Best of Mexico City
Where locals eat in Mexico City
Start with El Vilsito in Narvarte for pastor tacos with the house avocado salsa, Fonda Margarita in Del Valle and Panadería Rosetta in Colonia Roma. Here are all 11, with what to get at each.
- El VilsitoNarvarte
Get: Pastor tacos with the house avocado salsa; the gringa de pastor is the specialty
A mechanic's garage by day that becomes the city's most famous taquería at night.
- Fonda MargaritaDel Valle · family-run
Get: Thick refried beans scrambled with eggs, chicharrón en salsa verde, eggs in pasilla sauce
A breakfast fonda that opens before dawn.
Panadería RosettaColonia RomaGet: Rollo de guayaba: round, flaky laminated pastry with a hollow centre of cream cheese and guava marmalade
Elena Reygadas' bakery and its viral guava roll.
- ContramarRoma Norte · Mexican seafood
Get: Tuna tostadas and the pescado a la talla (half red, half green)
Gabriela Cámara's seafood lunch is the city's power lunch. Buzzy Roma Norte seafood spot famous for tuna tostadas and whole grilled fish, lively lunch crowd and pink decor.
- Salón CoronaCentro · cantina, Mexican
Get: a torta de bacalao and a tarro of beer. A downtown cantina since 1928
Historic downtown cantina chain known for cheap beer and classic Mexican bar snacks since the 1920s.
- CovadongaRoma Norte · cantina, Spanish-Mexican
Get: the fabada and tortilla espanola. Old regulars play dominoes beside a younger crowd
Classic Roma Norte cantina with domino tables and cold beer, popular for simple Spanish-Mexican comfort food.
- NicosClavería · Mexican
Get: the sopa seca de natas and huevos Azcapotzalco. A family restaurant since 1957
Beloved old-school Mexico City restaurant serving refined regional Mexican dishes in a cheerful, classic dining room.
- Tacos Los CocuyosCentro · tacos
Get: tacos de suadero and lengua. Busy late into the night
Legendary Centro taco stand famous for late-night suadero and campechano tacos straight off the griddle.
- La ValencianaNarvarte
Get: the free botanas with a round of drinks. A neighbourhood cantina for food and talk
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Save the whole listAsk Chef for morePlan my Mexico City food tripWhere locals eat in Mexico City: questions people ask
What are the local restaurants in Mexico City?
Chef Amazing’s picks start with El Vilsito (Narvarte), Fonda Margarita (Del Valle) and Panadería Rosetta (Colonia Roma). All 11 places are on this page with what to get, where they are and a map.
What should I order?
At El Vilsito, get pastor tacos with the house avocado salsa; the gringa de pastor is the specialty. At Fonda Margarita, get thick refried beans scrambled with eggs, chicharrón en salsa verde, eggs in pasilla sauce. At Panadería Rosetta, get rollo de guayaba: round, flaky laminated pastry with a hollow centre of cream cheese and guava marmalade. At Contramar, get tuna tostadas and the pescado a la talla (half red, half green).
Which neighborhood is best for local restaurants in Mexico City?
Most of these are in Narvarte, Roma Norte and Centro. The map on this page shows every one, numbered like the list.
How does Chef Amazing pick these?
From Chef Amazing’s city guide and lists for Mexico City: the places critics, chefs and locals keep recommending, checked and kept current, with what to order at each. Nobody pays to be on them.
More in Mexico City
Local restaurants in other cities
Places change: check hours before you go. Pins come from addresses and OpenStreetMap and can be a little off. Updated October 25, 2026.