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There are so many changes happening in the food scene in San Miguel de Allende right now, you’d better not blink or you’ll miss them. Following a wave of restaurant openings, you’ll have plenty of new places to eat in the coming months.
What SMA chefs are bringing to the table these days is pretty exciting. There’s Vietnamese street food and authentic, upscale Indian by way of Home Sweet Home Chicago chef, Hiran Patel at GHAR, Pop Ups from the previous chef at Casa Blanca and Fatima, Birdie’s Burgers back in the mix, plenty of really good pizza and burgers and world-class chefs in the kitchens at Moxi and Aperi.
And then there’s street food - really good street food: overstuffed Beefsteak and Pork Tortas from the taco stands up on the hill to newly named restaurants in Centro that dish up crispy Suadero Tacos that you rarely find outside of Mexico City. It’s all part of our renewed love of tacos and other Mexican dishes like Pozole, only this time around it’s made with smoky mushrooms and served in a setting that reminds us of Tulum.
And how about all the new bar openings? Tunki Rooftop by Handshake at the Belmond Casa Sierra Nevada has a spectacular view of the backside of the Parroquia with food and service to match and Hendrick’s, our favorite gin bar from 2017 has finally been resurrected and is now La Bain Gin Bar- the coziest, little bar in SMA.
The best news of all: Chef Matteo Salas is returning from Europe this summer to cook with his former Sous chef, Jesus Vasquez Reyna, the new chef at Apei. Be sure to follow their social media because the limited seats available for those dinners will fill up before you get through reading this list.
Below is the
directory of the new restaurants in SMA. We define new as ones that are
actually either new or have a new chef, new location, new owner or operator or one
that’s new to us - the ones we missed because there’s only one of us or because
of the COVID pandemic.
If you want to brush
up on Mexican culinary terms, read a book that will convince you that you know
nothing about Mexican food and need to travel more, take a cooking class in beautiful,
countryside retreat, but flour to make really good pizza or bread or never go into
the grocery store again and still eat, check out the resources at the end of
this directory.
We didn't anticipated that this list would be so long when we started the article but
they kept coming in – we got Burritos Coronado today - so we’ve saved the
new menu offerings at the restaurants for another post.
We NEVER do a post without a lot of those mouthwatering photos but we wanted to get you
started on this list so check back with us as many of the photos will be added
in the next few weeks and as we feature these restaurants over the course of
the summer.
We know life is
short so have at it! You’ve got some serious eating to do before a bunch of
newbie’s show up again and spoil this feeding frenzy.
Buen Provecho!
AGAVIA 115
Hernandez Macias 115
San Miguel de
Allende
Phone: 415 105 8826
Daily: 4:00 PM –
11:00 PM
Tuesday: Closed
This Mexican gastronomic
project has plenty of authentic pulques, moles and elotes in its reserves. If
someone asks you about Mexican food, you’ll want to send them here. It’s the
real deal!
A----
NEW CHEF: TBA
Doce
18 at Relox 18
Centro
37700
San
Miguel de Allende, GTO
One
of the most beautiful restaurants in SMA, we saw the rendering and can’t wait
to catch the opening of this new rooftop later this summer. Watch for many
surprises on the menu as this chef will kick the
level of food in SMA up another notch. New operating chef, Misael Canche, of
Merida, is fine-tuning the menu to pair up with that incredible view. Stay
tuned. I’ve already picked out my table.
AMORES/MIGA
PANADERIA ARTESANAL
Stirling
Dickinson # 21
Centro,
San Miguel de Allende
AMORES: 8:30 AM –
2:30 PM Closed Tuesdays
MIGA PANADERIA
ARTESANAL: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM except Sunday closes 2:30 PM. Closed Tuesday.
This restaurant/bakery
offers pastries and panecito that are
baked fresh every morning. Try the new croissant waffle.
AMORINO GELATO
Doce 18 at Relox 20
Daily 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM except
Friday and Saturday closes 11:00 PM.
+52 1 (55) 5414 9388
My father's stores
had Bridgeman's fountains in them so when I was growing up, I ate the best ice
cream on the planet. When I was living in Guadalajara in the late 60's, there
was a Bing's ice cream store just around the corner from school. Eating Flan de
Lemon every day after class was part of the sweet experience. In my 30's, 40's
and 50's, David Lebovitz's homemade vanilla ice cream took me through 30 years
of cooking and entertaining. By the time my granddaughter Olivia came along, I
bought the ice cream attachment for their Kitchen Aid so she would know the
delights of homemade ice cream. Dipping her long-handled, silver spoon into the
mixing bowl before it was even close to being done was the ultimate pleasure of
our ice cream culture together.
I've never claimed that ice cream is healthy but Armorino, the new gelato store in Doce 18, is as close as it gets. Besides having AMOR in its name, Amorino has made Gelato without flavor enhancers or artificial colorings for more than 15 years; has promoted Organic since 2002, proudly integrating organic ingredients into its recipes like fresh, free range, organic eggs and the highest grade of whole, organic farm milk; has developed more than 20 organic flavors; all of them USDA Organic and ECOCERT certified. Sorbets and cones are vegan and certified by The Vegan Society. Since 2017, all of Amorino's Sorbets and Gelato have been 100% gluten-free.
We found the Amorino management team, brothers, Christopher and Christian Roldan, sitting in the living room of the Amorino's store at Doce 18, contemplating their next flavor fix. Christopher fell in love with the combination of lemon and chocolate when he was working in Paris and brought Amorino to the states and ultimately to Playa del Carmen: Amorino's first property in Mexico. He lives in my hometown of Chicago with Amorino stores on Michigan Avenue and at both the airports. San Miguel de Allende became their 16th property in Mexico with 218 stores in 18 countries.
We plan to eat the entire menu over the course of the next few months. An ice cream purist, I only eat one flavor at a time but you can pile on as many as you'd like, all formed into a flower, Amorino's signature shape for the past twenty years. Amorino also has Borbone coffee from Naples, Macarons filled with Gelato, Waffles, Tarts from Reggio Emmilia and 10 types of authentic, Italian hot chocolate.
How's that for having your sweet
tooth covered?
AMAPOLA CAFÉ AND
BRUNCH
Dr. Ignacio Hernandez Macias 117
Monday – Tuesday 8:30 AM – 4 PM
Wednesday – Saturday 8:30 AM – 9 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM - 5 PM
Mark Hager said it best “Lunch with a perfect omelet for less than Perkins.” This breakfast and brunch café has 2x1 Margaritas Wednesday – Saturday. Everything is cooked to order with outdoor dining. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday.
ANDY’S TACOS
Corner Insurgentes and Hidalgo, San Miguel de Allende
After 7:00 PM
Andy, the face behind Andy’s Tacos and the best Tacos al Pastor in SMA, has a new owner. Are they still the same, much-loved tacos that were written up by the Wall Street Journal way back when? Stay tuned. We haven’t been there yet since they changed the cart.
APERI
Quebrada 101
Centro, San Miguel
de Allende 37700
Phone: 415 152 0941
Daily 2:00 PM –
10:00 PM
Closed Tuesday
Phone 415 152 0941
Chef: Jesus Vasquez Reyna
Aperi is exactly 7 minutes from my front door. I’m 6 courses in and I just ate one of the best meals of my life
June 3,2023. I want to remember this date. There was suckling pig that was brined 12 hours, sous vide for another 12 and crusted in a sizzling hot pan. The balance of flavors was on point for every dish. The Sweetbreads were divine - Cecina with a Chintextle, a Mexican smoked chili paste from Oaxaca and a Mole made from Huitlacoche. I’ve eaten Sweetbreads before from some of the best chefs in Mexico: Eduardo García of Máximo Bistrot, Elena Reygadas of Rosetta,Top Chef’s first season winner, Rodolfo Castellanos of Origen in Oaxaca and Chef Arturo Sandoval at ATRIO. This one is now on the top of the list. There was a Beef Tongue terrine with Foie gras, a three beet salad with Rosa, Amarillo and Purple beets and Cristina Gerez’s creamy goat cheese with edible flowers and a buttery, Amberjack with Parsley oil, Leche de Tigre, Rainbow Radishes and Begonia flowers that tasted like green apples. The dessert was Mango with freeze dried passion fruit; a chef’s technique that comes from the mountains of Peru.
There’s a story here about how a 25
year old chef showed up in the kitchen at the best restaurant in San Miguel de
Allende, Aperi, and asked the chef, Matteo Salas, for a job; he even offered to
work for free and did for awhile. And between then and now, the chef worked in
the top kitchens in Paris and Istanbul, perfecting his skills and studying
under one of the greatest: two star Michelin chef, Pascal Barbot, of L'Astrance
in Paris.
He also worked for Marco Cruz of Nomada. He said he loved going to work every day that he was in Marco’s kitchen.
Now at 33, Jesus Vasquez Reyna is back at Aperi, this time as Executive Chef, where he was destined to be. I’m savoring the fact that we have another full time, World-Class chef in our midst, just like Matteo Salas, and it’s been a very long time coming but we’re saving that story for another day; perhaps when he’s named one of the best chefs in Mexico.
And after today, we see that day coming sooner rather than later
Buen Provecho
Chef Matteo
Salas will be cooking with Jesus at Aperi
July 6 - 8, 2023.
Contact Francisco at 415 179 1991
for tickets to the hottest culinary event of the summer.
APOLLO CARNITAS XI
Mesones 43-A between Relox and Juarez
Centro, San Miguel
de Allende 37700
Phone 415 154 5262
Daily: 9:00 AM – they run out!
At a tiny, hole-in-the-wall on Mesones, Carnitas Apolo XI, makes these porky bites as good as they get. We had them with a delicious pile of pickled cabbage, red onions and a dash of salsa verde. We ate Carnitas Apolo XI when we first came to SMA back in 2013 but we don’t remember them ever being this good. The first time we went there, we sat on a small, wooden bench inside the shop but last time, we headed to the roof; blessed with an overhead cross and a view of the Parroquia. You never know when you’re going to get a view like this with all of the hidden rooftops scattered around town. I’m told that there are two brothers that trade off cooking every week and one is better than the other. Stay tuned while we figure that out.
ASIA ORIENT EXPRESS
Avenida Olimpo 67
Sunday, Tuesday -
Saturday 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Closed: Monday
Phone: 415 215 3625
Chef: Franco Davalos
Chef Franco Davalos buys some of his produce from Chinaberry Farms so you know its fresh, Asian cuisine. A recent report from SMA food lover, Billy Mervin, is that the food is definitely worth the trek. Stay tuned. It’s on our short list.
AROMO
Santa
Teresita de Don Diego
Carretera
a Celaya KM 4.5
San
Miguel de Allende 37897
Daily 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM/ Lunch 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM/ Dinner 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Phone: 415 688 1120
Kravia and La Barra are both part of the Aromo project in San Miguel de Allende. For additional details or to purchase tickets visit: www.aromo-sma-com/kravia
KRAVIA
Located within the premises of Aromo San Miguel de Allende, 7 minutes away from downtown, KRAVIA is an immersive dining experience that combines visually stunning presentation, delicious and well-crafted flavors, pleasing aromas, high-end technology, and attentive service. Dinners enjoy an explosive 7 course tasting menu with wine pairings surrounded by vivid imagery and powerful sounds. With only one table for 14 guests, there is one seating every Friday and Saturday at 7:00 PM. Try the Ensalada de Nopal, Taco de Pulpo and Pan de Elote.
LA
BARRA
Located within the premises of Aromo San Miguel de Allende, just 7 minutes from downtown, LA BARRA Tacos, Mezcal and Xocolatl is a culinary experience where you can taste signature Mexican cuisine surrounded by tropical scenery. At BARRA, Aromo's culinary team presents Mexico's most iconic dish,TACOS, in different and tasteful varieties which go from the traditional to the unusual with ingredients such as duck, tuna, cauliflower and meat cuts; guests can enhance the flavors of each dish with our selection of Mezcals to pair. Xocolatl, an element of ancient Mexican cuisine, is also at LA BARRA, with tastings of fine chocolates from AROMO Chocolateria which can also be paired with Mezcals for an explosive combination of flavors.
B’ANI TERRAZA
Umaran 34
Centro, San Miguel
de Allende 37700
415 688 7248
Opens daily at 9:00
AM
Closes Sunday 6:00
PM, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10:00 PM, Friday 11:00 PM, Saturday 12:00
Midnight
Closed Wednesday
Farm-to-table cuisine with another San Miguel rooftop view.
BARBACOA HNOS. RODRIGUEZ
Av. Principal la Luz #3
San Miguel de Allende
Access to it is on the side of the
Chevrolet dealers on Salida to Queretaro.
Hours: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Established in 1987, Barbacoa Hnos. Rodriquez is an institution in SMA. Fresh off the Caldo, this broth has a much richer flavor than all the other Barbacoa Hnos. Rodriquez I’ve eaten at; and there have been many. Try the Taco de Montalayo (belly) and Taco de Moronga (blood). It’s considered a delicacy in Mexico, at least by those who have overcome the inhibition of eating blood.
BAR MARGARET
Mesones 3
Thursday – Saturday 4:00 PM – 11:00
PM
Sunday 12:00 Noon – 6:00 PM
Hotel Amparo has reopened their food and beverage program with some rather interesting additions to the food scene in SMA. We loved the bar when Mixologist Gabriel Avila was there; every week there was a different drink to try so hopefully they’ll continue the tradition. Stay tuned
BASTARDO RESTAURANT AND BEER GARDEN
This popular restaurant on the road to Dolores Hidalgo is moving in to Centro next to Chef Jorge Avendano’s other property, Salvajes Brasserie at Hidalgo 92. It’s expected to open in late 2023. This will be an ideal situation for the chef who will have a lot easier time overseeing both restaurants when they are right next to one another. We’re thrilled to have Bastardo in Centro because they’re going to a wood fire kitchen and we love anything that’s cooked over wood. They’ll also have a huge selection of both beers and natural wines. Stay tuned. We’ll be there for the opening
BAZAR FRAILES
Principal de los Frailes, Parque de Los Enamorados, Los Frailes, San Miguel de Allende
9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Another great Farmers Market every Saturday in the park at Los Frailes. The Coffee Lab now has a pop up booth at the market and will be taste testing several coffees and offering whole bean and ground coffee for sale.
BIRDIES BURGERS
Salida a Celaya #6
Guadiana, Centro - San
Miguel de Allende
We’ve been looking
for another favorite lunch spot since Birdies flew the coop during Covid but
Birdies Burgers is coming back; going into the space that was once occupied by
La Mar restaurant at Salida a Celaya #6 and we couldn’t be happier.
We’ll be at the opening
to celebrate the one food we missed the most during the pandemic and to also grab
a bite of that delicious, Canada de La Virgen beef. Stay tuned - it’s on our
2023 short list and hopefully a new chef will be announced soon. It’s currently
one of Chef Donnie Masterton’s best kept secrets.
BOCACIEGA
Quebrada
18A
Centro
37700, San Miguel de Allende
1:00
PM – 10:00 PM except Sunday closes at 9:00 PM
Chef:Jose
Bazan
415
177 7175
Oscar
Mendez is the new chef in Bocaciega’s kitchen. He’s coming onboard with one of
our favorite chefs, Jose Bazan. Don’t miss their new summer menu including the
crispy, stuffed squash blossoms; a new SMA favorite. Even Patsy Dubois, the
Queen of Squash Blossoms in SMA will approve.
BOCALAB AT CAVA SAUTTO
Codo 36
Centro, San Miguel
de Allende 37700
This is a new
project by the owners of Bocaciega and Tostevere. Housed in the back of Cava
Sautto, Volcan Tequila is redoing the kitchen. The space will host chefs from
around Mexico and the world.
The
owners said of this space: “BocaLab was first planned for the chefs in
town; a place where knowledge is the common coin and the exchange of wisdom thirstiness
and experience take the most important role. We
saw an opportunity because Cava Sautto already worked with liquor and wine
brands looking for events and experience development with their products and we
are always in the need for our Chefs exposure. This partnership created a
space to design different workshops related to gastronomy. LVMH Moët Hennessy
and their premium tequila, Volcan, got interested in the idea and will join the
project. In the meantime, we have already started different experiences and
events: pizza pairings, pasta classes, wine parties, and private dinners.
We are very excited to see what we can do in BOCALAB;
the future looks really fun.” Ideas? Contact Tono at Bocaciega who is open to just
about anything. 771 772 0061.
BORRIOL BAR AND TAPAS
Porton
17
Atascadero,
San Miguel de Allende
415
148 7305
Wednesday
– Sunday 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Atascadero
is a pocket in SMA with a whole lot of potential and the owners have decided to tap into it. Spanish Mediterranean food
features paellas and other enjoyable dishes from Spain paired with a
spectacular view of SMA from the hill. Catch live piano music weeknights with a
DJ on the terrace every weekend. Call for the hours of operation as they will convert
to a 7 day a week schedule very shortly.
BOVINE
Canal 16, Centro, San Miguel de Allende 37700
Tuesday 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM/ Wednesday – Sunday 1:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Closed: Monday
Phone 415 121 6787
Mixologist Uriel Jonathan Frausto Tabares was recently named,
by the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants and Bars, as the Top Bartender in SMA. We’ve
so happy he’s finally getting the recognition he deserves. Their
annual list provides a snapshot of some of the best destinations for unique culinary
experiences, in addition to being a barometer for global gastronomic trends.
https://www.theworlds50best.com/
BROGA SAN MIGUEL DE
ALLENDE
Lib. Jose Manuel Zavala 72 a
Centro, San Miguel de Allende
Phone: 415 688 7374
Monday – Saturday 9:30 AM – 7:30 PM
Closed Sunday
Barista: Brandon Medina
Ask Barista Brandon Medina for something invigorating and he’ll tell you that’s about everything on the menu at Broga. This specialty cafe is the place for great chocolate, coffee, lattes and refreshing drinks. Also try their Chilaquiles.
BRUTAL
Doce
18 at Relox 18
Centro
37700
San
Miguel de Allende, GTO
This
cozy wine bar is from the Mexico City owners of Casa Murcielago Mezcaleria.
Both spots are new; housed right next to each other across from the Casa
Dragones tasting room in Doce 18. Opening in July, 2023.
BURRITOS CORONADO
This new,
border-style food truck is located in a food garden called Lunch Box. The
owners are two of SMA’s favorite people: Daniela, the daughter of Lolita
restaurant owner, Lizette Angel and Nacho, the former Mixoligist at Pork Belly.
Stay tuned for a post shortly.
CAFETERIA 20TRECE
Colegio
10, Centro
San
Miguel de Allende 37700
Daily:
7:00 AM – 9:00 PM
This
coffee café can easily be missed but it should be on the top of your list. There’s
a large number 10 painted in white on the wall opposite the entrance to Ignacio
Ramirez Market. I’m taking my friend Barry, the coffee connoisseur, because so
many people have told me that this is the best cup of coffee in SMA. Pepe Martinez, my side kick, has already given
it two thumbs up. Stay tuned.
CARAJILLO
SAN MIGUEL
Umaran #8, Centro, San Miguel de Allende
Sunday – Wednesday 1:00 PM – 10:30 PM/ Thursday – Saturday 1:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Phone: 415 688 6831
Opening in 2021, this beautiful rooftop terrace serves Latin American – Mexican food with a flare. Your home away from home, Chef Juan Arroyo oversees the cuisine at this site along with other locations in Mexico. We love their signature, imprinted tacos.
CASA ARCA
Doce 18 at Relox 18
415 139 5021
At this new restaurant inside Doce 18, you’ll be charmed by
Chef Massimiliano Menossi, who is from Milan, Italy. Serving Mexican food with
a touch of Mediterranean, Max is a lover and correspondent of Italian gastronomic
culture in Mexico since 2001 - the date he arrived in Mexico to stay and has
been teaching Italian cooking classes and conferences by the Cultural
Detachment of the Italian Embassy in Mexico since 2004. There are many delicious,
Mexican flavors on his menus and the last time we were there it was packed.
CASA
GIOVANNI MARINA
Donolo #1D Camino a
la Vivienda de Abajo
Past the Cieneguita
bridge
37896 San Miguel de
Allende
Hours: Thursday –
Sunday: 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Closed Monday –
Wednesday
Phone: 415 168 7465
Chef: Marina
Previero
You’ll
get very authentic, home cooked Italian meals here along with Merlot from their
vineyard. Giovanni
and Marina own this four table restaurant with a full kitchen view along with a
beautiful but small vineyard. Order pasta specials
every Thursday during the month of June. Local Italian chef, Laura Buccheri, recently
gave them a nod.
CASA MURCIELAGO
Doce 18 at Relox 18
Centro 37700
San Miguel de Allende, GTO
Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM
The perfect bar for a Friday afternoon takeover, this Mezcaleria
is opening in Doce 18. Owners have another bar in Mexico City with over 25
years of experience in Mexican spirits including Mezcal, Sotol, Lechuguilla,
Pox, Raicilla, Comiteco and Bacanora. It’s the perfect spot for tastings with
more than 60 labels. They carry only small batch, not industrial Mezcal. They
also sell bottles of agave spirits to take home.
CENTRO BAR SMA
Portal Allende 2
Tuesday 12-9 PM
Wednesday 12-10 PM
Thursday – Monday
8:30 AM – 11:00 PM
415 152 8943
This bar was remodeled when Hortus opened in the Jardin. One of the most popular spots in town, sit outside and watch SMA stroll by. It’s the local hang out for many of the SMA Mariachis.
CEVECERIA ALLENDE TAPROOM
Hotel Real de Minas
Ancha de San Antonio
and corner Sterling Dickinson
San Antonio, 37700
San Miguel de
Allende
Sunday – Thursday
1:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Friday – Saturday
1:00 PM – 1:00 AM
415 103 2295
This
Mexican brewery is dedicated to the production of beers with the highest
quality ingredients - malt, hops, water and yeast. Stop in to enjoy their new
taproom at the Hotel Real de Minas. It showcases all the great beers in the
Allende collection.
CHA CHA CHA
28 de Abril Nte. #37
Col. San Antonio
San Miguel de
Allende, GTO
Wednesday - Saturday
1:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Sunday, Monday,
Tuesday – Closed
If you are a self taught home cook or hung out in your grandmother’s kitchen growing up, graduated from the CIA or taught the art of food preparation, the story is still the same. People love food, almost as they love each other so the one place I really wanted to have a meal last week was Cha Cha Cha – CC and Mario’s restaurant, which reopened late last year. It’s the one place where many people in SMA have been sharing their meals with family and friends these days.
We know one of the owners, CC Stark, and we’ve always loved her take on food and life. They go together like Salt and Pepper, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Macaroni and Cheese or Eggs or Bacon. Can’t seem to get enough of the Mexican comforts that fill their menu, much like the abuela who fills your heart? It’s not fancy food but then, who needs fancy when most people are looking for affordable these days. All of the dishes are under $150 pesos. This time, the draw of the meal comes, not from the food so much but from who is at your table and that’s a good thing because the other owner, Mario, cooks with pure love. I don’t always run into to people in the middle of the day at restaurants. I go early and usually work alone but it was old home week today running into friends. You figure you’re eating in the right place when you do. Friend, Sally Reid, was there along with someone I hadn’t seen for at least nine years, Lorelei Capell.
The place is filled with Cha Cha Cha
– so many fun and festive accents, you feel like you’re at a street party. You
can’t help but be drawn into a Mexican celebration that never stops. You can
even get up and dance if you want. It’s Mexico, pure and simple.
As always, we eat our desserts first. You’ll not only find Mario’s perfect flan but also Paletas in every color; made by La Gardenia for over 45 years. We also suggest Mario’s Tamarind Water- so healthy and made from his own secret blend of ingredients with a little bit of this and a lot of that.
Mario’s recipes are the ones his own abuela cooked
for him when he was growing up. We wouldn’t write about his mole because
everyone loves Mario’s homemade mole; it’s legendary. We decided instead to ask
for something else that we always talk about, Flautas, and figured if Mario
could make an order to my taste, I’d be back next week. And so I will.
CHIKATANA
Calzada de la Aurora
#51
Chef: Santoru Takeda
This restaurant serves Asian specialty foods, including Ramen, and is moving to Calzada de la Aurora #51 with a July, 2023 opening serving lunch and dinner. Breakfast will be added a few months after opening. Stay tuned.
CIEN 24
Umaran 124, Centro, San Miguel de Allende
Chef:
Cecilia Alvarez Haniel Cruz
Phone:
415 111 5206
9:00
AM – 4:00 PM except Sunday closes 2:00 PM and Closed Wednesday.
Cien 24 is expanding and will soon have an upper
deck. Recommended by many, they are known
for their healthy breakfast dishes.
CITY MARKET SAN MIGUEL DE
ALLENDE
Salida a Celaya 82, La Lejona 37765, San Miguel de Allende
Daily 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
415 185 8839
There’s a bit of a ceremony when I enter and leave City Market - a scoop of Gelato when I come in and another one when I depart. I’ve tried every flavor on the menu. Hands down, this is the best gelato in SMA. We haven’t tried some of the specialty restaurants inside this beautiful supermarket but they’re on our short list too. Stay tuned.
COCINA DE FUEGO
One of our favorite traveling chefs, Armando Pratts and Chef Mariano Ochoa are cooking this four course, fundraiser dinner for the San Miguel de Allende Fire Department. It will be held at the La Carsona Convention Center at 6:00 PM, June 22. 2023. There will also be an Art Auction. Call 415 216 7174 for tickets.
COFFEE
LAB
Shari Alexander and William (Skip) Beltz recently gave us some background on this project.
“We are partnered with international coffee brokers who purchase crops of coffee beans. We do not deal with warehoused products, only freshly harvested beans. We start out with small amounts and test roast at different development levels. When we think we have a winner our test marketers get samples and report back to us. Successful roasts result is volume purchases that we sell locally. Right now we have 3 or 4 organic and inorganic beans we offer in various roasts depending on the customer’s pallet and the type of coffee maker they use. Here’s the fly in the ointment: Coffee harvests are just that, harvests; when they are gone it’s over until the next harvest comes in. Right now, Mexico and several Central American countries have fresh beans available. So here is the business plan in a few sentences: Purchase absolutely fresh beans, roast them fresh and present them to customers as whole beans that we custom grind for them. Most people have never had fresh roasted coffee that comes from freshly harvested crops. We are changing all that. The difference in the cup is extraordinary. We also like Guatemalan beans and just tested an organic roast that’s very good indeed. We are offering whole, fresh roasted beans at a pop up booth at the Las Frailes market on Saturdays. We will be taste testing several coffees and offering whole bean or ground coffee for sale. In July, we will be at the Textures and colors market on the Ancha every weekend as well.”
They can be reached at +1 774.331.6262 on
WhatsApp for additional information. Stay tuned. They’re determined to change
the way you drink coffee.
COMEDOR
AMI BENTO BOXES
Fracc
El Mirador San Miguel de Allende
Tuesday – Saturday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM/Delivery 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM/ Closed Sunday - Monday
415
167 0933
Good Japanese and Asian deli food with home delivery. They also serve vegetarian options. We know people who are addicted to her food and order multiple times a week. Send your order to WhatsApp at 415 177-0728.
CRUNCHY
TIGER COCINA ASIATICA
Calzada de La Luz 129, esq Antonio Abad, enfrente de Plaza
Gaeibaldi
Centro, San Miguel de Allende
Daily 12:30 PM – 6:00 PM
415 100 1286
Inexpensive, Asian
cuisine brought to you by the chefs and owners of
Chikatana.
D’CASTILLA
Jesus 5
Daily 1:00 PM –
10:00 PM daily except closed Tuesday and closes 8:00 PM Sunday
415 154 7730
This is the old
ETAPAS restaurant and unfortunately the chef went back to Barcelona after just
a few weeks. We loved his cooking.
The new chef, Juan Jose de Santiago, has been cooking since he was 13 years old. The menu is also Spanish. We have not tried their food since the restaurant changed names. The space is beautiful, small and cozy, with a rooftop patio.
DESDE 1945 LA BUGAMBILIA
Canal #9
Centro 37700
San Miguel de Allende
415 152 0127
Daily 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM except
Sunday closes 8:30 PM
Traditional Mexican food in SMA for
over 75 years. This gets high marks from many Mexican friends who love the Chile
en Nodaga; a house specialty. Their taste of Mexico includes breakfast Machaca
and different types of Moles. There’s an outdoor patio with great hospitality,
courtesy of the new owner, Rolando Gutierrez. It’s on our short list.
DON VALENTE RESTAURANT
Avenida La Luz 7, La
Luz
San Miguel de
Allende 37747
473 151 0158
Tuesday – Thursday 8
AM – 8 PM
Friday – Saturday 8
AM – 9 PM
Sunday 8 AM – 6 PM
Monday Closed
This former Quince
chef, Erick Rojo, has been cooking up a feast and it’s not your traditional dishes
but something entirely different. Outside dining adds to the delight. Try any
of the fun and flavorful breakfast doughnuts or delicious Chamorro – a pork
shank in 3 chiles.
EMMA’S LOCALE PIZZAS AND PASTAS
Calle Xichu 14
Centro, Caracol
37769
San Miguel de
Allende
Daily 2:00 PM –
10:00 PM
Phone 415 148 6272
This Italian outdoor
restaurant has a takeout option. Roman – style crunchy pizza with a thin crust
and fresh pasta every day. Several of our friends live nearby and love having
Italian food so close to home.
EL PATO BARBACOA AND MIXIOTES
Calzada de la
Estacion Centro 37736
San Miguel de
Allende
Wednesday – Sunday
8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
415 148 6393
This new location
near the bus depot still has the same, super-friendly owners and the best
Mixiotes in SMA. If there’s one dish you have to try while you’re in SMA, this
is it!
EL PUERTO SEAFOOD SMA
San Pedro 14 Colonia Centro entre Canal y Umaran
Centro 37700
San Miguel de Allende
Daily 11:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Closed Tuesday
415 100 2302
This restaurant is
gaining a reputation for having the best seafood in SMA. Get their Mexican One
Pot - Arroz a la Tumbada or tumbled rice; a type of paella but more of a soup
with red rice (tomatoes and shrimp broth).
Originating in
Veracruz, it contains rice and various seafood – particularly shrimp and crab -
in a spicy sauce of tomatoes, onion, garlic and chilies. It’s the perfect cure
for a hangover. The restaurant is a must for all seafood lovers in town.
EL TIO PABLO RESTAURANTE & GRILL
Lucas Balderos #62,
Colonia Mexiquito
Wednesday – Monday
12:00 Noon – 9:00 PM
415-152-1642
Pablo, previously of Ten Ten Pie fame, now operates his own small eatery serving traditional, Mexican recipes hot off his grill. Pablo warmly welcomes his old friends to come to Mexiquito for a visit. Home delivery is also available.
EMPANADAS
ARGENTINAS
Calzada de La Luz 90
Hidalgo and Relox,San Miguel de Allende 37700 Centro
Monday – Saturday 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM/ Closed Sunday
442
171 5586
Delicious
empanadas by way of Argentina. Alejandro and Beatriz offer 8 sweet and savory
variations. Look for the weekly specials. They are the most authentic empanadas
in SMA.
FINCA
LUNA SERENA
Camino
Real en numero Colonia el Toreador 37883
San
Miguel de Allende
Daily
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Phone:
442 890 8769
Susan
and Victor at Finca Luna Serena are doing quite a
few new things at their farm. While their primary offering is processing olives
into olive oil, curing olives and tapenade, they also infuse balsamic vinegar
with fruits.
As always, they offer tours with lunches seven days a week, with
a minimum of two people Monday through Friday and four people on weekends.
Prior reservations are required. They also do cooking classes with guest chefs
as well as with their staff.
They still have chickens and turkeys and eggs are sold at the
farm. Finca Luna’s eggs are the best in SMA (imagine chickens feeding under the
olive trees.) Their store inside the Opal mine
on Hernandez Macias #99 is still in operation. This link below will take you to
their website where they post a schedule of activities about four weeks in
advance.
https://www.fincalunaserena.com/eventos
FLORIOS SAN MIGUEL
Pila
Seca #2 Centro 37700
San
Miguel de Allende
332
779 9129
Chef:
Max Sol
Monday
– Thursday 2:00 PM – 10:45 PM
Friday
– Saturday 2:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Sunday
10:00 PM – 6:00 PM
This
beautiful rooftop at Hotel Clandestina specializes in Argentinean – Italian
food. Friend, Gustavo Lopez Aguado Montes, the head Concierge at the Matilda
and at the International Professional Association of Hotel Concierges, recently
ate at Florios San Miguel and gave it a good review. Gustavo is one palate we
totally trust.
FRIOELLA
AT CUISINE
Jorge Villarreal
1 956 960 4765.
Frioella At Cuisine
just opened and we really like their new product line. How about a corn cake
that not only looks beautiful but also tastes great; perfect for your weekend
brunch. Or an apple tart made from some of the best fruit in SMA. There are chocolate
cakes, a flour-free Santiago almond cake, pears in merlot and various
flatbreads with different toppings along with quiches and paellas. Jorge’s
secret weapons? Love and passion and a son who graduated from the CIA and those
fundamentals are pretty hard to beat. Jorge owned a restaurant in McAllen, Texas
by the same name. He’ll be opening the bakery at a new location in SMA shortly.
GHAR
Mesones 15
Centro 37700
San Miguel de
Allende
Hours Wednesday –
Sunday 5:00 – 11:00 PM. Last order taken 9:00 PM.
Closed Monday – Tuesday
415 114 8842
Chef: Hiran Patel
Operating Chef: Mauricio Hernandes Patraca
Chicago chef Hiran
Patel’s new restaurant, GHAR means HOME in Hindi – an Indic language of
northern India and the fourth most widely spoken language in the world. The restaurant
is located in Casa Hoyos at Mesones 14 and opened June 1, 2023.The reviews have
been off the charts and we’re so excited
to finally have great Indian food in SMA. I knew Chef Patel in Chicago. He owns
Naansense - a downtown Chicago restaurant known for magnificent Indian food.
He’s done dozens of Indian weddings in SMA and Mexico sponsored by Zumo. Mexico
is the number one spot for Indian destination weddings.
GOLONDRINAS
Boarded up since
Covid, we just heard that Golondrinas is opening in Chef Stefani Ros’s old
restaurant, Vino + Tapas SMA, at Insurgentes 63. It’s located across the street
from Casa Bo, our favorite shopping experience in SMA. Stay tuned.
HAPPY BANH MI
This
Vietnamese Street food restaurant from Mexico City will open on Sterling
Dickinson shortly; brought
to you by
Jorge Villarreal of Frioella At
Cuisine, a new baker in SMA, who will also open up a new bakery.
HIERBA SANTA COCINA DEL SUR
Cal de La Aurora 48A
Right hand side
415 104 8361
Daily 9 AM – 5:30 PM
except Sunday 10 AM – 2:30 PM
Closed Tuesdays
Chef/Owners: Daniela
Liberato and Francisco Zermeno
Flavorful and
interesting food from two chefs who opened at the beginning of the Covid
pandemic and managed to survive. We highly recommend the Eggs Benedict for
breakfast. Reservations are suggested as they fill up fast, especially on the
weekends.
HORTUS
Portal
de Guadalupe 12, Centro
8:00
AM – when the last customer leaves. Last seating for dinner: 9:00 PM.
Executive Chef: Omar Henrique
The
number of novels written in the sidewalk cafes of Paris would fill the library.
For 10 years now, we’ve been asking why SMA hasn’t taken advantage of its
almost perfect weather, blocked off more streets and rolled out sidewalk cafes
everywhere. If nothing else, it should have happened after Covid but it didn’t.
There was a time when more sidewalk cafes were in the planning but along came
another administration and the plans went back on hold… and so did my novel.
From the peppering of tables along the sidewalk, to selling breads and pastries from their front windows (a first for SMA), it reminds me of Europe or Mexico City. I sat outside the day they opened and claimed the same spot I always have. I reveled in the spring-like weather and saw at least twenty people I know
I love this place; it’s still the best seat in SMA, only this time it’s different. For starters, the management brought in some great chefs to cook for you: Omar Henriquez, the former chef of Aperi and Alejandro López Vega, who trained under Enrique Olvera. It’s heaven to be doubled teamed by two of the best chefs in San Miguel de Allende.
This
new restaurant is a vision of Alberto Laposse, part of a third generation of
bakers and confectioners, who also owns Grupo Levain. He speaks with affection
about the influence of his grandfather, who hailed from Piemonte in northern
Italy and who also owned the legendary El Globo brand, which the family sold in
1999. Bottarga, Risotto, Bagna cauda and the wheat flavor on the pastas are all
part of his childhood memories that Chef Omar Henriquez is dishing up. Alberto
and his team, which includes Sandra Vasquez, the talented CEO
and co-founder of Levain and Co., continue their expansion with new stores
dedicated to both baking and food. The success of Panio in the Antea Mall in
Queretaro and Hortus are perfect examples of the direction in which this team
is headed.
Their quality speaks for itself; it’s a cut above the others. And so are the prices. We’re still amazed that we can get the best quality breakfast delivered to our front door for $150 pesos. You’ll also find many hard-to-find items like the cider that Melissa Perry Barnett discovered when she was wandering around in France; a treasure she found in Panio La Luciérnaga.
The menu is a work in progress. The night before they opened, we previewed the food - contemporary but with a surprising, Asian influence. I went to an Asian (Korean) dinner at Aperi (which the group previously owned) a few years back so we knew they were playing around with Asian flavors but who expected us to find them here? The Tobiko over the pasta, the Jusu on the oysters and the Edamames with the duck were all accidental finds when the team discovered that Asian accents work amazing well with Italian food
I’m also crazy about their breads and pastries and just when I think I’ve finally eaten their entire menu, Cruffin de Lemon and Kouign-Amann included, along comes something new that becomes another favorite. My latest obsessions are the French Gougeres: little balls of choux pastry, the same used for éclairs and profiteroles, only this time filled with Cheese. And then there’s the filled, German Berlinesas; divine when they are warm.
Maybe
we’ll get started on that novel we talked about earlier but for now, we think
Hortus is a perfect start. Already Centro Bar, located directly across from
Hortus, closed and reopened after a quick renovation.
HUITZIL RESTAURANT/MAEH BAKERY
Quebrada #113
Centro 37700
San Miguel de
Allende, Gto
415 688 5246
This restaurant is
located in the new El Ricinto Luxury Hotel. With a modern design, Chef Ramundo
Armas from Dolores Hidalgo (he use to work at both San Lucas and San Francisco
wineries) offers a totally Mexican menu. Edgar Arellano, who worked for Panio
and Cumpanio, Dos Casas, Aperi and Los Olivos is the new General Manager for
the three brands at the hotel: Ricinto, Huitzil and MAEH Bakery. Chef Jafet
Flores runs the small but adorable bakery and restaurant on the upper deck of
the property. The hotel won an architectural design award in Mexico and the property
is gorgeous. It’s a great spot for a private party. We’re going this Friday.
HYATT NUMU BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Nemesio Diez 20
Centro
Central Patio
El Fogon de Enrique
Breakfast 7 AM – 11
AM
Lunch 12 PM – 5 PM
Dinner 5 PM – 10 PM
The most spectacular restaurant in this new hotel, the
terrace, is still under construction. Stay tuned.
JACQUES
Del Pueblito 3A, Centro 37700, San Miguel de Allende
Daily 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM - Sunday closes 5:00 PM
Phone: 415 688 3997
An original and casual dining experience incorporates a healthier style of cooking from the Mediterranean and the Americas. Owned by two brothers from Guadalajara, loads of people swear by their vegetarian food.
JJ CASTANEDA’S POP UP
DINNERS AT CASA DELPHINE
Casa Delphine - up
from Live Aqua
Calzada de la Presa
69a 37700
+52 415 190 0100
One of SMA best chefs is cooking his food from when he was at Casa Blance and Fatima. We’re excited as the restaurant was the best in SMA when he was cooking there but closed due to Covid. Chef JJ hasn’t lost his golden touch; he’s already sold out six of these dinners. Contact Casa Delphine to get on their mailing list. The next dinner will be held on July 11, 2023
KALI
Mesones 63
Centro 37700
San Miguel de
Allende
Phone: 415 150 1255
Kali is Hotel Essentia’s new restaurant; a rooftop opening in August, 2023. Chef Marcela Bolano is the Executive consulting chef and has already hired a local chef. She’ll also train the staff. She’s finished with the menu that will include some rather fabulous fried chicken, signature Rib Tacos, Pad Tai and other flavors missing in SMA. Stay tuned; we’re there when they open because we think everything Chef Marcela Bolano does is magic.
LA
BAIN GIN BAR
Zacateros 45
Wednesday – Saturday 5:00PM – 1:30 AM
Mixologist: Sergio Alberto Vasquez
They’re back! La Bain Gin Bar is in the former space where our favorite bar was; the old Hendrick’s Gin Bar. Adorable, cozy and cute, there’s room for about 15 people so get there early. Sergio Alberto Vasquez is one of the best bartender’s in town and he’s also back at the bar. It’s one of our favorite, new late night spots in Centro.
LA
BRIOCHE SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE
Mesones 57
Centro 37700
San Miguel de Allende, GTO
Daily 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM Breakfast and Brunch / Daily 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM Lunch and Dinner
A new artisan restaurant featuring French International cuisine from Chef Jose Antonio Villanueva, who worked for Chef Donnie Masterton at The Restaurant. La Brioche also makes all their own breads and pastries. Opens in late June, 2023.
LA
CABRA LLUMINADA
Hidalgo 13
Centro 37700, San Miguel de Allende
415 112 7650
Daily: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Vegan food brought to you by the owner of Don Taco Tequila.
Chef Jesus
Vasquez Reyna of Aperi checks in on the chefs every day and was cooking here
briefly before he went back to Aperi. Isn’t that reason enough to check it out?
LA CARPA BURGERS
Refugio
Sur #12, 37750 San Antonio
San
Miguel de Allende, México
Wednesday – Sunday 4:00 PM – 12:00 Midnight
Phone:
415 107 3173
Gia’s Burgers has
been renamed. La Carpa claims to have the best homemade pickles in town but we’re
pretty particular about our pickles. We’ll find out soon because they’re our
favorite part of the hamburger.
LA PARADA
Recreo 94
Centro 37700
San Miguel de
Allende, Gto.
Sunday – Thursday
1:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday – Saturday
1:00 PM – 11:00 PM
415 152 0473
This well established
SMA restaurant has some new operators working with Juan Leon de Vivero - the
owners of Atrio, along with their chef, Arturo Sandoval – one of our favorite
chefs in town. Talk about a winning combination.
Stay tuned for some menu changes and a few new surprises in the mix.
LA TERTULIA COFFEE
AND GARDEN
Cri Cri 11 Guadalupe 37710
Tuesday – Sunday 9 AM – 4 PM/ Monday Closed
Phone: 415 112 6418
This garden café has good coffee along with sweet and savory delicacies for breakfast and lunch. Travel carefully as we got so lost the first time we went there. The cobblestone streets are a bit challenging on the far side of Guadalupe.
LOS ORIGINALES DE SAN MIGUEL,
Salida a Celaya #69
Centro
37700
San
Miguel de Allende, Gto.
Tuesday
– Sunday 3:00 PM – 12:00 Midnight
415
109 4848
How often can you say just bring pocket change? Tacos are 20 pesos each: Tripe, Al Pastor, Tongue and more. The Birria Tacos are not on the menu but they have them. It’s located right near Panio on Salida a Celaya.
LOS WAFFLES DE PAUL
Mesones 56
Daily
10:30 AM – 2:30 PM and 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM except closed Tuesday and Wednesday
A 7th generation,
real Liege Belgium Waffles - the street
version; round not rectangular. The family business back home in
Belgium, Couplet Sugars, is one of the most successful sugar
companies; now selling to Kellogg’s. The sugar comes from the white beet,
not sugarcane, and his family invented pearl sugar. It’s a different sweetness,
and the pearls don’t melt so that’s the crunch you get. Look for their new
location at Mercado del Carmen after June 8t, 2023.
MAGDA’S
KITCHEN AND DELIVERY RESTAURANT
415
181 3236.
Chef Magda Elisa Pablos, the former chef at El Vergel Bistro and owner of KUNI,
a culinary experience by Chef Magda Pablos said “I
moved to SMA to do what I love the most and that’s making people happy. Our new
pick-up and delivery restaurant, Magda’s Kitchen and Delivery Restaurant, will
allow you to feast on the very best comfort food without ever leaving home.” Look
for daily specials. Contact the chef to get on her weekly mailing list. She
also offers cooking classes through KUNI.
MARULIER SAN ANTONIO
Ancha
de San Antonio 121
37750
San Miguel de Allende
415
148 8605
Daily
8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
One of the few, casual spots that’s open until 10:00 PM, it’s a great place for breakfast and every outdoor table has some shade. They have a fabulous selection of French pastries, desserts and breads. It’s owned by the bakery, Marulier, at La Luciernaga. Sebastian, the owner, introduced us to some new breads, which included a heavily seeded baguette and the most amazing bagels we’ve ever eaten. Try the parmesan. He makes them fresh every morning, pulling them out of the oven at about 9:30 AM.
MAROMA
FROZEN YOGURT
Josefina Orozco 19-L9, Centro 37750, San Miguel de Allende
Monday – Friday 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM/ Saturday – Sunday 12:00 Noon – 8:00 PM
Frozen Yogurt with a wide variety of toppings, including delicious, fresh fruit.
MERKEN
SMA
20 de Enero Sur 4
San Antonio 37750, San Miguel de Allende
Daily 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM except Sunday closes 8:00 PM/ Closed Monday
415 100 4111
This is a new, prime location for Chef Pablo Nicacio, who
worked for many years with Chef Marco Cruz at Nomada. Anything you order is
good; he’s one of the best chefs in SMA. Look for special dinners and other scheduled
events. Music at the restaurant features Yaya Maria Claudia; the chef’s
delightful partner.
MIA DE
PIES A CABEZA
Del Chorro #7
Centro 37700
San Miguel de
Allende
Wednesday 1:00 PM –
10:30 PM
Thursday – Saturday
8:00 AM – 10:30 PM
Sunday – Monday 8:00
AM – 6:00 PM
415 688 4058
On top of Parque Juarez, this restaurant features French- Mexican fusion cuisine
at Hotel Casa Lisa, just a short walk from downtown.
MOÑO'S
PANADERÍA Y REPOSTERÍA SALUDABLE
Mesones 57, Centro 37700, San Miguel de Allende
Tuesday – Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM/ Closed Saturday – Monday
464 166 2663
This vegan, gluten free bakery has many delicious pastries
and pizzas.
MOOSS.Mx
Jesus 35
46 225 27749
11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Closed Tuesday
Frozen Yogurt and Soft
Serve Ice Cream
Owner
and Ice Cream lover, Rene Monroy, recently opened this ice cream store on Jesus
and we couldn’t be happier. The store dishes up soft serve ice cream with your
pick of the toppings. Have as many as you want; the bowl is priced by weight and
it’s one way to get your daily helping of fruit.
His
delightful mother, Yolanda Acosta, was there to help with the opening. We would
have never guessed that Rene is from Irapuato; he looks more Italian than
Mexican.
A town can never have too many ice cream shops
and this is one of the best.
MOXI RESTAURANT AT HOTEL MATILDA
Aldama 53, Zona Centro 37700
San Miguel de Allende, GTO.
Phone: 415-152-1015
Hours: Daily 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
New Chef: Vicente Torres
Chef Vicente Torres
is in the house!
Just in case you didn’t get the memo, the hottest seat in the house right now is Aldama 53. Chef Vicente Torres has officially taken over the kitchens of Moxi and Bovine, changing the menus and teaching new techniques to the staff. Of the six dishes he served at lunch today, we loved every one of them including the Pulpo with an exquisite Ink Emulsion, thick and beautifully seasoned. Chef Vicente Torres food touches on the Mediterranean, using the best local ingredients.
Chef Vicente Torres was awarded a Michelin star at La Sucursal, in the Valencian Institute of Modern Art in Spain and studied under famous chefs Frédéric Anton, Martín Berasategui and Alain Senderens. Millesime named him their Top Chef in 2011, where some of SMA’s best chefs, Marco Cruz of Nómada Cocina de Interpretación and Chef Marcela Bolaño of Marsala cocina con acentos, also cooked
His SMA History… Chef Torres was a guest chef back in 2017, when he was part of the Weekends event at L'Otel. In November, 2019, he briefly opened Oli Tapas here in the old Jacinto 1930 space in Doce 18. The food was Spanish, a tapas restaurant, but then along came Covid and it disappeared as quickly as it came
Our passion for this chef’s creations began when we were a guest at GARUM, his restaurant and one of Mexico City's best, back on March 5, 2020. Weeks later, Covid shut down many of the restaurants in Mexico City but Chef Torres remained loyal to both his craft and customers. He chose a delivery option and remained open during the entire pandemic..
In his absence, Chef Claudio Castillo will be cooking at Moxi, under his direction, as part of the evolution of these prestigious restaurants. Making the meal an unforgettable one was the staff from Bovine - top SMA Mixologist, Uriel Jonathan Frausto Tabares and his apprentice, Alex Cotes, (who keeps his I.D. in his pocket just in case) and always-on-his-game, the chief concierge, Aaron Garcia Luna.
Besides the over-the-top food, the pairing with two exceptional, Mexican brands - the fine wines from Casa Madero, the oldest winery in the Americas, and the superior Tequilas from Casa Dragones - made it the best meal this year. It was truly a winning combination.
Chef Torres is committed to making Moxi and Bovine two of the best restaurants in SMA and with so many eating places here, he’s unquestionably raised the bar a whole lot higher. Some have come close but this was one of those meals of a decade you just don't forget. Some 10 years and 5,700 seating’s later, we can’t wait to sit at his table again. Chef Vicente Torres is the start of a new chapter for fine dining in San Miguel de Allende.
NAAKARY
Carretera a Jalpa km 4.2
Sosnabar 37898
San Miguel de Allende countryside
Monday – Friday 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Saturday – Sunday 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM
415 168 5056
Chef: Carlos Glezgro
A farm, the owners offer gastronomic experiences that go from the garden to your
table with true, seasonal tastings. To make a
reservation, a minimum of 48 hours in advance is required to confirm
availability and make an advance payment of 50% for the total number of guests.
The experience is a 7 course tasting menu for $1,800 pesos per person and is served
with refreshing Mocktails.
OUR
HABITAS SAN MIGUEL
Carretera
San Miguel de Allende
A,
Dolores Hidalgo KM 3.5 37713
San
Miguel de Allende
Inside Los Senderos
Chef: Jonathan Navarrete
We’re
pulling inspirational quotes from the trees at Our Habitas San Miguel after
Sunday brunch, where a quick trip to Tulum is the order of the day at this
beautiful sanctuary outside of San Miguel de Allende in Los Senderos. Any time
we’re seeking a bit of tranquility, this is where we head. The food, service
and atmosphere here are simply the best. It’s like a trip to the beach, without
having to pack your suitcase.
Their farm-to-table restaurant, Comunidad, offers an innovative menu that
showcases fresh, locally-grown ingredients. They have an amazing Sunday brunch
that’s truly a Mexican feast, including Marquesitas from the
Yucatan, where Chef Jonathan
Navarrete is from. They
also incorporate some outside, local ingredients into the mix, like the
delicious Ice Cream from La Michoana del Porton.
The welcome drink, a Belini de Lavanda, is a lavender infusion with a mix of
natural citric juices and sparkling wine. Our favorite dishes included
the Pozole with smoked Portobello mushrooms, the
moist and beautifully prepared Corn bread and delicious Chicharron Quesadillas.
We loved this place enough to put it on our monthly restaurant rotation list.
PALMAR
AND LA MAR
Stirling Dickinson 15, San Antonio 37750, San Miguel de Allende
Palmar 8:00
AM – 1:00 PM – open 1 month
Daily 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM/ Closed Tuesday
Chef: Luz Maria
WhatsApp 415 144
4778
With seafood from
Ensenada by way of Leon, these three share a restaurant space and Luz Maria
cooks for both restaurants. Ruben is the personable, English speaking waiter
who worked for Luna Rooftop at the Rosewood. With just a touch of Asian, try
their Kimchi Bloody Mary.
PENNINSULA.SMA
Salida a Celaya 14
Centro 37700
Guadiana, San Miguel de Allende
Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
999 738 5659
Owners: Patty and Chef Guillermo
With the best Heat and Eat food in SMA, this ethnic grocery store
features both Mayan cuisine and food from the Yucatan. It’s primarily take out
but they have picnic tables out front if you decide to eat in. Don’t miss the
Cochinita pibil that takes16 hours to complete. Ingredients are sourced from
local farmers who harvest them by hand with ancestral tools.
REPOSTERIA SUCRE
Margarita Ledesma #1
Colonia Guadalupe,
San Miguel de Allende
Monday – Friday 8:00
AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM –
3:00 PM
Closed Thursday
Customers say they buy from Emilio and his wife Karen at this itty-bitty bakery on Margarita Ledesma in Colonia Guadalupe because they’re the nicest vendors in SMA. Emilio use to be the Pastry chef at Zentanos for five years and recently joined forces with them. Their breads are also sold in the Bonanza grocery store.
ROSEWOOD SAN
MIGUEL DE ALLENDE
Cesar Enciso, the new Executive chef at the Rosewood, joined the team in 2022 and oversees all the culinary operations at the hotel including 1826 Restaurant, 1826 Tequila Bar, Luna Rooftop Tapas Bar and Los Pirules Artisan Kitchen and Garden, with a mission to provide diners with an authentic, Mexican culinary experience. After earning a degree in gastronomy at the Technological University of San Miguel de Allende, Enciso began his professional career as an intern at the hotel and later moved to different areas of Mexico to gain experience before returning to the Rosewood to assume the position of Executive Chef.
Chef Enciso is dedicated to developing a gastronomic experience that fully embraces the roots and traditions of authentic Mexican cuisine, telling a broader story of the country with each dish. In a very short time, he’s changed all the menus at the Rosewood; something that hadn’t been done since it first opened.
One things
we discovered is that Chef Cesar Enciso operates a very different kitchen than
most chefs and has done something that we think is pretty impressive. All the
chefs in his kitchen come from different parts of Mexico and each chef is
assigned to cook one dish – their dish; the one they selected that represents the
best from their region in Mexico. How’s that for pulling the entire team
together and making them feel like they’re really part of the Rosewood?
Another essential
part of the team is Chef Alejandro Melendez, who studied gastronomy at Le
Cordon Bleu Paris at the Anahuac del Norte University, obtaining the Grand
Diplome Le Cordon Bleu Paris. He opened several hotels and restaurants
including Rosewood San Miguel de Allende and is now back to help oversee the entire
culinary operation.
We tasted 6 dishes
that were part of the menu downstairs including the 1826 Tequila Bar - one of
our favorites - and we LOVED every dish. We plan to go back to try the food at
Luna, which is now Mediterranean-Lebanese and Middle Eastern and has received
some mixed reviews.
We love this chef because he’s doing the work and is totally committed to making the food at the Rosewood the best experience there is. Stay tuned.
ROUGE BY RUBY JOY
Ruby Joy is still in negotiations. Stay Tuned.
SABINA
CURANDERA GASTRO BAR
Jesus #3, Centro, San Miguel de Allende 37700
Daily 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Phone: 52 55 4023 2625
The most stylish
café in SMA, Café Umaran at Umaran #8, has opened a new gastro pub at Jesus #3,
in the old Aquila space. We love their taco and burger menus and are totally
addicted to the Saudero Tacos, a popular Mexico City taco you can’t find
anywhere else in SMA. It’s a mix of brisket, chuck and rib meat and has the
most delicious, crispy flavor. We also liked the farm raised Lubin tacos and
the Cochinita with Xnipec and Habanero sauce that use organic pork and cooks
over a low fire for 12 hours. Many of the spices are from a Mayan community in
the Yucatan, who they generously support. Their new pizza, al Pastor, is another
SMA original and gets rave reviews; especially for the crust. The owner,
Francisco Diaz, is always up for new suggestions so fire away.
A small but elegant designer
shop, Marilu Alvarez, is located inside Sabina Curandera Gastro Bar and is open
from 12:00 Noon – 8:00 PM, every day but Tuesday.
SALVAJES BRASSERIE
Hidalgo 92
Thursday - Saturday:
2:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM -
6:00 PM
Chef Jorge Avendaño
Partner: Alejandra Cortina
Chef Jorge
Avendano’s new restaurant at #92 Hidalgo, is in an old house with small,
intimate rooms and has a 5-star menu. On the second floor, there’s a cozy,
private room for ten and a no-odd-man-out chefs table for 3 that looks straight
into the kitchen; the only chefs table these days besides Aperi.
The floor of the
restaurant is typically French with black and white tiles like my kitchen back
in Chicago; one of the many reasons I instantly fell in love with the space and
felt like I had been going there for years. I felt totally at home the minute I
walked in the door. They are still decorating and expect to be done soon. The food
was so good, I actually never noticed.
Chef Jorge Avendaño
is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Mexico and has worked in restaurants around the
world including Noma, a two Michelin star restaurant run by Chef Rene Redzepi
in Copenhagen, Denmark. Jorge’s wife, Aida Alaya Garcia, is the
front-of-the-house dynamo behind chef Jorge’s kitchen, along with his partner,
the delightful Alejandra Cortina.
We’ve always been a
huge fan of Chef Avendaño’s cooking and every dish is beautifully presented; a
signature of this chef. His cooking at Salvajes Brasserie is contemporary
French with Italian elements and he’s very selective about the ingredients. His
salad, for instance, is made with high-quality essentials from Chinaberry
Farms, using French mustard, sage vinegar and Grana Padano.
La belle cuisine…
Berkshire Pork: The
Kobe beef of pork, we made Berkshire pork at least once a week in Chicago and
this chop will be your ultimate, weekly fix. It’s juicy, dark, and heavily
marbled. We’ve actually never seen it on a menu anywhere in San Miguel de
Allende.
Coq Au Vin: Coq Au
Vin is one of our long-time favorites; a timeless stew that’s filled with
intense, classic French flavors. I have an emotional attachment to this dish as
it was the first one I ever cooked to impress a guy without knowing much about
French cooking. I was 20.
Braised Short Rib:
this is the chef’s secret weapon for wooing diners. It’s superbly prepared with
creamy, russet potatoes – something that’s been MIA in the grocery stores
lately. The serving plates are eye-catching; complimenting every dish that
comes out of the kitchen.
French toast with
Buttered Lobster: who would ever think to marry the flavors of French toast and
buttered lobster and pull it off? The dish was a total surprise; just one of
the many things this chef does with French toast like the French toast with
Lavender Ice Cream, whipped cream and Marmalade – a beautiful dessert at his
other restaurant, Bastardo.
Gnocchi with Clams:
Gnocchi Parisienne, a French spin on rustic Italian gnocchi. In this
preparation, the texture is much lighter; sautéed in butter for that browned,
crunchy exterior to contrast the baked clams. Our top choice, we loved this
dish.
Home made ice cream:
smoked cream over cedar wood and a 70% cacao with white truffle oil were both
superb, served in a covered, green Parisian glass bowl along with another
alluring ice cream made from delicate, fresh berries the color of beets.
Breakfast and brunch will be served on the weekends when Salvajes is fully staffed. The one thing that impressed us overall was the fact that Chef Jorge Avendaño was totally overjoyed and captivated; he raved about his new kitchen, the equipment (a brand new green egg and stainless food mill) and literally every dish that he made. A passionate chef will get you every time and we’ll admit that we were totally taken. Salvajes Brasserie is one of our favorite, new restaurants. Also try the Frog burger with extra thick bacon, brioche bun with no seeds, cheddar cheese and BBQ sauce, frog legs, red onions and yes, make mine a double!
SAN BURGER
Recreo 88, Centro
37700
San Miguel de
Allende
Sunday – Monday 3:00
PM – 10:00 PM
Tuesday Closed
Wedesday – Saturday
3:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Chef: Jason Malloff
San Burger is now open and Chef JJ Castaneda is cooking with one of our favorite chefs: Jason Malloff. Drool over these two, new burgers: the Veggie burger, made with Roasted onions, Black beans, Brown rice, Roasted beet, Mushrooms, Cashews and loads of fresh vegetables and spices and the Asian burger, made of Robalo and Salmon. Robalo contains more ocean complexity and is never considered ordinary. In fact, as we said, none of the burgers on the menu are ordinary and that’s what we liked about them. Watch for new and unusual dishes coming out of the kitchen at San Burger from two of the very best chefs around.
SANDRA RANGEL
WhatsApp
415 145 6641
Everyone’s talking about Sandra Rangel’s Tamales. She sells them for $50 pesos each - pork, chicken, cheese with vegetables and cheese with jalapenos. Contact her on WhatsApp for a quick delivery
SAN
FRANCISCO STEAKHOUSE
San Francisco 11, Centro 37700, San Miguel de Allende
Monday – Thursday 2:00 PM – 10:00 PM/ Friday 2:00 PM – 12:00 Midnight/ Saturday 1:00 PM – 12:00 Midnight/ Sunday 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM
415 688 3001
Executive Chef: Rodrigo Acevedo
Is there anything more you need in life than a big, juicy steak and a cold glass of wine or spirits? Also try their Caesar salad. Good friend, Sally Reid, said this is one of the best steak houses in town. Stay tuned.
SEPTIMO
Hernandez Macias 47
Centro, San Miguel
de Allende
Chef: Alvaro Alvarez
In this cozy restaurant at beautiful Hotel Petra, the food has got to be one of the best deals in town. Most dishes are all around 100 pesos; a bargain considering the presentations are all pretty remarkable. The chef won first and second place in Taco challenges sponsored by the state of Guanajuato. His specialty is rabbit. Look for a late June opening. It’s one of our favorite, new bargain restaurants with indoor and outdoor garden seating. The Mimosas are just 70 pesos.
SOLTRIBE
CUISINE
Ancha de San Antonio 123, San Miguel de Allende 37700
Daily 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Chef:
Alejandro Ruiz
A 100%
plant based restaurant located in Mercado Sano, this place gets high marks for
its Vegan and gluten free foods. Organic and sustainable, they offer the
highest quality with locally sourced ingredients. All of their corn is sourced
from Via Organica, a nearby organic farm. Fungicultor, Arif Towns Alonso, at
Simbiosis – Alianzas de Mutuo Beneficio in Mercado Sano, sources all of their
mushrooms. Although we ate with Soltribe when they were in Guadalupe, it’s
currently on our short list.
TACOBURGER
Salida a Celaya 3-A
Centro 37700
San Miguel de Allende
Tuesday – Sunday 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Closed Monday
452 203 1783
Is a Taco Burger the same thing as a sloppy Joe? Located where Thrifty
Ice Cream use to be, we ran out of time so let us know if they’re a keeper.
TACOS EL GARY
Across the street
from the clock tower at Los Pichaos
San Jose de la Posta
37700
San Miguel de
Allende
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The best Taco stand
in SMA? We think it’s a tie between Tacos El Gary and Tacos Ramirez.
Grab a Pork Torta;
slightly spicy and so delicious or Tacos: al Pastor, Cabeza, Cachete or Campechano; all
of them slowly cooked over fire and so good. The staff at Tacos El Gary use to work for
Tacos Ramirez. Both get 5 stars for their amazing flavors. They’re also
economical. The tacos here are $17 pesos each.
TACOS RAMIREZ
Central de Bomberos
Fire Station
37740
San Miguel de
Allende
Opens 11:07 AM –
11:00 PM
The best overstuffed
sandwich in SMA, the Beefsteak Torta, is just 30 pesos. They also cook a wide variety
of tacos. Everything is done over charcoal so the food has some of the best
flavors in SMA.
Don’t miss Tacos Ramirez on the way to the Tuesday
market; it’s right alongside the Central Bomberos Fire Station. It’s our last
stop before we go home so we can also grab another sandwich for dinner.
TAQUERIA EL CABALLO
Avenida La Luz and
corner with Calle Alondra
8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Tacos de Campechano
is a mix of steak and sausage; a great breakfast dish done on the BBQ. They
also do Tacos de Costilla; one of our all time favorite tacos with a heavy splash
of salsa verde. This food truck opened during Covid and has a steady stream of
regulars for both breakfast and lunch.
TEJADITO
Plauzela de San Felipe
Insurgentes 37700 Centro San Miguel de Allende
Pedro has been at this food stand for over thirty years; his mom for just
about sixty. Pedro is always smiling so we’re always happy to stay and chat for
awhile. Is this the oldest food stand in SMA? Pedro thinks so. It’s a great
place to stop for liquid refreshments on your way to Casa Bo.
THE PIZZERIA
Mesones 53
Centro, 37700
San Miguel del
Allende
3:00
PM –9:00 PM Monday - Friday
2:00 PM -9:00 PM Weekends
Pizzaiolo: Giovanni Finotto
The new pizza place
from Chef Donnie Masterton, The Pizzeria, has opened and lucky for us nothing
that Donnie puts on the table is ever ordinary. I went to a tasting and his
flavors are remarkable; just what you would expect from this chef. We tried
everything from a Brussels sprout and red onion pizza to one with Speck, honey
and jalapeño. These are pizzas you wouldn’t find at any other restaurant in
SMA. Even the cheese and Margarita pizzas didn’t taste like the typical
variation.
Extraordinary
ingredients make these pizzas one-of-a-kind. Chef Donnie Masterton is
currently in Italy doing research for his menu. Giovanni
Finotto is the charming pizza maker from Italy who also builds specialty pizza
ovens for restaurants and private homes.
We certainly never would have named Chef Donnie
Masterton one of SMA’s best pizza makers a year ago but it’s funny what 365
days and a little imagination can do when one of SMA’s best chefs is involved.
THE VELVET CABARET
Hernandez Macias
43-B
Centro 37700
San Miguel de
Allende
Wednesday – Sunday
2:00 PM – 10:00 PM
We are very sad to announce that local performer, Johnny Favorite, has closed his Cabaret. Stay tuned.
TUNKI BY
HANDSHAKE AT BELMONT CASA SIERRA NEVADA
Hospicio 35, Centro 37700, San Miguel de Allende
Tuesday – Sunday 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM
415
152 7040
Mixologist: Eleazar Barbos
How often do you wish you could say “do I have a place to take you.” Well, wish no more because that magical place exists between the 400 year old walls at Casa Sierra Nevada; one of SMA's most beautiful hotels. It's called Tunki by Handshake. With a secret entrance and a towering climb to what was once a Presidential Suite, all of the seats in this bar are pretty spectacular. Ours was right in front of the Parroquia; a landscape we've seen a million times but still get goosebumps the second it hits our eyes.
Recently recognized as one of the 50 Best Bars in the World, Handshake Mexico City, who is in an alliance with Casa Sierra Nevada, ranks #1 in Mexico, #2 in North America and #11 in the world. They've duplicated the bar menu and paired it with Peruvian food from the kitchen of Chef Andres Guerra, a young chef who doesn't look old enough to be in the kitchen. Good thing he is though. The combination of Japanese and Peruvian culinary skills created a special cooking style called Nikki and Tunki has it going on. The menus are short - we like short menus - and we guarantee you'll find something delicious to eat. Ours was the Chaufa Rice - a new dish of Basmati rice, peas, holantao, sillao and egg.
At Casa Sierra Nevada, the attention to every detail on the part of the staff is nothing short of amazing and this experience was another 5 star standout. The mixologist is Eleazar Barbosa, who took excellent care of us the entire time we were there. The Porn Star Martini, a conversation piece in itself because of the name, was made with vodka and pineapple juice; a one-of-a-kind drink with Prosecco served neatly on the side. It was delicious.
Tunki by Handshake is Belmond Casa Sierra Nevada's latest gift to San Miguel de Allende and what a gift it is. You'll want your name on this very chair every afternoon at exactly 4:00 PM in preparation for a rather sensational sunset view. We've got to warn you though - it's an afternoon delight that could become habit forming.
And speaking of habits, the experts have all kinds of theories on how long it takes to form a new habit - 21, 30, 45 days? Well we managed to nail this one down in a single afternoon.
We think Tunki by Handshake at
Belmond Casa Sierra Nevada is one of the best additions to SMA's food and
beverage scene in a very long time.
TYTOS GRILL
Salida a Celaya 6 –
Interior 3
Centro, Guadiana
37760
Chef: Carlos Sanchez
Daily 2:00 – 10:00
PM
Sunday 12:00 Noon –
8:00 PM
Closed Tuesday
Tytos Grill took the
place of Fiamma’s long after Chef
Marco Bruzzone hit the shores of Puerto Vallarta. It’s located near
Lima, another good SMA restaurant, and the menu is traditional Mexican. Carlos
Sanchez, the chef and owner gets high marks for his Pozole.
VENENCIA RESTAURANT
Zacateros 81B
Centro 37700
San Miguel de
Allende
Daily: 5:00 PM –
10:00 PM
Chef/Owner: Mario
Iribe-Benitez
Casa Oaxaca
reincarnated with authentic Oaxaca small plates, Mexican wines and artisanal
Mezcal. Try their Tlayudas, Pork Belly in Mole and the Duck Garnachas. It gets
top ratings from everyone we know who loves authentic, Mexican food.
XANATH ATELIER
CHEF/OWNER:
Ulises Márquez
Aztecas
703-a La Joya
Celaya,
Guanajuato.
Monday
– Friday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday:
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Closed:
Sunday
Phone: 4616091216
E-mail. pasteleriaxanath@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xanathpasteles?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Instagram: @xanathpasteleria
A
short trip to Celaya is worth it for these exquisite pastries and desserts.
Chef
Ulises Marquez worked at Pujol and traveled around the country working and
training in some of the best places in Mexico. In 2015, he opened Xanath
Atelier. He’s worked at the closing of the Ibero-American summit of Gastronomy
two years in a row and participated in the first dessert dinner at the Condesa
hotel for the Habita group. He also participated in the San Miguel Food
Festival in 2017.
His
passion, creativity and products are truly one-of-a-kind.
XOLER
Insurgentes 60
37700 San Miguel de
Allende
415 177 0781
Daily: 1:00 PM –
Midnight 12:00AM except Monday 5:00 PM – 12:00 Midnight
Closed Sunday
Agustín Solórzano is
an architect by profession and has ventured into the spirits market with his
Solórzano tequila brand. Xoler opened as a relaxed spot for good cuisine,
music and conversation. A hamburger of Pork Belly with a beer is $280 pesos. Watch
for other, frequent pairing specials.
OTHER
RESOURCES FOR FOOD LOVERS…
ERICH ALMASY’S GUIDE TO MEXICAN FOOD
+52
(415) 144 -0799
A world traveler, Erich Almasy said he was surprised not to find any kind of extensive food glossary or guide for Mexico after using them in many countries he visited in his travels over the years. He’s up to over 200 pages now with finally an end in sight. Of course he will publish it; hopefully this year. We will definitely be buying a copy as I saw some terms in his draft that we didn’t recognize.
DETZANY
VELAZQUEZ GUZMAN – SABORES DE LA HUASTECA
This book represents the cultural heritage by the female cooks of the Huasteca, the largest and most important cultural region of the Mexican Republic. I thought I knew a lot about Mexican food until I talked to one of the researchers, Detzany Velazquez Guzman, who studied gastronomy at the Bajio Gastronomic Institute and is a good friend of Chef David Jahnke.
Detzany, who was part of the research team on this cookbook, says the history of the recipes spans over 300 years and at least five generations of cooks. The team went into kitchens in the area and helped to record recipes and document cooking techniques. None of the recipes were written down – all were done from memory - so the research team had to weigh everything; converting handfuls of ingredients into kilograms because the cooks from the region never measured anything. The recipes were developed based on their observations. They also drew diagrams of how to build some of the dishes which are printed in the back of the book, along with a glossary, units of measure, technical information and popular beliefs of the Huasteca such as beans cooks more rapidly without salt; and it’s a fact.
There was no electricity so they cooked on wood fire stoves in all the regions except San Luis Potasi, where they cooked in a hotel. Oft times, they would have to kill an animal before they could create the dish. There was no garlic or pepper in the recipes because those ingredients were introduced to Mexico long after the dishes that were featured in the cookbook.
There were stories of prayers and cleansings prior to making
the food. They also would not permit a pregnant woman or one with bad spirits
to be there as they believed the dish would not cook properly.
The 6 regions of Huasteca are northern Veracruz, southern Tamaulipas, southeastern San Luis Potasi, northern Puebla and eastern Hidalgo and some areas of Queretaro.
In my next life I’m coming back as Detzany Velazquez Guzman. She
convinced me I need to get out and travel again. If you’re interested in
hearing her stories, scheduling her for a class or getting a digital copy of
the book – the printed version is sold out - contact me for information.
MR EMILIO DELIVERY SERVICE
This new App was created by a logistics company with a large, refrigerated warehouse on the road to Queretaro. It’s one-stop shopping for groceries and other items with pricing for both restaurants and residential. Order by 1:00 AM and your order is delivered to your door by 11:00 AM that same day. Items from Costco and Sam’s Club are in the mix with higher pricing. There’s an 80% customer conversion rate, which is pretty amazing. The App has been available in SMA to consumers for 5 months. Products are sourced from the Central Abastos market in Mexico City and Queretaro. They are currently 30% cheaper for fruits and vegetables and expect to continue to reduce their prices as they enter into agreements with producers in the fields. How’s this for never setting foot in a grocery store again?
Too good to be true? Try it at www.mremilio.com
PROVEDENCIA DIVINA ORGANICA- MARKET
Stirling Dickinson #29, San Miguel de Allende, GTO
9:00 AM – 7:00 PM/ Closed Sunday
415 104 8246
Fresh, organic and local, this fruit and vegetable market has some of the best looking produce in town. We love it because they always have yellow lemons.
FOODIE CONSULTING
We’ve known Ram Ramirez and Eduardo Perez Calvo since we came to San Miguel de Allende. They were the Dream Team at La Azotea and in September of 2019, Ram joined Eduardo at Rustica; Eduardo’s successful restaurant and the #1 breakfast place in SMA.
Ram Ramirez has started a new company, Foodie Consulting, and is
helping restaurant owners to create a better experience and atmosphere by basic
processes. We can’t think of a better person for the job; Ram has managed some
of the top restaurants in the city. He’s currently working with two restaurants
now. We give Ram Ramirez our highest recommendation.
PARAPAN
Parapan may be the source you’re looking for to curtail your trips to Queretaro for baking supplies. Three years later and news to us, Parapan, located across the street from the bus station and is the source for hard-to-find flours and other products for baking. Antonio has been there for 3 years; opening during Covid. Many baking professionals have known about this store. You might need to find a group of people to split things with as the sizes are meant for commercial use.
Fulvio
Carbonaro, our trusted resource for Italian baking, buys the Harina Elizondo st
Parapan . He says you want to get one that says 'alta fuerza’, (high strength)
or 'alta proteina' (high protein). Sometimes it will tell you the W number,
which should be high for it to be high strength.
Here is another
source for ordering Flours:
https://harinaselizondo.com/harinadetrigo/
CHEF PATSY DUBOIS’S COOKING CLASSES
Chef Patsy Dubois is taking time off, after 28 years of sharing her love of Mexico through cooking events, parties and classes, to build a new space with spectacular gardens and an outdoor kitchen that she’ll share with new friends and old. When she resumes her cooking classes, they’ll be in a different format to create new ways of cooking delicious Mexican platillos, using fresh produce form her gardens and greenhouse. And when you finish the class, you get to relax in her pool, jacuzzi or take a quick steam. Surrounded by gorgeous cactus gardens and beautiful flowers, Patsy’s grounds are a hidden paradise that’s close to San Miguel de Allende.
In just a few months, the magic begins. We’ll be there for the opening.