Café restaurants in Mexico
-
A
Café El Popular
So popular was this tiny round-the-clock café that another more amply proportioned branch was opened next door to catch the considerable overflow. Fresh pastries and good combination breakfasts are the main attractions. Café con leche (coffee with milk) is served chino style (ie you specify the strength).
reviewed
-
B
Aluxes Coffee House
Aluxes serves bagels with cream cheese, sandwiches, muffins, and hot and iced coffee. Between Guerrero and Hidalgo.
reviewed
-
C
El Midi
This French-run café-restaurant is hard to go past for its fresh delights. Tartes, salads and a huge array of daily offerings can be enjoyed on the perfectly pretty plaza under brollies. Morning croissants available; the salad bar starts at 12.30pm and á la carte meals are served in the evenings.
reviewed
-
D
La Surtidora
Waiters are dressed in chef whites, but don’t expect fine dining at this old-school café, which has been in operation on Plaza Grande since 1916. The beamed interior is perfumed with roasting coffee, it serves all manner of salads and the chicken enchiladas come topped with butternut squash.
reviewed
-
E
Chai
Guadalajara’s young and pretty pack into plush booths to sip chai lattes and nibble on panini at this casual hippie-chic café, home of the city’s best brunches. A second location, in a restored mansion in the upscale Zona Rosa has a sunny terrace and free wi-fi.
reviewed
-
F
Churrería El Moro
A fine respite from the Eje Central crowds, El Moro manufactures long, slender deep-fried churros (doughnut-like fritters), just made to be dipped in thick hot chocolate. It’s a popular late-night spot, perfect for winding down after hours.
reviewed
-
G
Santo Café
Stop by this cozy, slightly funky spot on the quaint Venetian-style bridge and check the latest university vibe. It serves excellent salads and snacks, plus heftier dishes and drinks. Some tables overlook the alley below, and there is music of all styles.
reviewed
-
H
Café la Blanca
White-coated waiters and orange upholstery set the tone for this 1960s relic offering hearty breakfasts and daily lunch specials. Sit at the U-shaped counter or grab a table by the window for people-watching over a cappuccino.
reviewed
-
I
Casa Elvira
This old hand turns out some tasty food like oysters Rockefeller, jumbo steamed shrimp and broiled octopus with garlic. Vegetarians will appreciate the soup, salad and spaghetti choices. Order the coconut custard for dessert.
reviewed
-
J
San Patrizio Caffé
Probably does the best – if priciest – cappuccinos in town and has a relaxing courtyard seating, light snacks, and an array of Italian sodas.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
K
La Casona de los Cinco Patios
It’s hard to go past trying one of the diverse eating and drinking options at La Casona de los Cinco Patios, all of which are under the auspice of a mansion with five patios. Locals rave about San Miguelito for its food, old-fashioned service, ambience and decor: each table has different chairs and is decorated with themed, hand-painted wooden platters. Popular dishes include filete de res en salsa de mezquite (beef fillet with mesquite plant sauce). La Antojeria is at the entrance to Cinco Patios and at the other end of the pricing scale. It’s a family-friendly, fun and Mexican-themed place serving up every style of antojito known in Mexico.
reviewed
-
L
El Infinito
Highly enjoyable culture café set inside colonial premises with gorgeous tiled floors, high beamed ceilings and walls adorned with art. Musically, things are kept tranquil with ambient and classical music on the hi-fi and Friday-night live jazz on the rooftop terrace (called the Aire Bar). It offers high-priced sandwiches, cheese plates, pizzas, fruit frappés, mango martinis and properly made espresso. There are books to browse and occasional art-house movies. Ask Pepe, the amiable owner, about his desert tours.
reviewed
-
M
La Casa de los Milagros
Legend has it that Pancho Villa and his pals loved this stylish café, and you probably will too. In a beautiful, 110-year-old mansion featuring high ceilings, tiled floors and an airy courtyard, the food, cocktails and ambience all merge into a fantastic evening. The menu features a great selection of coffee drinks, fresh salads, some original antojitos (Mexican snacks), and steaks and chicken for heartier appetites. There’s live music, usually ballads and trova, from 9pm Wednesday to Sunday.
reviewed
-
N
Restaurant Y Cafetería Los Arcos
Right in the thick of things off the Plaza de Armas, Los Arcos is a European-style café which makes for a great meeting place. The huge terrace is nearly always packed. Whether you come for early-morning coffee, late-night cocktails or a meal in between, you’ll find friendly and efficient service. There’s also a geletaría here serving up great ice cream. Happy hours run from 2pm to 4pm and again from 8pm to 10pm.
reviewed
-
O
Red Cabbage Café
Though the atmosphere is casual, with fabulous eclectic and bohemian artwork, the food is serious and features old recipes and uncommon indigenous sauces. The soups – including a cream of peanut and a piquant tortilla soup – are to die for. It’s a pleasant 10-minute walk from the Zona Romántica; from Cárdenas turn right on Rivero del Río, just before the Río Cuale bridge. No credit cards.
reviewed
-
P
12:30
Located at the heart of the gay nightlife district, 12:30 is good for sandwiches, salads and other ‘ munchis’. In fact, the relaxed, social atmosphere may appeal to exhausted clubbers – the electronica soundtrack is usually low enough for actual conversation. Go upstairs to dine on a terrace overlooking Amberes. Service can be a challenge.
reviewed
-
Q
Uncommon Grounds Chill Out Lounge
This welcoming restaurant-café is an agreeable place to spend an evening. Beautifully presented dishes with amiable names (anyone for a ‘Planet Utopia Salad’?) are trotted out from the kitchen with panache by hosts Lydia and Anne. Vegetarians are well taken care of, as are those in need of a cocktail. You can also get a chair massage and shop in the small boutique.
reviewed
-
R
La Cueva
This sloped bar, which opens onto the bustling crowds of Galeana, serves up superb pozole (shredded meat and hominy in a delicious pork-based broth) and a range of other delicious snacks and light meals. This is a great place to come and eat with the locals at local prices. It’s also an excellent place for breakfast, with a range on offer for just M$30.
reviewed
-
S
Hip Kitchen
At the stylish bistro of Condesa’s Hippodrome Hotel, star chefs fuse Mexican and international cuisine in exciting ways: slow-cooked ribs get brushed with hoisin sauce, and baked prawns are served with risotto and wild mushrooms. Dining is in a narrow, romantic space with a wall-length sofa and art deco fixtures. Reservations recommended.
reviewed
-
T
Café Tal
This slightly grungy coffee spot, owned by a French-horn player, is the wi-fi-enabled study spot for students. It roasts, grinds and serves excellent coffees ( barista is a word used here!). Don’t miss the beso negro (black kiss), ultra-concentrated hot chocolate (M$12). If you’re lucky, Tal the cat might sit on your lap.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
U
Cafetería del Claustro
If you’re touring the Alameda museums, put this self-service café, inside the tranquil courtyard of the Museo Franz Mayer, on your itinerary. The light fare includes Italian cold cuts on chapata rolls, ample green salads, quiches and excellent cakes, with seating at marble tables and baroque music to set the mood.
reviewed
-
V
Café Colón
Dishing out traditional fare from this location for almost half a century, Café Colón remains popular with local office workers who pour in mid-morning for coffee or mid-afternoon for the filling comida. The café’s two neatly renovated rooms retain old maps of the Alameda and vintage light fixtures.
reviewed
-
W
Cafetería Nueva Zelanda
Step back in time at this spotless diner, where you can order a banana split or chocolate malt with your shrimp taco and chicken fajitas. Everything is available para llevar (to go), it’s a great place for breakfast, and you can get a decent cappuccino anytime. There are entrances on both Cuauhtémoc and Galeana.
reviewed
-
X
La Mata Tinta
This is a wine bar, art gallery and café under one roof – although seating spills into the plaza. It has a prodigious wine list including Mexican vintages and a nice selection of baguettes and panini. There’s live music five nights a week and the walls are covered with rotating exhibitions from local artists.
reviewed
-
Naturalíssimo
Keeping thankful vegetarians afloat, Naturalíssimo offers healthy breakfasts, whole-wheat bread, tortas and veggie hamburgesas, as well as thirst-quenching fruit juices and licuados. The fake meat dishes aren’t super-inspiring, but do the trick if you need protein.
reviewed
