Mexico City is one of the oldest cities on the North American continent. It’s also one of the most populated. And that doesn’t account for the sheer number of tourists who flock to Mexico City. They come to get a taste of its vibrant culture, beautiful scenery, and top-tier culinary culture. While there are no Michelin Star restaurants in Mexico City, there are other restaurants worth checking out. There are lots of other culinary rankings and awards that have been earned by these fantastic eateries. The reason there are no Michelin Stars in this metropolis is that the Michelin Guide only covers specific parts of the United States, certain cities in Canada, and certain parts of Europe, the U.K., and Asia.
Some of the recognizable awards in Mexico City include a mention on the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America list. There’s also the “World's 50 Best Restaurants” list. Other Mexico City restaurants have received recommendations through prominent culinary publications like Condé Nast and Food & Wine Magazine. Let’s dive a bit deeper into the most popular restaurants in Mexico City that deserve a Michelin star.
Rosetta
Colima 166, Roma Norte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700, CDMX, Mexico
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We'll start with Rosetta in Mexico City. Just this year, Chef Elena Reygadas was honored as the “Best Female Chef in the World”. This award was given out by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. This organization also oversees regional awards like “Best Latin America Restaurants,” and “Best Female Chef in Latin America”. Reygadas won the latter in 2014, but this newest accolade puts her up there with some of the culinary greats. Reygadas received her training in New York at the French Culinary Institute and opened Rosetta in 2010. The restaurant placed #36 for Latin American restaurants in 2023 and continues to provide a vibrant and unforgettable culinary experience to locals and visitors. The à la carte menu highlights the local ingredients and classic recipes of traditional Mexican cuisine. Because of the seasonal nature of certain dishes, the menu changes quite frequently.
A sample menu would include lots of traditional dishes as well as delicate salads, with items like endives in a vanilla and lemon dressing, fermented carrots in a white mole sauce, and handmade gnocchi with asparagus and tarragon. Save room for their traditional pastries and a delicious trés leches lavender cake. No wonder Rosetta is on this list!
Pujol
Tennyson 133, Polanco, Polanco IV Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11550 CDMX, Mexico
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Another restaurant on this list that deserves a Michelin Star is Pujol. Pujol is the creative platform of Chef Enrique Olvera. Olvera's innovative techniques and dedication to flavor put Pujol in the top 15 for Latin America's best restaurants in 2023. Chef Olvera also won the Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award in 2020, for his dedication to sustainable restaurant techniques and passion for culinary education. Opened in the Polanco neighborhood in 2000, this restaurant has remained a culinary gem.
Because the menu is focused on seasonal ingredients, a lot of it is subject to change. One of its consistent dishes is its mole madre, which feature fresh mole and aged mole, along with freshly made tortillas (via World's 50 Best). Inspired by Japanese tasting menus, Chef Olvera takes guests through a true experience in the form of food. Some of the popular items include sea snail ceviche, rockfish with kohlrabi guacachile, pumpkin tamales, and a lemon verbena custard with fresh raspberries and a yogurt sauce.
Quintonil
Av. Isaac Newton 55, Polanco, Polanco IV Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11560, CDMX, Mexico
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Quintonil is a Condé Nast Traveler favorite, and has been raved about by Food & Wine Magazine. Quintonil ranks up there with Pujol for its dedication to indigenous Mexican cuisine and beautiful presentation. It was ranked #12 on the Best Latin America Restaurants in 2023 list.
- The must-have convenient reference guide for every home cook!
- Includes more than 8,000 substitutions for ingredients, cookware, and techniques.
- Save time and money on by avoiding trips to grab that "missing" ingredient you don't really need.
The tasting menu uses seasonal ingredients, but focuses on the core tastes and textures of beans, corn, chiles, squash, and mushrooms. Their current menu features a butternut squash and tomato salad, aged kampachi with oyster mushrooms, warm red lobster tartare, and tamal de lechón pibinal for dessert. The tasting menu costs $234.57/person, when converted from Mexican pesos.
Contramar
Calle de Durango 200, Roma Norte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700, CDMX, Mexico
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Contramar is another Food & Wine and Condé Nast Traveler recommended restaurant. So, while there are no Michelin Star restaurants in Mexico City, there are quite a few that are still making waves. Contramar's Chef Gabriela Cámara focuses on seafood as the basis of the menu. Using the freshest of ingredients, the menu features an array of salads, soups, ceviches, tacos, and handmade pastas. You may find numerous kinds of fish cocktails, as well as main dishes like grilled octopus with green salsa and cactus slivers, traditional contramar fish with chili and parsley, oysters, and sea urchin. You may find coconut flan, a cheese flan, several different kinds of pies, and a fig tart for dessert. Since this restaurant uses fresh ingredients, the menu is subject to change at any time.
Maximo Bistrot
Av. Álvaro Obregón 65 Bis, Roma Norte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700, CDMX, Mexico
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Maximo Bistrot is a farm-to-table restaurant that features traditional Mexican ingredients combined with nuanced and innovative dishes. Reviewed by Condé Nast Traveler and Food & Wine Magazine, Chef Eduardo García has earned quite a name for himself in the culinary world. García trained under Pujol's Chef Enrique Olvera. As a result of his dedication to new-age gastronomy, Maximo Bistrot has previously ranked on the list of Best Latin American restaurants. García uses sustainable crops for his ingredient base, earning himself the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award for “best reinvention” in 2021.
The menu at Maximo Bistrot comes both à la carte and as a tasting menu. The current menu features sea urchin toast, oysters, and roasted celery root soup as some starter options. For your main course, try their butternut squash ravioli, risotto with lobster, or buttered stone crab. Finish your meal with a vanilla cheesecake or tangerine sorbet. Keep in mind that prices are in Mexican pesos. Maximo Bistrot combines traditional with new; it definitely deserves a Michelin Star!
El Turix
Av. Emilio Castelar 212, Polanco, Polanco III Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11540, CDMX, Mexico
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El Turix is described as an authentic sampling of Yucatán-style cuisine. The tiny taqueria is located in the Polanco district of Mexico City. Here, they serve classic dishes like sopa de lima and their famous take on cochinita pibil. Cochinita pibil is a slow-roasted pork dish in an anchiote spice and citrus rub. Topped with freshly pickled onion and sour oranges, this dish is served in tacos, on tortas, and panuchos. Reviewed and recommended by Condé Nast Traveler and Bon Appétit Magazine, this eatery is truly at the heart of some of the best food in Mexico City.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Marcos Castillo/Shutterstock.com.
- The must-have convenient reference guide for every home cook!
- Includes more than 8,000 substitutions for ingredients, cookware, and techniques.
- Save time and money on by avoiding trips to grab that "missing" ingredient you don't really need.