Mexico City
Mexico City is booming. The city with no fixed number of residents is food obsessed. The level of quality is generally so high that even a street stall could give you the best meal of your trip. This time we went all out and explored three of the most famous El pastor locations, ate blue corn quesadillas In the shadow of downtown’s ornate churches built on the ruins of Aztec temples. We reminded ourselves of the great societies that existed in the America’s before the conquest of Cortes by going to the great pyramids of Teotihuacan and the Museum of Anthropology which houses some of the greatest Prehispanic art in the Americas. We also visited many of the prominent museums and murals of the great artists of Mexico like Diego Rivera, David Alfredo Siqueiros, and Frida Kalho. In Mexico traditions thrive right alongside modern realities. Next to the Palacio Nacional is the Templo Mayor, dead center in downtown, as much as the conquistadors tried to exterminate the indigenous culture, it persisted. The food also reflects this, the ancient tortilla is still a humble vehicle even for high-end restaurants like Pujol where we had the pleasure of dining. This world renowned restaurant draws on the traditions of Mexico but presents them in a modern context with excellent wines to boot. In one day you could eat at a Michelin starred restaurant and eat tacos on the street and feel that they were both worthy of praise. That is why Mexico City is truly a place for those that wish to explore the art of eating.
Check out our list below of some of the places to eat and visit that we like in Mexico City.
As serious as the arguments about where’s the best cheese steak in Philadelphia, Chilangos (as people who live in Mexico city call themselves), is the discussion about where the best El Pastor taco is made. These tacos originated in the city and are a combination of pork, adobo, pineapple, onion and cilantro. Something so simple needs to be done right. Here are three options we thought were great, try for yourself and determine which you think is the best. Part of the fun is trying all these iterations and seeing the variety of just one kind of taco.
El Tizoncitio
https://www.eltizoncito.com.mx
El Califa
http://elcalifa.com.mx/website/
El Huequito
http://www.elhuequito.com.mx
Not a Pastor Spot but not to be missed!
Taqueria Los Cocuyos
Calle de Bolívar 57, Centro Histórico, Centro, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Old school spot, with small chairs and a constant line, these tacos were some of the best of the trip. We thought the Suadero (brisket) and the campechano taco were super solid.
Retroactivo récords
Jalapa 125, Roma Nte., 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
If you need to get your vinyl fix, we suggest going to this classic record store. Open for over 40 years they have all sorts of stuff and a knowledgeable staff to guide you around the store.
Museums:
When you visit Mexico City you have the ability to visit some of the greatest public art in the world. Take the time and visit some of these places and discover the works of Diego Rivera and others.
Palacio Nacional -stand breathless in front of Diego Rivera's best work that stretches over many walls in the President's palace.
Museum of Anthropology -housing the best collection of prehispanic art you have to see to believe. The greatness of Mexico is within these walls.
Ministry of Education -Another of Diego Rivera's greatest works, you can cover three floors of this building gazing at Diego's frescos which praise the indigenous and industrial might of Mexico.
Anahuacalli Museum- Located in the south of the city, is Diego's personal museum housing his personal collection of artifacts from around Mexico. This museum is more like a personal show piece rather than a museum but is work the trip if you are really interested full breath of Diego's career.
Palacio de Bella Artes - Housed in a building that looks straight out of Europe, you can find more murals by Mexico's best artists.
The Blue house - Plan accordingly so as to avoid the lines, but go to the Blue House which houses the personal effects of Frida Kahlo. There you will learn about the incredible life of Latin Americas greatest female artist.
I want to give a big shout out to Josh Landowski for letting us use his photos to make this blog post happen! He really helped us capture this trip.
