Widely recognized as one of the best cities for street food in the world, Mexico City is renowned for the diversity of its cuisine and the freshness of its ingredients. It would take a lifetime to sample each tasty dish Mexico City has to offer, a lifetime I would gladly spend in a spicy pork and guacamole-induced haze. After several days of non-stop eating my way around the city’s historic markets and street stalls, here are my top picks for a delicious, well-rounded sampling of traditional Mexican cuisine.
The ceviche tostada. Topped with perfectly ripened avocado slices, cilantro, and pico de gallo, the ceviche tostado is a crisp, crunchy slice of heaven, balanced perfectly by tender octopus and crab. The octopus, which tastes like it was raised in a lime chili ocean, is among the best I’ve ever eaten. Worried about eating seafood – especially technically raw seafood – in Mexico City? Don’t be. Each day’s catch is transported to the city from the coast, four hours away, and sold, usually still wriggling, at Mexico City’s premier fish market.
Taco al pastor. The pork taco, a favorite of tourists and residents alike, is one of the essential Mexican dishes. Though I took a wide sampling during my wanderings, no street stall or taqueria could compare to El Huequita, located just a few blocks south of Alamada Park in Centro Historico. Layers upon layers of marinated pork slowly roast on a vertical rotisserie next to an open flame, caramelizing the pork as pork fat drips onto the chopped onions cooking beneath it. Each taco is made to order, as pork shavings are cut directly into the tortilla, followed by onions, guacamole, salsa, and lime. Patrons line up outside the window, collecting their tacos and eating standing up at long metal tables lining the sidewalk.
The turkey torta. Mexico re-invented the turkey club, and it is better than ever. Fresh, lightly toasted bread is layered with avocado, shavings of juicy chipotle-marinated turkey, and a spicy chipotle salsa. The result is an almost religious experience. The turkey is boiled in a vat of broth and spices. I watched the cooks stirring the bubbling cauldron of turkey parts, pouring a vat of caramelized sugar, chills, and other spices onto the exposed skins.
Mercado San Juan. This is Mexico City’s fanciest food market, specializing in everything from barnacles to rabbit to rare fruits and vegetables. My tasting odyssey began in the fruit section, where I sampled mandarin oranges, plums, baby mangos, and mamey, a fruit native to Mexico that somehow tastes like cheesecake. In the meat section, tables are piled high with lamb, chicken, and piglets, and in the nearby seafood section, massive tuna and mahi mahi compete with truckloads of king prawn and octopus. The cheese section offers a huge variety of local and imported cheeses, massive wheels of swiss and gouda on display, as well as imported Spanish jamon and fresh-baked baguettes, more reminiscent of European markets than of Mexico. All cheese samples are accompanied by Spanish wine, gratis.
Mole. Made famous by Oaxaca and central Mexico, mole is not native to Mexico City. However, it would be criminal to visit without tasting the rich mole sauce. Traditionally composed of four ingredients, chocolate, plum, chilis, and chicken broth, mole can be made with upwards of thirty, each new ingredient adding an additional layer of flavor or texture. Mole is dark, rich, and syrupy, usually served over a corn tortilla. Onions and cheese are sprinkled on top, and help to cut the mole’s natural sweetness.
Pulque. It is with mixed feelings that I include pulque on this list. Pulque is a milky, occasionally foamy, slightly viscous beverage made from fermenting the sap of the Agave plant, the same substance used to make the more well-known mezcal and tequilla. The origins of pulque, which was consumed by Aztec nobility, are unknown, but date back over one thousand years. In early times, it fermented by itself inside the plant, requiring no human intervention. Pulque has been the drink of choice for day-time consumption in Mexico City for decades, due in part to its low alcohol content and sugary flavors. With a striking similarity to cough syrup, it’s a drink that you either love or you hate. However, given its long history in Mexico and importance as a Mexican tradition, it’s worth trying just once, if only for the experience of visiting a traditional pulqueria, each of which specializes in specific flavors. The pulqueria I visited, one of the oldest in Mexico City, offered celery, passion fruit, oatmeal, peanut, and egg nog.
Should you venture south of the border, Mexican law and moral code dictate you sample each of the above multiple times, lest you incur the wrath of Montezuma. Though the complete culinary experience is certainly possible on your own, a walking food tour, such as that offered by former chef Arturo through Culinary Backstreets, sets the bustling food market scene against the dramatic backdrop of Historic Mexico City and guarantees the most delicious of results. Buena suerte and buen provecho!
Let’s be fearless,
Jen