Mexico City Food
Mexico City is home to around 15,000 restaurants and caters to all tastes and budgets. Those hoping to sample a good range of authentic Mexican dishes will not have far to look, as there remain a huge number of traditional restaurants in the city offering hearty meals at good prices. You will also find Spanish, Argentinean and Italian eateries in abundance and the occasional French, Asian and Middle Eastern establishment pops up as well.
The Mexicans are traditionally big fans of their lunches, with la comida starting at any time from 14:00 and lasting anything from two hours up until nightfall. Restaurants can therefore be surprising busy during the middle of the day and quiet at night, although this has changed somewhat in recent years. Those that do eat out of an evening tend not to arrive much before 21:00, leaving plenty of time for tourists to stake their claim earlier in the evening.
Traditional Mexican cooking uses plenty of corn-made tortillas, a variety of different chillies and frijoles - differently shaped beans that seem to accompany the majority of dishes. Be ready to encounter a large number of dishes that the "Mexican" restaurants back home don't offer and do be prepared to try them - you won't regret it.
As for beverages, mezcal and tequila are what the country is famous for, although Mexico also has a fine range of bottled beers. To impress your friends, tell them that all liquors distilled from the agave plant are mezcal, but only those taken from the blue agave are tequila.
For those on a serious budget, Churrería El Moro in Alameda is a delight, with great food at great prices. The place offers a good range of traditional Mexican fare and is popular later on in the evening too.
A good, inexpensive lunchtime eatery is the La Fonda del Hotentote in Centro Histórico. Many local dishes are on offer for hungry sightseers, including Pollo Tocotlán - chicken steamed in maguey leaves with aromatic herbs - and nopales with chile guajillo - cactus paddles in a sweet chilli sauce.
The Hostería Santo Domingo is very popular with locals, who flock to this mid-price restaurant for its good variety of traditional Mexican dishes and live chamber music. Try its hearty chillies in walnut sauce, which have been doing a roaring trade since the restaurant opened in 1860.
For some of the city's best seafood, head to Puntarena in Palmas. The nearby Contramar establishment is also worth checking out for fish fans.
A variety of continental restaurants are also available for those tiring of the local cuisine, although many are at the top end of things. The Polanco, Condesa and San Angel areas tend to cater to the more moneyed restaurant goers. If your wallet feels up to it, head to the San Angel Inn, in the part of town from which it takes its name. This establishment offers excellent Mexican and European dishes in sumptuous surroundings and is renowned for its margaritas and martinis.
Finally, if all else fails, stop by one of the many taco stands in the city for a filling, tasty and ultimately, messy, snack.
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Eating and drinking
