Flavors Of Mexico City
Story and Photo by Yves Jean-Baptiste
“The different mercados and tianguis, informal street markets, are bursting with colors and aromas, where you can find produce like nowhere else on the planet. ”
Anyone planning to visit Mexico should strongly consider ditching the beaches for a few days in favor of the country’s giant, Mexico City. Built on the ruins of the capital of the Aztec Empire, the largest metropolis in the Americas is a hectic and contradictory place. The exquisite baroque architecture of the city’s historic center contrasts sharply with the palaces of glass and steel that line Paseo de la Reforma, the city’s largest artery.
Though it’s just beginning to gain proper recognition, Mexico City is already an international culinary capital. Fresh ingredients from nearly every single province arrive en masse to the city, which is near the geographic center of the country.
Many of the haute cuisine restaurants take inspiration from the small posts and stands that cover the streets of the city.
Cactus and queso fresco tacos are found all over, but they are the best in la Colonia Roma, a neighborhood of Mexico City full of Victorian and French architecture and some serious Williamsburg vibes. Another local favorite is huitlacoche, an edible and delectable fungus that grows on corn, and has been eaten in the region since the time of the Aztec Empire.
Whether you decide to dine at Pujol, the two-Michelin-Star culinary jewel in Polanco, the poshest neighborhood, or grab tacos and quesadillas from one of the stands that line the main plaza of Coyoacán, the delegación which Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera called home, you’ll find yourself eating extremely well – maybe even in sensory overload.