“Everyone has a 'list.' That's your messy, up-to-date sheet of restaurants and tourist options for your favorite city that you only share with family or friends,” writes Times Food editor Daniel Hernández.
After The Times published a series about Mexico City, readers responded to a call, sharing their favorite places to visit and memories of the city. This is what they had to say. (Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.)
Readers share their favorites.
Having lived most of my life within a three-hour drive of Mexico, I waited until I was about 40 to make my first visit and immediately regretted not coming sooner. I ate at many of the city's upscale restaurants (Quintonil, Pujol, Máximo Bistrot) and they were memorable for the food and service, certainly worthy of recognition.
But the only place I ate twice in my two weeks was a taco stand in the middle of the posh Polanco neighborhood, near the Maserati dealership and just a few blocks from Pujol and Quintonil, and that was El Turix, which served tacos de cochinita pibil, cakes and the new panucho for me. I still look back at my photos and remember the sweetness, cut with lime juice, and the man behind the counter reaching into the stewed meat to make my tacos. One of my favorite foods memorized on one of my favorite food trips.
— Terence Lau
Mercado de San Juan, a wonderful market with incredible produce and food stalls; drinks at the rooftop bar of the Gran Hotel Ciudad de México, with an incredible view of the Zócalo. There is only a spiral staircase and no elevator, so I would recommend limiting cocktail consumption.
— Ellen Simmons
I really love this restaurant in Condesa called Merotoro that offers Baja California cuisine. The rabbit is my favorite. Amazing food and service. For drunk eating late into the night, I love this chain called La Casa de Toño in Zona Rosa/Roma. Very excellent pozole and open very late for the bar crowd!
— Christopher Eaton
My favorite place to eat was the collection of small open bars along the street we walked along in Roma Norte. The World Cup was playing on televisions positioned for viewing from outdoor seating. The proud crowd watched Mexico play soccer while eating delicious chilaquiles and drinking Mexican beer! My wife bought me the Mexico soccer team shirt and I wore the green shirt in solidarity with my new friends.
— Harry Konst
The Machetes of La Guerrero. Simply the best machetes in town. A hole in a wall next to the Los Angeles Temple in “La Warrior”. My favorite machete is half and half huitlacoche and chicken tinga. There's nothing special about this place, but it has a very loyal following in the neighborhood and those in the know. They will close early if they run out of ingredients, and they often do. That's how good this place is. You have to walk between 10 and 15 minutes from Metro Guerrero or a good five minutes from the Calle Luna bus stop from the Trolleybus that follows the Central Axis.
— Jeronimo Delgado
I lived in Mexico City and studied at UNAM and did an internship in the center of the state of California for a year, about 20 years ago, just when Mr. Hernández arrived. I miss him so much. Here's my list: Chupacabra Tacos (near Metro Zapata when I was there), free additions included potatoes and nopales. Brother-in-law tacos next to the MA Metro in Quevedo: good sauce. Tacos de Canasta and loggerheads from La Victoria on the UNAM campus. Any suadero taco or Campechano market in Coyoacán that served pozole and tinga and huitlacoche quesadillas. Lady who had a stand next to my apartment in front of the Walmart on Universidad Avenue that served cochinita pibil tacos. The common dining room in the campus architecture building is cheap.
— Yoon Woo Nam
Don Totopo: Chilaquiles de suadero and Coca-Cola, the base of any productive day.
The cake stand on the corner of Calle Juan Aldama and Eje 1 Norte (next to Bibliteca Vasconcelos): The Milanese cake is the way to go after a trip to the Vasconcelos Library or the El Chopo flea market if you are there on a Saturday .
Casa de Tono is not a particularly fancy or exclusive place, with many locations throughout the city. However, the food is delicious and very reasonably priced and serves as a valuable base for a night out or a good way to sober up before heading home. Try the pozole (pork or vegetarian recommended).
— Gerardo Sanchez
Coffee: Café el Jarocho (this café existed while my dad was growing up in Mexico City). Used to stop here in the '60s on the way to school and order a small coffee with a quarter of coffee and three quarters of milk, now known as the infamous latte.
Rosetta Bakery. My God, their bread soaked in coffee *chefs kiss*. You have to go early.
Seafood: La Guerrerense. The original location is in Baja, so if you are in town and fancy seafood, this is a good place to get seafood. Their Octopus Taco is amazing.
There is a food stand inside the Coyoacán Market that serves very good carne asada and chile en nogada that is finger-licking good! I'm ignoring the name. I only know that the food is served in clay dishes. Not to be confused with Tostadas Coyoacán, although that place is also good.
Fonda Margarita…try their jeriqueso…just trust me on this one.
— Susana Ortega Castellanos
