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El Generalito
A longtime queer hangout in the Centro, this cozy restaurant opens on pedestrian lane Filomena Mata. Paintings by owner Juan Carlos cover the walls. There's a reasonably priced comida corrida and draft beer.
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El Jardín De San Agustín
The cuisine here is authentic Yucatecan, with dishes like sopa de lima (chicken soup with limes, coriander, onions and garlic), arroz con (rice with plantains), and la milanesa con papas (steak baked or fried in egg and breadcrumbs with roasted potatoes) on the menu. The dining room is large and cheerful with brightly painted tables and chairs overlooking the plaza. There is live music at weekends.
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El Jardín Del Pulpo
At weekends this timeless classic gets packed out as locals descend on the long shared tables to devour shrimp tacos, fried whole fish, shrimp and oyster cocktails, caldos (broths) and the namesake pulpo en su tinta (octopus cooked in its own ink).
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El Lago
This restaurant is more famous for its fabulous views and who's who clientele than (of late) for its food which is good, rather than exceptional. Push the boat out with a seafood dish like grilled sardines with a rucola salad and grab a pew next to the picture window overlooking the lake. The dining room (and bathrooms) are seriously grand and the service predictably efficient.
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El Mirador De Chapultepec
Another cantina with a great legend. It is said that Mexican dictator, Porfirio Díaz, used a tunnel that connected the cantina to Chapultepec Castle. If true, he may have journeyed frequently to try huachinango a la veracruzana (red snapper Veracruz-style) or even the criadillas (mountain oysters).
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El Regiomontano
Lettered on the window is the message 'BABY GOATS VERY YOUNG KIDS,' and there they are, splayed on stakes and grilling over a circle of coals, just as they're done in Monterrey or Saltillo. A single platter serves two.
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El Secret Gourmet
A rare combination of gourmet restaurant and TV dinners; if you are renting an apartment the frozen or refrigerated selection of dishes available here may appeal. They include various mousses, like salmon, Roquefort and olive, Middle Eastern choices, such as hummus and tabouleh, plus pastas, stuffed tacos, chicken and vegetarian dishes. There is also a deli section selling organic produce, including jams, chutneys and sauces.
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El Tizoncito
This is a branch of the popular chain that originated in Condesa. The atmosphere is, well, nil - unless you like bright lights and modern diner-style decor, but the place is spotless, the quesadillas and tacos are particularly good (try the taco al pastor filled with spiced slivered pork) and the creamy horchata is heaven in a glass.
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El Zorzal
Run by Buenos Aires expats, this is the best of many options for Argentine fare, with imported cuts, as well as fresh pasta and generous salads. The parrillada (around $460 ), a mixed grill served on a chopping board, feeds at least two. The small, unpretentious dining room is adorned with photos of Argentine songbird Carlos 'El Zorzal' Gardel.
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Entre Vero
Enjoying a fabulous location overlooking the park, this restaurant has maintained a high reputation. Palate-pleasing touches include starter strips of warm pita bread with a tangy chili-based sauce and the excellent Mexican and international wines available by the glass. Try dishes like the tuna steaks, grilled vegetable platter or Neapolitan style thin-crust pizzas.
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Entrevinos
Unostentatiously chic restaurant where Spanish and French dishes are made with salutary (and salivatory) attention to detail. There are just a few tables, where diners can enjoy French classics such as coq au vin or Spanish paella; the latter is good value if you are a gaggle, at around $320 for six.
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Fonda El Refugio
The Fonda was founded 50 years ago by the late Judith Martínez Ortega, whose folkloric collection of copper pots, colorful paintings and whimsical ceramic ornaments still decorate the dining rooms. Fortunately, she also collected recipes, which her family continues to create flawlessly today. Favorites include mole poblano (breast of chicken drenched in a rich chocolate-based sauce) and albondigas chipotle (meatballs laced with spicy chili).
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Fonda Garufa
One of the first in the zone to put tables on the sidewalk and fire up a grill, La Garufa is amidst Condesa's liveliest corridor - expect to be serenaded by street musicians and asked for change. The place owes its longevity to the quality of its Argentine cuts and better-than-average pastas, as well as a romantic candlelit ambience.
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Fonda Margarita
Possibly the capital's premier hangover-recovery spot - witness the line down the street on Saturday mornings - the humble eatery under a tin roof whips up big batches of comfort food for the day ahead. Soulful fare like pork back in chile guajillo sauce is doled out of giant clay dishes. Don't miss the huevos refritos (eggs scrambled with refried black beans). The fonda is beside Plaza Tlacoquemécatl, six blocks east of Av Insurgentes.
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Fonda San Ángel
On weekends you can sit under the sun brollies on the vast terrace and multitrip to the ample brunch, with all kinds of egg dishes, pastries and fresh-squeezed juices, plus great quesadillas. The menu includes some unusual dishes like chicken filled with goat cheese. There's a fine Mexican wine list varying from around $180 to M$630 a bottle.
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Frutos Prohibidos
When you need a break from bistek, Forbidden Fruits puts together healthy salads, wraps and fruit-juice combos. Consider taking out for a picnic in nearby Parque México.
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Hip Kitchen
At the stylish bistro of Roma's new Hippodrome Hotel, star chefs fuse Mexican and Asian ingredients in exciting ways: miso-glazed salmon gets brushed with chipotle, and pico de gallo is served alongside your saku tuna. Dining is in a narrow, romantic space with a wall-length sofa and Art Deco fixtures. Reservations are highly recommended.
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Hostería de Santo Domingo
Whipping up classic Mexican fare since 1860, this hugely popular (though not touristy) restaurant has a festive atmosphere, enhanced by chamber music. It's famous for its enormous chiles en nogada (around $180 ; (large green chilies stuffed with meat and fruit, covered with a creamy white walnut sauce and sprinkled with red pomegranate seeds - representing the colors of the Mexican flag), an Independence Day favorite, served here year-round.
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Il Postino
Run by a pair of chefs from Rome and Milan, this superior restaurant features sidewalk terrace dining on an arc of the Plaza Cibeles (aka Villa de Madrid). You might start off with an octopus carpaccio, followed by sea bass wrapped in calzone on a bed of capellini pasta. Otherwise, ask chef Claudio for his inspiration of the day. Don't pass on dessert - the profiteroles with homemade ice cream merit applause.
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Ixchel
'Fusion' is an overused term among Condesa and Roma bistros, but this late-night supper club takes it seriously. Ixchel's innovative chef deftly fuses Mexican elements (grasshoppers, squash blossoms) with Mediterranean and Asian fare (risotto and tempura). The upstairs club, Love, adds another dimension (Wednesday to Saturday nights), with DJs supplying the appropriately chilled ambience.
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Izote
Patricia Quintana is the celebrated owner of this fashionable upbeat restaurant with its innovative menu and uncluttered dining room highlighted by a traditional-style mural. The presentation is superb, and the relatively simple dishes include chopped cactus and tomato salad, lamb barbecued in a banana leaf and red mullet with crushed pistachios in a mole sauce. The restaurant is named after the exquisite white flower that adorns the yucca plant.
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Jardín Del Corregidor
Just across from one of the southern exits of the park, this Spanish-owned restaurant (part of the Park Villa hotel) has a magnificent lion and lioness in a large back garden pen; apparently bought on the street and brought home by the owner's son when they were cubs (a step up from the usual abandoned kitten!). The food is traditionally Spanish; try the garlic mushrooms, followed by pulpo a la gallega (octopus Galician style) and chocolate fondue with fruit.
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Jaso
Smoothly run by husband-and-wife team, Jared Reardon and Sonia Arias, who met at the New York-based Culinary Institute of America, progressive palates can dine on dishes such as red snapper with giant asparagus or roast pepper porcini with citrus sauce, all relying on impeccably sourced ingredients. The homemade ice cream choice includes irresistible flavors like blueberry with triple cream cheese and raspberry with hazelnuts and chocolate.
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Jugos Canadá
A veritable juice-squeezing factory, with oranges, pineapples, watermelons, and so on temptingly displayed on shelves. Choose from juices and licuados (milkshakes). Check the board for a menu of fantastic permutations. Ever tried a guava-mamey cocktail? Fruit salads and big fat tortas are also prepared.
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King Felafel
This Middle-Eastern fast-food place serves traditional dishes like falafel, hummus and tabouleh, and is run by a Syrian Jew who knows all the family recipes and is suitably spirited with the spices.
