Mexican food is arguably one of the world’s most famous cuisines and one of my favorites. So, I had big expectations during my first, and so far, only one visit to Mexico City would be an understatement. Luckily, I went on two food tours in Mexico City, which exceeded my expectations and allowed me to understand the country’s gastronomical tradition better.
Both tours were excellent and showcased a different side of Mexico’s capital. The first was a food tour through Polanco, one of the city’s more exclusive neighborhoods. So, we visited fancy restaurants. The second was a food tour through the historic center, the city’s heart. Hence, we tried more typical traditional dishes at popular restaurants, stands, and markets. Both districts are also among the best areas to stay in Mexico City.
But what are the must-try dishes on a trip to the Mexican capital? Let me take you on a journey through Mexico City’s best food.
Must-Try Food in Mexico City – Top Dishes
1. Barbecue
Mexican barbecue is one of the most popular dishes among tourists visiting the Mexican capital.
This lamb barbecue is prepared in a special oven made of stones and wood. Then, it is served in a taco or tortilla seasoned with lemon and combined with vegetables.
The most prestigious restaurants in the city include BBQ in their menus, but it is also easy to find it in more traditional restaurants.
Although other places in Mexico prepare it with beef, fish, and even rabbits, Mexico City’s specialty is “barbacoa de borrego” (lamb barbecue).
2. Carnitas
A typical dish of Mexico and its capital city is the famous carnitas. This dish consists of pork seasoned with salt, tequesquite (traditional Mexican mineral salt), black pepper, herbs, spices, garlic, and chicken broth powder.
A popular tradition in the Mexican capital is serving carnitas as a filling with tortillas and vegetables.
The sauces and spices add the final touch to the dish. The sauces are very popular in the markets and restaurants in the city’s center and served in their different combinations and presentations; they are a must-have garnish. You could get this delicious dish and its sauces while you take a break in between the must-see attractions in Mexico City.
3. Shrimp tortillas
Seafood is also a main character in Mexico City’s food.
Shrimp tortillas and tacos are among the signature dishes of Mexico City, a landlocked city.
The shrimp are accompanied by vegetables such as red tomato, onion, cilantro, green serrano chile, and avocado strips on a corn tortilla.
This appetizer is ideal as a starter, especially if accompanied by a good glass of wine.
4. Chiles en Nogada
Chile en nogada consists of poblano peppers stuffed with picadillo, covered with a walnut-based cream sauce called nogada, and pomegranate seeds.
It is generally served at room temperature.
The picadillo usually contains panochera apple, sweet milk pear, and Creole peach. In addition to the flavor, this dish conjugates with a game of colors similar to those of the Mexican flag. Mexico shares this habit of featuring its flag’s color palette with Italy.
5. Tamale
Suppose there is something to be proud of in Mexican gastronomy. In that case, it is tamales since no other country has as much variety of this dish as Mexico, and Mexico is the only specialist for its different presentations.
Depending on the type of tamale, they can be called vaporcitos, encuerados, oaxaqueños, nacatamales, chuchitos, chanchamitos or padzitos.
Their presentation consists of being wrapped in corn or banana leaves and served plain or stuffed with meats, chili peppers, vegetables, and fruits.
6. Enchiladas
Nothing could more represent Mexican gastronomy than enchiladas, an important part of Mexico City’s culture and a delicious and spicy starter.
It consists of a corn tortilla bathed in a spicy sauce famous for its excessive use of chili, a dish of particular demand in Mexican gastronomic culture.
In some parts of the country, they are served stuffed with beef, chicken, turkey, or cheese, complemented by garnishes such as sliced onion, lettuce, cream, and cheese.
The most famous and sought-after enchiladas in Mexico City are Mexican enchiladas, prepared with red, green, and cream sauce in honor of the national flag.
The red enchiladas and green enchiladas also stand out.
7. Mole
Mole was just the name given to one of many sauces, but today, it is a famous dish and symbol of Mexican gastronomy.
Mole includes a varied list of ingredients ranging from chili, spices, corn, and vegetables to chocolate and banana, and in the past, up to 100 different foods were used to prepare it.
After preparing the sauce, it is served over a portion of meat to taste. The meat can be pork, beef, lamb, or even chicken.
Mole’s mixture of colors and aroma makes it a must-try delicacy on the menu of the best gourmet restaurants in Mexico City.
8. Pozole
Another dish that identifies Mexicans is Pozole. It is among the most popular soups on the menu, typical of the center of the country, and the ideal dish for the winter season.
It is made from a special Mexican corn called cacahuazintle, pre-cooked, mixed with the juice of cooked pork or beef according to the type of pozole, and a spicy sauce.
Pozole and tamales can be presented in infinite ways and have become one of Mexicans’ favorite appetizers at lunchtime.
Most food places in Mexico City enrich the dish with different presentations to suit the client’s taste.
9. Cochinita Pibil
Cochinita pibil originally came from Yucatan but has been perfected in Mexico City recently
There is no better preparation for pork than this exquisite recipe.
The stew revolves around pork marinated in achiote (a natural red pigment), usually accompanied by purple onion in orange and habanero peppers.
Its name is attributed to the technique used to prepare the meat: wrapping it in banana leaves to cook it in a large earth oven (which the Mayans call pibil in their native language).
10. Tacos
Mexico City is famous for its tacos, which is why it is called the official taco city in Mexico.
In the Mexican capital, there are many types of tacos in different presentations and various fillings.
Downtown food stalls are crowded with diners eager to try the famous appetizer, while in more prestigious places, it is an unmissable side dish or one of the favorite appetizers for tourists.
11. Puerto Nuevo Lobster
An excellent way to close this post on the best food of Mexico City is with a marine touch and a pearl of the Mexican coast: the famous Puerto Nuevo lobster, a favorite dish in the restaurants and seafood restaurants of the Aztec country.
The recipe originated thanks to the wives of colonial-era sailors. Over the years, it became one of the best Mexican gourmet dishes.
It enjoys an exceptional presentation of halved lobsters fried in butter, a molcajete sauce of golden bird’s beak chilies, and beans or tortillas.
Once you have tasted the 11 dishes you must try in Mexico City, there is no better way to end the day than at the Sweets Market, where you can find the best desserts and sweets typical of the great Mexican metropolis.