is how you do an every-day torta.
Best Tortilla: Ceremonial Tortillas
Best Tuna: Aperi
Best Waffles: Waffles with Duck, Marsala
cocina con acentos
Best Beverage Program: Adrian Garcia-Evans,
Levain and Co.
Best Bar: Hendrick's Gin Bar: The Monocle Cocktail Club
Best Beer: Dos Aves
Best Chardonnay: Corona Del Valle Chardonnay
2016
Best Club: Johnny’s Piano Bar
Best Fireplace Bar: Luna Rooftop Tapas Bar
Best Happy Hour: La Azotea
Best Hidden Gem: Olivia’s Bar, Casa No Name
Best Margarita: Mama Mia
Preview 2018: We just had a
Margarita at the new OCRE, Hidalgo
#5. Expect this new hot spot to offer some strong competition this year.
It was one of the smoothest drinks we’ve had in a long time. OCRE
has its own room that features guest mixologists from all
over Mexico. 
Best Mezcal: ?
Our definition of a
road trip: our friend Mike takes an empty bottle and fills it up somewhere
between his house - one of the most beautiful locations outside of SMA and San Antonio. If we get a fix on the exact location, we’ll let
you know. Don’t count on it though; this is one secret he thinks he needs to
keep in order to maintain his supply. We think he’s right; some of the best
Mezcal we’ve had all year.
Our next pick: Tierra de Canto, which we found at the Lamb and Mezcal festival two years ago.
Best Mezcal Drink: Pepino with Pineapple, San
Mike Restaurante
Best Mixologist: Mike Espinoza, Quince
Best Place to Watch Fireworks: Nena Sky Lounge
Best Rooftop Bar: La Azotea
Best Tequila: Chula Parranda
Remember, tequila always tastes best when
there’s a parade involved. When you’re in SMA, this is what you do.
Best Tequila Tasting: 1826 Tequila Bar at the
Rosewood Hotel
Best Wine: Casa Madero
Best Wine Expert: Sebastian Acosta Quiroz
Best
Wine List: Bovine
Best Wine Pairings: Aperi
Best Wine Store: Cava Sautto
The Best of the Rest…
Best Cookbook: Mexico From the Source
Best Cooking Class: Take your pick!
Best Dinnerware: Stelara Ceramica Stoneware
Best Mexican Food Destination: Mexico City
There are thousands of
restaurants like this in Mexico City; one of the best food cities in the world
for a real culinary adventure.
Best Festival Organizer: Billy Mervin
Best Foodie Day Trip: The Guanajuato Wine
Route
Best Food Enthusiast: The Food Lovers of Colonia Guadalupe
Best Gourmet Market: El Vergel Bistro and
Market
Photo: Victor Hugo
Best Influencer: Victor Hugo
Best Ingredient: Amaranth
Best Kitchen Store: Williams Sonoma, Queretaro
Best Mercado: Mercado Rural, Colonia Guadalupe
Hernandez Macias #59
Besides the fact that
Carmen makes the best bacon-loaded Amatriciana in town, it’s the place we head
to when we need a double dose of home.
Camino a El Vergel #17
Chef Magda Elisa Pablos is the best French chef in
SMA… oui and amen.
From Steak Frites to
Lamb Shank to Duck Confit, this carte du jour proves that when it comes to
great food, the French still have the advantage. This country sanctuary is
closer than you think; a short 10 minute ride from Centro. There's so much love in this kitchen, you know why the food's so good.
Umaran #19
Berlin’s German fare
is a natural choice with some of the best schnitzels and shank in town. Go for
the happy hour from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM; a cast of characters straight from
the stools of Cheers.
Julian Carrillo 7-C
Mio Bistrock is the
happy hour stop for the Colonia Guadalupe crowd. One of the most colorful places in SMA, Chef
Lorelai Cordova specializes in Mediterranean food and has a variety of foods on
the menu. The lamb burgers are a favorite.
Best Hidden Gem Restaurant: Querencia
Julian Carrillo #4B
Once you taste the
Eggs Benedict by Chef Esmeralda Brinn Bolanos, you’ll be convinced it was worth
the hike to Colonia Guadalupe just to have breakfast. Second times a charm; the
sauerkraut sandwich is just as good. You can buy her homemade German bread to
take home; a really sour tasting sourdough until you pair it with food. Grab
one of two tables during the week; it’s closed on the weekends.
Rancho Los Mezquites (4.15 mi) Marroquin De
Abajo
Chef Laura Buccheri’s
country restaurant boasts beautiful views and remarkable Italian flavors. It’s
hard to pick a favorite as her menu changes daily, with most everything either
grown or made by hand. Our weekly bacon fix: cocoa
tagliolini with walnuts, gorgonzola sauce and mesquite smoked bacon and the
bacon-laden Carbonara. Some of the best comfort food in town.
Laura also has a
casual restaurant, Nuova Spaghetteria La Cucina di
Afrodita, in Mercado del Carmen, Zacateros 45.
Quebrada #101
Pair up two of our
favorite chefs in Mexico and we’ve got one of the best meals we’ve ever eaten
any place in the world. All of the dishes and beverage pairings were exciting.
Talk about improving on perfection, we didn't love one dish better than
another; we loved all 11 of them equally.
Every course was
extraordinary, exposing layer upon layer of flavors. I
affectionately called it my "last supper"; if I could choose my final
meal, this would be it.
Hernandez Macias #48
With remarkable
Mediterranean flavors, Chef Marcela Bolano, a former candidate on Top Chef
Mexico, is constantly adding new dishes to an already remarkable menu. It’s no
wonder the restaurant made the list – one of three in SMA - of the best 120
restaurants in Mexico in 2017. It’s in our top five.
Doce 18 at Relox 18
Expect the unexpected
when it comes to creating Mexican food. This Oaxacan born chef brings classic
Mexican ingredients front and center with an interesting combination of
flavors. It won awards in 2017; it will again this year. One of the most
beautiful restaurants in SMA, it’s the centerpiece of another magnificent
property, Doce 18. Try the suckling pig or opt for the five or seven course
tasting menu.
Recreo #94
If you’ve ever been to
Lima, you’ll know why the Peruvian food created by Chef Alexandra Gutt is imaginative,
authentic and consistent. It’s been at the top of the list of best restaurants
in SMA since they opened their door; it’s at the top of our list too.
Chef
Alexandra Gutt knows the best of her country’s cuisine; she sent us to MAIDO in
Lima where Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura’s multi-course Nikkei, Japanese inspired
Peruvian menu, was one of the best meals we’ve ever eaten anywhere. Try a plate
of the chicken livers, one of the many ceviches or anything on her list of
daily specials. A flavorful Pisco Sour make this restaurant the total package.
When it comes to
running restaurants, owners José María Calvo (Chema) and Jesús Manuel Calvo
(Chus), have it down to an art with two of the best in SMA.
In their book, there's only one boss, the customer, and in the case of both Eduardo and Luis, every guest gets treated like a VIP.
The great food and
drink is responsible for its rise to the top on SMA’s growing list of beautiful
rooftop properties. With in-your-face views of the Paroquia, the vista, any
time of the day or night, is stunning.
We hit the streets of
Mexico City for a month last fall to see if we could find better tacos than the
ones at Andy’s in SMA; we returned home empty handed. A favorite of partygoers looking for the
after-hours feast, some of our favorite regulars at Andy’s are kids; one who
told us that it was her favorite excuse to stay out late. Mine, too!
The Rosewood has some
of the best sushi in SMA with a wide variety of choices on the menu. Pair with
any of the great tequilas from their knowledgeable tequila sommelier. Their
chefs trained in Japan; their quality has never been matched.
See everything that’s
beautiful about SMA from a different angle. No matter which restaurant you
select, the views will leave you breathless:
Atrio Restaurant and Lounge, Cuna de Allende #3
Fatima 7, Juarez #9 (opening soon)
La Azotea, Umaran
#6
Luna Rooftop at the Rosewood Hotel, Nemesio Diez
#11
Quince, Cuna de Allende #15
Quince, Cuna de Allende #15
Trazo 1810, Hidalgo #8
Zumo, Orizaba #87-9
Preview 2018: Add La
Unica’s beautiful new garden rooftop to the list. It opens this week at Sollano #14.
FOOD…
Sollano #16
We love appetizers,
they get the party started and at The Restaurant, their long list of starters
is the best excuse we know of for another celebration. In 2017, the list got
another Asian star: Pong’s Kung chicken wings. Pot Stickers, Eggrolls and Ribs
round out the list.
Hernandez Macias #88
Simple Avocado toast
is easy but when it comes to delivering one of the healthiest breakfasts in
SMA, Chef Marco Cruz creates intricate flavors to keep you guessing what’s in
the mix. The mystery ingredient here is a simple goat cheese; a taste we
weren’t expecting but enjoyed down to the very last bite.
Look for other amazing dishes on the breakfast menu at Nomada cocina de interpretacion.
Calzada de la Estacion #52
Part of the large and
delightful family Rodriquez, son Victor has been operating this tiny store for
over a year. He slow-cooks the meat until its fall-off-the-bone tender.
Seasoned and infused with flavors, the broth is made with the drippings from
the roasted meat. For a perfect breakfast, order a half a cup of broth with a
side of barbacoa; pile on the chopped onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime or
two.
Clavel 8 off Refugio Sur, San Antonio
Don Santos has earned
its acclaim by serving some of the most genuine, Mexican street food in SMA. The
Tacos de Res are thin strips of beef that are cooked with cow intestines and
chorizo. Once chopped, they’re placed in a tortilla and heaped with a mound of
onions and cilantro. The delicious, peppery salsas add another layer of flavor
to the dish. Don’t forget to bring your camera; the visual flavors at this
typical Mexican taco joint are magical.
Sollano #16
In the ongoing battle
to be crowned SMA’s best hamburger, there are many worthy contenders. We
singled out this Blue Cheese Burger from The Restaurant as the one to beat.
After all, everything is better with blue cheese on it, especially a burger
made from Canada de la Virgen grass-fed beef. Too bad we can only get this
burger on Thursday; seriously, we could eat it every night.
Salida a Celaya #69
Panio is for bread
lovers. What’s next? Stay hungry SMA; it will be one of the most unexpected indulgences
yet.
Hernandez Macias #88
Man cannot live on bread
alone? Trust us on this one; we’ve done it!
Salida a Celaya #69
One of the many pleasures
in their diverse pastry collection is our definition of a sweet dream: a butter
laden brioche integrated with three of our favorite flavors: lemon, ginger and
orange. Their almond Brioche is a close second.
We’re so addicted;
we’ve been known to consume the entire bar in a single sitting with a loaf of
Panio’s Italian bread. Goat butter has many of the same taste factors as cow
butter but without the heaviness. Unfortunately it’s one of those eminent pleasures
you can only get at certain times of the year; savor it while you can.
Mesones #99
We love all the French pastries and cakes at Petit Four but
the lemon and champagne birthday cake for Chef Stefania Rosales at Vino + Tapas
was some of the best we had last year. We froze a piece and had it one
month later; it was still as good as the day we first tasted it.
Chef owners Paco Cardenas and Norma Guerrero
celebrated the 20 year anniversary of Petit Four this year.
Best Carbonara:
Hernandez Macias #48
Mercado del Carmen, Zacateros 45
Everyone has their
go-to dinner when they’re feeling homesick; ours is pasta. From Marsala’s delicious
carbonara, made with an egg on top, to Laura’s bacon-laden, mouthwatering
version, it’s our favorite comfort food of 2017.
Guadiana #2
Bautista Brother’s
makes all the carnitas for their other restaurants and pop ups at Guadiana #2.
Go to the source because nothing is better than the original, especially when
it’s hot out of the fryer.
Preview 2018: You
can now have a Carnitas Vicente fix
and not have to go all the way to Dolores Hidalgo to get it. A new roadside location opened up a little over a
month ago, approximately 28 km from SMA right after Rancho Viejo antiques on
the road to Dolores Hidalgo. Look for the big sign on the right hand side of
the road. Close your eyes and dig in; the
secret ingredients here are Coca Cola, along with a medley of interesting spices.
Two drinks and a plate of carnitas, enough to feed five, is just $150 pesos. We
eat them the traditional way: tucked into handmade tortillas, topped with spicy
salsa verde and a dash of salt.
Mercado Sano, Ancha de San
Antonio #123
Eating the blue cheese
at La Romita is one of the most heavenly queso experiences ever. A simple recipe for great flavors, we’re a purist when it
comes to eating blues, adding only crusty bread and a glass of vino blanco.
Cuna de Allende #3
We sometimes eat our
sweet endings first and anything covered in mandarina is on the top of our
list. This frozen dessert is one of two from Eduardo Perez Calvo on the after-dinner
menu at Atrio.
Sollano #16
You can really ruin a
white, linen napkin when you get into a pile of these: Pong’s Kung chicken
wings with chili peppers, cashews, green onions and spicy kung pao sauce. How
good is the sauce? On a scale of 1 -10, we give them a 12! Double trouble: we
were delighted when the wings showed up on one of Birdie’s Burgers special
menus.
Hidalgo #28
In addition to the
classic chilaquiles with red or green sauce, squash blossoms and cecina make
for unusual and appetizing flavors. This is one of Chef Pablo Nicacio’s best
dishes from 2017.
San Francisco #21
The dueña, Margarita
Gralia, is a beloved telenovela star; the walls in the restaurant are a shrine
to her career. These deep-fried pastries come in a variety of flavors; served
plain or sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar when they come out of the fryer.
Order a side of Mexican hot chocolate just for dunking. One of the most popular
restaurants in SMA, expect a wait; there’s always lines, especially on the
weekends.
Coming in second are the churros from the Tuesday Market; ask for them hot our of the fryer.
Happy valley is our nickname
for the Hacienda at Canada de la Virgen.
With a garden-fresh,
just picked comida in SMA’s most beautiful surroundings, topped off by an ice-cold
Rose and flavorful meat from the ranch, we loved our trips to Canada de la
Virgen more than any other place in SMA last year. And you’re twice blessed
when Sofia’s in the kitchen.
Nemesio Diez #11
For the second year in
a row, this fudge cookie takes the prize. Chef Juan Salvador García Valdés, the
head baker at the Rosewood, offers a variety of other sweets in this tiny
pastry shop that has cozy seating out front. It’s one of our favorite hideaways
in SMA.
Stirling Dickinson 31-32, San Antonio
Talk about a simple
way of getting your daily dose of protein: a buttery center made with amaranth
flour. Their chocolate croissant is a close second.
Best Empanada: Panificadora la Buena Vida
Hernandez Macias #72
Practice makes perfect
and we think Melissa Sumner has made at least a million doughnuts and
empanadas. We’ve tasted the menu and there’s not a ordinary flavor on the list.
Fray Juan de San Miguel 15, San
Rafael
We haven’t stopped
eating Enchiladas Gloria since the first time we tried them five years ago. Forget
about portion control; these enchiladas are made with chicken and pork and are sided
with a generous helping of Mexican beans and rice. A SMA institution for over
10 years, this popular restaurant, which started out as a taco cart, is open on
the weekends: Friday through Sunday; Chef Gloria and her staff serve over five hundred meals to local high school
students during the week. Another reason to love the chef who flashes her best
smile all the while she’s tempting you with dessert.
One of the most imaginative desserts in SMA, we were wowed by Chef Ulises Delgado Altamirano’s take on sushi as dessert so we created a category just to feature it:
Gunkan of false masago: Mousse of praline of
pistachio and almond, chocolate tile, orange spheres and raspberry sauce.
Gunkan of Fake tuna: pistachio and almond praline
mousse, chocolate tile, lemon cream, raspberry jelly with bergamot oil.
Gunkan of fake fresh salmon: coconut mousse, carrot wrapped with rice vinegar, banana compote and caramel, and mango jelly, passion fruit and lemon yellow.
Hernandez Macias #88
Making an exceptional
sauce is the sign of a great chef and Chef Marco Curz is the master of sauces,
layering each one with rich, complex flavors. I never liked anything but butter
on fish until I tried this sauce, made from green tomatoes, lemongrass and
butter. It was the best seafood dish on the menus in SMA last year.
Food is not like art,
it is art and Chef Marco Cruz’s creative plates are some of the most beautiful
visuals in SMA. Savor his imagination by catching his Wednesday tasting
dinners, some of the best in San Miguel.
Hernandez Macias #48
We grew up eating
French dips and this sandwich, piled high with hot, shaved beef and covered
with cheese, is the best in SMA, if not Mexico. So good in fact, we skip
the au jus.
Canal #16
I’ve read a lot of
articles on how to make perfect French fries. This upscale brasserie has it
down to a science; all six steps of the process. We like this side dish so much,
we could have it as a main course…and we have.
Doce 18 at Relox #18
There’s absolutely no
competition on this one: a pile of skinny fries covered with cheddar cheese,
crema, bacon and green onions sent our taste buds into overdrive this past
year. Most people split this dish; not us. If we’re going to indulge, we’re
going all out. This was our favorite splurge dish last year.
Mercado Sano, Ancha San Antonio 123
Try the organic,
peanut butter cookies with sea salt from Denise Rosenfeld’s stand in Mercado
Sano and you’ll swear you’re going gluten free forever. With a touch of sugar,
she makes the best tasting gluten free desserts in town. We also love the
Prince Albert, a recipe from her grandmother, who was a successful baker in
Mexico City for over 50 years.
Guadiana #2
This is the ultimate
pig out, made from the crumbs that are left in the bottom of the pan when you
cook a batch of carnitas. The most decadent food find since we’ve been in SMA,
we’re making bets you can’t eat two. Our favorite guilty pleasure except we
have no shame at all.
Hidalgo #12
We know the drill: its
1219 miles from New Orleans and the closest thing you're going to get this side
of the border. Made with chicken, sausage and shrimp, it tastes like New Orleans,
especially when you eat it during Hank's notorious Happy Hour.
Doce 18 at Relox #18
Birdie’s Burgers are
made from Canada de la Virgen’s certified organic, grass-fed, grass-finished
beef. That and a baked-fresh-daily bun by Panaderia La Buena Vida is really all
you need… except perhaps another one for the road.
For another great hamburger, try one of the many specialty burgers featured at The Restaurant, Sollano #16, every Thursday night including our favorite, their blue cheese burger.
The next best thing to
a dog at Wrigley; the only thing that’s missing is the relish. Besides that,
who can beat the most wanted price outside of SMA.
Correo #47
Isn’t it great to know
we can now have our guacamole as an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert? Try one
of their intoxicating Mezcal Margaritas on the side; we love the Pepino and Cilantro.
The roasted crickets with lime and chilies are a
must.
Lamb Ragu Papardelle with Reueson, Marsala
cocina con acentos
Fried Eggs in a Pot of Lamb, Marsala cocina
con acentos
Hernandez Macias #48
Rancho Los Mezquites (4.15 mi) Marroquin De
Abajo
We’ve never had anything
quite like this lasagna, made of fresh pasta discs that are fried. Cherry
tomatoes confit, organic basil pesto and caprino cheese were used to fill the
layers. So unique, it was our favorite Italian dish last year and the hit of
the summer food festival season.
Hernandez Macias #88
Chef Marco Cruz makes
a charcoal-grilled lobster every Sunday and it’s delicious. He’ll get
competition later this year (Preview 2018) when Fatima starts flying in
live lobsters from Maine. We wouldn’t complain though when we have two places
to go for lobster. It’s been a long time coming to SMA and we’re happy Chef Marco
Cruz started the trend; something he does quite often.
Calzada de la Estacion #175
The next best thing to
your mother's pot roast, Mixiotes is a traditional, pit-barbecued meat dish
made of lamb that’s cut with the bone and seasoned with pasilla, guajillo and
spices. Now #1 on Trip Advisor, we've always said this restaurant would have a
line around the block if it were located in Centro. It’s one of the best dishes
in SMA.
A recipe for a perfect
mole: classic, simple preparations, involving a lot of technique. Chef Mariana
Gonzalez Gutierrez created the best mole in SMA last year; and that’s just one
of the many things she’s good at.
Hidalgo #28
The way to crown a
bolillo are Molletes, with all the essential ingredients: frijoles refritos,
chorizo verde, bacon, pico de gallo and an egg to top it off. Don't forget
about the best part: fresh, sliced avocado; the good fat. One of the best
breakfasts in town, you’ll be astonished at the variety of the flavors.
Mercado Sano, Ancha de San Antonio #123
Beautiful mushrooms,
vegetables, Microgreens and edible flowers by SMA’s best mushroom expert, Arif
Towns Alonso. Go on a mushroom hunting trip with Arif and you’ll never look at
mushrooms the same way again. Ask him when you can forage for the blue mushrooms;
most enjoyable when Chef Marco Cruz of Nomada prepares them.
Cerrada de San Gabriel 1, El Obraje
Muro’s secret blend of
flours, including Amaranth, make for the sweetest stack in town. Skip the
syrup; just add lots of butter.
Buenos Aires Bistro, Mesones
#62
MiVida, Calle Hernandez Macias #97
Trattoria da Laura a Los Mezquites by La
Cucina di Afrodita,
Rancho Los Mezquites (4.15 mi) Marroquin De
Abajo
Year after year we try
them all and Lemon Meringue is still our favorite.
Available at many local
restaurants and La Pulga, Claudia works with wedding planners to create some
of the most memorable specialties in town. Individual orders are available.
MiVida
Calle Hernandez Macias #97
We found the best
pizza and it's not available in a restaurant. This pizza has a charred exterior
edge and a soft center; it's also not easy to prepare correctly. It was made by
certified pizza maker Fulvio Carbonaro, husband of Maestra Gilda Carbonaro of
Culinarian Expeditions. Fulvio said the key to making good pizza is simplicity;
if it’s got more than 5 ingredients on the top, it’s too many. Fulvio will do a
class for the chefs in SMA in May; a 2 day class on consecutive Tuesdays based on the AVPN basic course.
Sollano and Dávalos 11
For 17 years now, La
Alborada has been dishing up red pozole with a generous portion of pork, beef
or chicken. A medley of toppings adds to the experience; I counted 8 bowls on
the table including radishes, lettuce and an assortment of spices. We love this
tiny place not only for the atmosphere, typical of a small, Mexican fonda but
also for the price. At $50 pesos for a medium size bowl, you’ll have enough
change left from a $100 pesos note to buy a cold Victoria to wash it down.
You’ll need it; the broth is spicy but genuinely delicious.
Hernandez Macias #48
Chef Marcela Bolano’s
caramel pudding is our drug of choice; we’ve been totally addicted since the day
she opened and we first tried it. The delicious elixir, covered with a thin layer of hardened
caramel, is our favorite ending to a meal. We’ve been known to lick the bowl
and not really care who’s watching.
Marcela's carrot cake is another favorite dessert at Marsala cocina con acentos... and we don't even like carrot cake.
Aperi
Quebrada 101
Nomada cocina de Interpretacion
Hernandez Macias #88
Marchanta Comedor
Nemesio Diez #2
Cuna de Allende #3
We’re up for all the
good Ramen we can get so don’t even ask us to pick just one place; they’re both
worth the slurp. We didn’t ask how long they boil their bones for or if they
make their noodles from scratch. All we care about is that getting good ramen
is now a reality at not one, but two restaurants in SMA. We’re pretty happy
with that.
Cuna de Allende #3
Atrio owners José María Calvo (Chema) and Jesús Manuel Calvo (Chus) have been talking about
bringing this dish to SMA for as long as we can remember; now we have it. Atrio’s Rib Rice is THE BEST DISH IN SMA IN
2017. How do we know? We’ve eaten it more than a dozen times; we ate it
again today and we’ll probably eat it tomorrow.
Also at: Café Casa Blanca, Outstanding in the
Field and Taco Lab
Sollano #16
Chef Donnie Masterton
creates some of the best salads in town using super fresh ingredients and a
special mix of ingredients for his remarkable dressings. Our favorite is the
Shaved Broccoli and Kale Salad at The Restaurant but the BLT Salad at his new
restaurant, Cafe Casa Blanca, is running a close second. We also had an award
winning beet salad at the Outstanding in the Field dinner where Chef Masterton
was a chef and at Taco Lab, where the Marine Girl Salad was one of the most unexpected
and freshest surprises all year.
Tacos Don Felix
Fray Juan de San Miguel 15, San
Rafael
Tacos Don Santos
Clavel 8 off Refugio Sur
Jacinto 1930
Relox #18
At the heart of what
is Mexican, our choice for best salsa are three: the roasted tomato salsa from
Tacos Don Felix, the Salsa Verde from Tacos Don Santos and the fiery salsa made
with Costeno and Serrano chilies at Jacinto 1930, which is now served with the
octopus.
Hidalgo #8
Seafood caught on the
coast of Mexico in the morning, is flown into the Queretaro airport, picked up
by Chef Alan Carias later that afternoon, cooked and served at Trazo 1810 that
night.
Salida a Celaya 69
The signature Burnt
bread soup with smoked bacon, cream, crispy bacon and toasted bread; IT’S
DIFFERENT, one of the many reasons we like it. Ask for extra garnishes: bacon
and bread.
Mesones #62
Canal #16
When you have a top
quality piece of beef, it all gets down to how the chef prepares it. Buenos
Aires Bistro and Bovine are a cut above the others; it’s that simple.
Preview 2018: Watch for the MAG Festival - Mercado de Arte y Gastronomia-
coming your way July 12-15, 2018 including Marche in Juarez Park.
Camino a El Vergel #17
Hernandez Macias #48
We couldn’t love Steak
Frites any more, even if they were cooked in Chef Magda Alisa Pablos magic
ingredient: duck fat. Our favorite dish on the menu, we like this steak
overloaded with butter and plated with a side of crispy frites.
Cuna de Allende #3
Chef Arturo Sandoval
prepares an Argentinean version with bacon, cream, white wine and leeks. Big
enough for four to split, it’s rich but probably our favorite version of
sweetbreads yet.
Creative, complex
desserts are an everyday thing for Chef Abi Verde who worked at Trazo 1810
until a few weeks ago.; this her best with lime zest, baby basil and mint
jelly, meringue, lime mousse and natural goat yogurt ice cream.
The rooftop at La Unica opens this week.
Nemesio Diez #11
You can now get sushi
in the 1826 Tequila Bar four nights - Wednesday through Saturday. Their
chefs learned from the best; they were sent to Japan to train. It’s pricey but
you’ll get the best quality you can find in SMA.
Umaran #6
Many people think it’s the best taco in
Mexico; we would agree. A texturally adventurous bite, the shell is a thin slice of Jicama that’s topped with
lightly breaded shrimp, chipotle mayo and a tamarind sauce. The fried leek
finish put this taco in a class by itself. This signature taco is a deal at $55
pesos. We take ours with a sunset view; the best pairings in town.
Cuna de Allende #3
We use to eat
softshell crabs on white bread with mayonnaise, salt and pepper, then we were
introduced to Atrio’s version of this soft, flour tortilla complimented with a
pile of pico de gallo and red cabbage. When we picked a flour tortilla over a
piece of white bread, we crossed the line. We always knew we were Mexican; now
we have proof.
Insurgentes by Templo del Oratorio de San
Felipe Neri in front of the fountain.
Discovering street
cooks Maria de la Luz Tovar Hernandez and Educardo Alonzo Zarate Cruz making
fiery tamales laced with spicy, green chilies forever changed our minds about
eating them for breakfast. Get there at sunrise; these SMA favorites sell out
early. We’ve eaten a lot of others around town; many are good but these are
still our favorite.
Insurgentes #63
Chef Stefania Rosales
added more tapas to her menu in 2017 – one of the largest selection around -
and opened up a rooftop where you can enjoy them all. Vino+Tapas was a wine
store before it became a restaurant so the chef is educated when it comes to
good wines. We always get an interesting, new label every time we dine there. She's got an interesting menu selection if you want something other than tapas. Their regular menu has a lot of interesting dishes, too.
Best Tart: Caramel Chocolate Tart by Isabelle
Ortega, Pâtissier, Madame la lune
Mercado Sano, Ancha
de San Antonio 123
Her quiche and cakes are recognized
as some of the best sweet and savory comfort foods in SMA, with the Caramel Chocolate
tart as her star offering. Isabelle Ortega once told me “I don’t
eat to live, I live to eat.” So with that said Isabelle, I live to eat your
Caramel Chocolate tarts.
Nemesio Diez #2
We’ve never done a
detox with so many delicious, non-alcoholic drinks before. Never a fan of green
tea until this year, with a splash of fresh strawberries, this drink takes on a
whole different taste. It’s was our favorite non-alcoholic drink in 2017.
Chef Israel Loyola
Espinosa used a lot of imagination to create this dish, slow cooking it
for 12 hours using certified organic, grass-fed, grass-finished tongue, locally
raised at Rancho Cañada de la Virgen, then adding potatoes and cauliflower. It
was the surprise dish of 2017; one of the best things we ate all year.
Best Torta:
Best Torta:
Hidalgo #28
Tortitlan
Ancha
de San Antonio #43
Crafting these Mexican sandwiches with a total
focus on quality, Chef Pablo Nicasio of
Nicasio Comedor Mexicano starts off with good bread, from Panaderia El Maple, overstuffs
them with either cecina or lengua, then brushes them with a secret sauce. The toppings are minimal but talk about flavor. A quick comida, we like them for breakfast with
a fried egg on top. Our kind of Mexican food, if we had to live on just one
dish, tortas would be it.
Outstanding in the Field and Mercado Rural
When their hearts are connected to corn and the land, it’s a given their tortillas are the best. The women of El Llanito made them for the Outstanding in the Field dinner in January. You can also watch them at Mercado Rural in Colonia Guadalupe the first Sunday of every month.
Chef Israel Loyola Espinosa's restaurant, Jacinto 1930, came in a close second.
Quebrada 101
Sourced from Ensanada,
the color of this tuna was blood red; honestly, I’ve never seen tuna this
fresh. We loved eating it with our hands, as suggested by the chef. It’s not
always on the menu but when it is, it’s the best tuna you’ll ever eat.
Hernandez Macias #48
The duck, perfectly
cooked so the skin is crispy; the meat, succulent with no sign of grease. Add a
crispy waffle and you have the top menu pick at the
best Sunday brunch in town.
Master mixologist
Adrian Garcia Evans is in high demand at beverage conferences around Mexico.
He’s created some of the most creative drink menus in SMA at Aperi, Cumpanio
and Jacinto 1030. His mole martini is legendary. We met up with this Welch
charmer at the Casa Dragones booth in Mexico City last year at Barra Mexico to
catch one of his winning performances. Count on more than just a few surprises from Garcia-Evans in
2018.
Zacateros #47
You don’t
need Friday as an excuse to have one of the best martinis in town. In
fact, try them all, just not all on the same night. Lucky for us, this little
bar is only open on the weekends. We love the atmosphere so much, we’re sure
there’s a barstool with our name on it.
Best Bar Food Menu: Atrio Restaurant and
Lounge
Cuna de Allende #3
Well, this one is easy:
there’s not a thing on the bar menu we haven’t eaten and loved. One of the many hits coming out of the
kitchen, we love the Pork Belly Bao buns; a perfect date-night split with two
servings in an order.
The tasty celebration
of five years in SMA; it’s one of their best beers yet.
When they didn’t have Casa
Madero on the menu, local wine expert Arael Gomez Tello selected this bottle of
Corona. Beautiful fruits border vanilla and butter and define this wine.
Insurgentes # 55
A relaxed vibe and a
headline of great musicians make this spot one of the hottest places in SMA
late night. Look for frequent appearances by SMA’s queen of song, the enchanting
Lady Zen; the best voice in SMA...or maybe anywhere.
Best Cocktail: The Saints and Sinners Drink,
Quince
Cuna de Allende #15
Leave it to one of the
best mixologists in SMA, Mike Espinoza, to come up with a special drink for Day
of the Dead. With one of the most imaginative selection of drinks in town, he
uses seasonal ingredients with local and craft spirits. Visit Quince rooftop
bar to try his latest creations; there’s always a new one in the mix.
Best Drink Menu: Jacinto 1930
Doce 18 at Relox #18
We love every single
cocktail down to the short list of mocktails. Yes, even without liquor, these liquid
remedies are often exactly what we need to get through another day. Don’t think
tropical; these mountain high beverages are classic SMA, including an entire
series of drinks made with SMA’s own premium brand of tequila: Casa Dragones.
Calle Nemesio Diez #11
Don’t miss this spot
no matter how cold it is; you’ll love the view even more than the warm up.
Umaran #6
Because 2X1 with a
view and the best service in town is more than enough to make us happy.
Hernandez Macias #52
Olivia Bar at Casa No
Name is no longer SMA's best kept secret. Here, you’re in your own little
world; call it a safe haven from the tourist mayhem just a few blocks away. The
décor is chic in an understated way and you wouldn’t be in a hurry to head home
once you land. It’s our favorite place to chill and enjoy a glass of wine; it
will be yours, too.
Preview 2018: Chef
Julian Garcia is the star of the kitchen at Casa No Name, cooking brunch from
11:30 AM – 3:30 PM every Sunday.
Umaran #8
Adalberto Garcia
Moreno, the head bartender at Mama Mia's told me that Mama Mia’s makes the best
Margarita in town and I only needed a sip of this drink to be convinced. Close
your eyes when he pours all of the liquors in to your glass; you don’t want to
calculate the damage up front.
Our next pick: Tierra de Canto, which we found at the Lamb and Mezcal festival two years ago.
Canal #18
The taste of the
Pepino with Pineapple will surprise and delight you. It was our favorite new
drink in 2017. Balancing the taste of sweet and sour, we love anything that
contains pineapple…not to mention a great Mezcal.
Cuna de Allende #15
Mike Espinoza’s talent for innovation is well-known in
SMA. Follow him on Facebook to see his
latest catalog of liquid libations, where everything but the booze is
made by hand. You'll be hard-pressed to find a bartender more knowledgeable
about the latest techniques and ingredients. Bring your blindfold though; his
cocktails are way too beautiful to drink.
Nemesio Diez #10
Nena Sky Lounge is the top place in town
for your favorite activities: watching people and fireworks; in fact, it's the best seat in town to see the fireworks at neighboring Rosewood. See and be seen;
there’s no going casual to this late night spot, famous for its well dressed
patrons, many from Mexico City.
You definitely don't know what's coming next so stick around.
You definitely don't know what's coming next so stick around.
Umaran #6
If you sit in the back
room, you’ll get the aerial ballet of the birds out the back window. It’s a
sight to be seen, along with all of SMA’s picturesque sunsets. Their happy hour
cocktails and service are some of the best in town. We love everything about
this rooftop bar, especially the people watching.
If we did a blind
taste test, we’d swear we just sipped a premium cognac. Of course, many other
brands of tequila fall in a very close second. Let’s just say, after nearly 50
years, we’re still enchanted by Mexico's most famous drink.
Nemesio Diez #11
The Tequila sommeliers at the Rosewood Hotel help guests to appreciate all of the 120 Tequilas
and 20 Mezcals on the menu at 1826 Tequila Bar. You can book a tasting for
$1075 - $3620 pesos per person, depending on the brands you select. It’s a
great way to introduce your out-of-town guests to Mexico’s most beloved national spirits.
The best pedigree of
wines starts with Casa Madero. At the Brussels World Wine Competition this past
year, Mexico brought home 18 medals including two GOLD medals for Casa Madero
Chardonnays. Always a favorite: Casa Madero Chardonnay 2016. We like our
Chardonnay to taste big, full bodied, fat, creamy and buttery. We love their Rose
– ice cold - almost as much as their Chardonnays.
Levain and Company
This Chilean born
sommelier knows wine; he did the pairings for the dinner at Aperi with Chefs
Matteo Salas and Eduardo Garcia, along with Beverage Director Adrian
Garcia-Evans. Every course was impeccably paired with a superb wine, cava,
cider or tequila. In fact, the beet salad, which is never well paired with any
wine, was perfectly balanced with a Clos des Tavaux 2014 Mersault A.O.C.
Chateau Gaunoux Francia. The highlight of the pairings was the wine from Valle
de Guadalupe: Manel Solera, Vino Generoso dulce, 2007, which was a blend of
Zinfandel and Petit Syrah that was paired with a Goat camembert, pineapple and
mustard.
Canal #16
Bovine offers great wine
selections; you’ll find many on their list you don’t see at other restaurants
around town. We loved this white, Casa Magoni 2016 Manaz, made by Italian born
Camillo Magoni, who will oversee his 54th harvest in Mexico this year. For his
first 49 years in Mexico, he was the winemaker at L.A. Cetto.
Quebrada #101
When one of the best
meals you’ve ever eaten anywhere is paired with the finest wines, this category
is a no brainer.
Hernandez Macias 59
You could spend hours
hanging out in the cellar studying their International labels but you’ll have
more fun taking them home and tasting them. It’s not the biggest but we
think it’s the best.
Chef Michael Coon turned us on to this
cookbook. Published by Lonely Planet, it presents Mexico’s most authentic
dishes, from street-food to Michelin-starred chefs, with 60 of the region’s
classic recipes. We bought it, not just for the time-honored recipes, but also
for the photographs.
Some of the best
culinary teachers in Mexico call SMA home. Take your pick because every one of
them listed in our article on cooking classes last year is exceptional.
A special recognition to Chef/Professor David Jahnke, who is teaching a professional cooking class in SMA. I am lucky enough to be a part of the class.
Here’s another look at all of these amazing teachers: http://www.cupcakesandcrablegs.com/2017/04/a-guide-to-cooking-classes-in-san.html
Here’s another look at all of these amazing teachers: http://www.cupcakesandcrablegs.com/2017/04/a-guide-to-cooking-classes-in-san.html
Merecado Sano, Ancha de San
Antonio #123
Because beautiful food
from the Outstanding in the Field dinner still looks best on a Stelara plate; I
know, I brought one for it. We were delighted to find out the family of Erik
Figueroa, one of the partners at OCRE, owns this company. The stoneware is a
favorite of many local chefs including Chefs Matteo Salas and Marco Cruz.
We spent a month in
Mexico City last year looking for delicious restaurants with great prices as
well. One of our finds was Caldos Animo. Chef Antonio de Livier, of restaurant
La Panga del Impostor in Guadalajara, brought a spicy and delicious soup to
Mexico City called Birriamen: a fusion of Guadalajara birria and Japanese
ramen. The birria is a simmer of guajillo chili, pasilla, cumin and other
spices with beef and ramen noodles added. What really surprised us was the
price: a 62 peso bowl of Birriamen and a 22 peso Corona put lunch at 84
pesos/$4.74 USD. And who said Mexico City is expensive?
This year, the Lamb
and Mezcal festival will be held June 2nd at Hotel Casa de Aves. We
salute Billy Mervin for an outstanding job in bringing this festival to its 8th
season.
Explore all of the wineries along
the Guanajuato wine route, just outside of SMA. Most are under an hours’ drive
from Centro. La Santisima Trinidad is a great place to start. This 117-acre
estate produces one of our favorite Rose wines, along with Cabernet Sauvignons, Malbec, and Merlots.
We seriously LOVE A
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SUPPORTS THEIR LOCAL RESTAURANTS. If you want to have an eating place in your neighborhood, you’ve
got to go to them; it’s that simple. We also like neighbors who love to eat
together often.
Camino a El Vergel #17
Your pitstop for a great French food journey starts here. This high-quality market has a wide-selection
of all the things you crave and can’t find any other place. It’s also a good
excuse to stop and enjoy lunch with Chef Magda Elisa Pablos; not that you ever
need one. French in style and flavors, it’s our favorite retreat in the
countryside; just a 10 minute drive from Centro.
In my next life, I’m
coming back as Victor Hugo. He’s our man for all seasons; the best Food, Art
and Fashion influencer in SMA. Go ahead, live vicariously through his Facebook
and Instagram posts; we do and we have more fun than anyone in SMA, even our esteemed
Mayor.
First Chef Sofía
Antillón of Nomada made us Amaranth cookies: Amaranth, edible flowers and
chocolate balsamic; now Amaranth pancakes. The pancakes at Café Muro are made
with homemade amaranth flour; the only grain to contain vitamin C, and has
iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. There’s a million ways to use this pseudocereal; cookies and pancakes are just some of them.
With top of the line
merchandise and excellent cooking classes, Williams Sonoma gives you yet
another excuse to take a trip to Queretaro. Opening two years ago this August,
it’s a favorite destination for those who love to cook, including many local
chefs. Don’t forget to browse in neighboring City Market on your way out of
town.
To get a close up view
of the real Mexico, visit Mercado Rural in Colonia Guadalupe, the first Sunday
of every month. Bring your camera; unlike many vendors, this group loves having
their picture taken.