Want Claire’s entire guide to Mexico City? Check out her PDF!
Cholula Cathedral
A bit of a hike, but worth it for the amazing view of the active Volcano just outside Mexico City.
Enjoying my first chapulín from a stall in Cholula. These spicy fried crickets are a local snack and honestly…aren’t that bad. Way more of a crunchy textural thing than a flavor thing. The snack that truly one my heart were the fried lentils. I bought a bag and munched on them all day, they were so delicious.
Puebla
This colonial city has some gorgeous cathedrals (the Chapel of the Rosario is my favorite) and great artisans (the pottery is beautiful and affordable) but it is all about the food here. Puebla is known as the birthplace of Mole, chile en nogada, and several other classic Mexican dishes. Travel down Calle de los Dulces for some candy, pick up some paletas to ward off the afternoon sun, and stop by La Purificadora (a chic modern hotel) for drinks.
Check out my video on Tastemade!
Colonia Pottery
6 Oriente Street, Puebla (sort of, it’s on a street called Calle de los Dulces in Puebla. If you walk down the street, you’ll see it.)
Talavera pottery is so colorful and charming, I couldn’t help buying a few pieces to bring home. If only I could fit a massive vase in my carry-on!
Paletas del Carmen
16 de septiembre 1301-B (13 oriente) Puebla, PUE 72000
This was probably our most triumphant moment of the trip. After wandering the streets of Puebla, a colonial town about 2 hours outside DF, Christie saw this paleteria. The flavors were unique to us, but classic Mexico. Cucumber with chili powder, spicy mango and kiwi, and my favorite – the rich and creamy mamay pop (mamay is a type of sapote and has the texture and flavor of a baked yam, just sweeter), filled out our order. I also sipped on agua de coco y nueza, a refreshing combination of coconut milk and finely chopped walnuts. So delicious and so necessary after a long day of walking.
Check out my video on Tastemade!
Pujol
254 Francisco Petrarca, Polanco Phone: +52 55 5545 4111
Voted one of the top fifty restaurants in the world, Pujol entirely lived up to my expectations. The cost of the seven course tasting menu was $57. Yep. $57. The Per Se/Noma/Ko of Mexico City costs $57. The nine course menu jumps up $15 to $73. INSANE. You won’t ever find a better meal for $57. First off, the staff is intelligent, attentive, and unpretentiously friendly. They laughed at my joke about the “gato seductivo” on the wine bottle (there was a drawing of a cat leaning back, nibbling grapes, in a very come-hither manner on our bottle of white wine) and made fantastic recommendations. The food was playful but always delicious. The best dish of the evening was the pescado al pastor, a roasted white fish marinated in red chilies and served with pineapple and onion. The fish was buttery and light, but the flavor was bold, mildly spicy, and perfectly savory. Our evening there lasted five mezcal tinged hours, and I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a white table cloth, fine dining experience more. Go.
La Clandestina
298 Álvaro Obregón, Colonia Condesa Phone: +55 5525 1100
Talk about atmosphere. The little mezcal bar serves the smokey liquor by the ounce (with the requisite slices of orange), beer by the bottle, and pepinas by the bucketful. My favorite are the aged mezcals, which have a mellower flavor, but the mode de rigueur is to drink the mas joven stuff. Yayo and I drank a little too much and did our best George and Kitty impersonation. Plan on having a little too much fun in this casual, cozy, dimly lit hang out.
