Gastronomy in Mexico City
It's no secret that Mexico has some of the best cuisines in the world. After all, it is the most exported, and with good reason. This is in large part due to a plethora of tasty ingredients that have gained a large following, including popular dishes such as guacamole, mole sauce with chocolate, tacos, quesadillas and so much more. A lot of people aren't aware that a lot of the best produce come from Mexico City, like squash, tomatoes, herbs and chilis, and an enormous variety of corn.
The deliciousness of the cuisine here is attributed to these, as well an established tradition that dates way back to prehispánico times when Aztecs, Zapotecs, Mayans and many other indigenous groups had their own recipes, many of which are corn-based such as tamales. There is knowledge about what goes well together and how, for instance, the combination of corn, beans and pumpkin are considered one of the best-rounded nutritional combinations around.
Must-try dishes in Mexico City
As a rule of thumb, you should start simple with the dishes as mentioned above and work your way toward more elaborate dishes such as creamy pork Cochinita Pibil, sheep barbecue and chilli en Nogada, large bell pepper-like chilli stuffed with spiced ground beef and covered in a creamy almond dressing. Developing an understanding of attributes that are associated with Mexican cooking is a joy that will leave you hooked!
Street food in Mexico City
Street food and market meals are good places to start to acquaint yourself with what is available. In this manner, you can learn the names such as huaraches, sopes, ranch eggs, cecina, nut chilli, Tampico steaks as well as where these different foods originate from. A good place for this is the Coyoacan Market, where you will find many tasty classics and its surrounding street vendors where you can find everything from tamales to ice cream.
Healthy eating in Mexico City
Another truly great thing about dining in Mexico is that for the most part, it is very healthy food. We are talking about a culture that very heavily embraces the taste and textures of vegetables, the most beloved of which is the spicy pepper. This is the very highly sung hero of many dishes. In fact, a friar once remarked that people in this part of the world only felt as though they had eaten when they included ¨Chile¨ in their meal.
Fast foods in Mexico City
Comida corrida, Spanish for fast food, are available almost everywhere and you can identify them by the menus they offer outside. These are available in the city markets, and many office people choose places like San Juan Market as they offer quality and variety, meaning everything from fish and ribs to salads and soups.
They are very affordable at around 60 pesos and are great places to sit down and dig in while making a quick pit stop. When you are strapped for time, you can never go wrong with a taco, burrito, and others that are available at hole in the wall like places. There are also stands from modern steel stands to wooden structures or just isolated comales where women prepare quesadillas or tacos on the street.
The taco is ubiquitous with Mexico for a good reason, there are so many different kinds that you are bound to find some tempting taco fillings: chicken Tinga, sweet potato with sausage, shredded beef, breaded steak or chicken and different cuts of pork that will hit the spot. Even If you are vegan, you will find yourself with plenty to choose from spinach and mushroom tacos, red and green peppers, calabaza flower, delicious cactus with red pepper and black beans.
As you would expect, there are many options for tacos. You can stop by a hole in the wall place like Tacos Hola El Guero in the Condesa neighbourhood where a home-cooked taste can be distinctly appreciated, or a full-scale restaurant like the classic Tizoncito franchise that has become the standard for tacos all throughout the city.
If you head to the famed franchise Pozocalli, you can taste what is, according to many, the absolute best soups of pozole. This Mexican staple is favoured around the holidays and consists of corn puffs, onion, tomatoes, some type of meat that is usually chicken, and the all-important herb, oregano. It is also very appetising because there are many iterations to choose from, including seafood and vegetarian-based options.
Other classic popular restaurants that are well known include La Cerveceria, La Opera(a great bar as well), Cafe Tacuba on downtown Tacuba street and for breakfast El Cardenal is an old favourite.
You should also go for authentic Mexican sweets such as pepita wafers, coladas, mostacho sweets, macaroni, alegrías, among others, that are just great as they are derived from natural ingredients such as fruits, milk, amaranto, nuts. They're unique and much healthier than most anything you'll find at a regular store. Dulcerias Celaya is a must-visit for these and have a wonderful location downtown that kids will absolutely love!
Another great thing is that there a number of high-quality supermarkets, including those like City Market, where you can find a large selection of gourmet items. You can also check out large department stores like Liverpool and Palacio de Hierro, which offer all kinds of foreign and organic options.
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