The MICHELIN Guide Mexico was unveiled on the 14th May, marking the arrival of 2 Two Stars, 16 One Stars, 6 Green Stars, and a whopping 42 Bib Gourmands.
From Mexican hotspots filled with traditional dishes (think grilled Baja coast rockfish and mole amarillito) and delicious tacos to sophisticated modern menus (with items like spider crab paired with silky jackfruit to green passionfruit filled with foie gras parfait), the first Mexico selection proved that El Águila Real is filled with flavor and flair.
So whether it's seasonal ingredients or family run organic farms, here is everything you need to know about the top distinctions in Mexico.
Two Stars
Quintonil
Cuisine: Mexican
This captivating dining room from Chef Jorge Vallejo and his wife Alejandra Flores is named for an herb native to Oaxaca. It bears a discreet facade which belies the stunning experience within. The look is chic; more cool than luxurious and far from stuffy.
The elegant cuisine is an enticing melding of excellent local product, impressive execution, and great creativity to produce refined compositions. The tasting menu is constantly evolving but may reveal delights such as crab and shards of blue corn tostada arranged with a vivid pipian verde enhanced with untraditional elements like galangal, lemongrass, and makrut lime. The chef's command of balance is evident in a stunning finale of crème fraîche sorbet, caviar, and Melipona honey.
Pujol
Cuisine: Mexican
Chef-owner Enrique Olvera’s seminal dining room has long stood as one of the country’s most famous addresses. This breezy, contemporary space is a constant hive of activity, thanks to servers dressed in sharp, black suits and a crowd eager to dine here. Some come for the taco omakase, but the culinary heart of this restaurant lies in the seasonal tasting menu. Tradition and invention go hand-in-hand in the likes of scallop ceviche with egg salad or grilled Baja coast rockfish with butternut squash puree and sherry foam. The savory progression culminates with mole madre, an effort like no other that celebrates Mexican history and cuisine in the most profound way. The wine list features an impressive number of regional vintners, some of whom bottle exclusively for the restaurant.
One Stars
In CDMX
Em
Cuisine: Mexican
A pre-dinner cocktail at the moody 686 Bar upstairs is a smart way to start an evening in the capable hands of Chef Lucho Martinez. Named for his daughter Emilia, the intimate restaurant on the ground floor suits couples well, while the handsome kitchen takes a contemporary look at Mexican ingredients, many of which are seafood. Think a savory, crispy, carrot buñuelo covered in roe or an expertly grilled wedge of corvina with spinach set in a fragrant garlic foam. The signature dessert celebrates all things mamey, arriving as a thin, delicate tart, a light tiramisu, and a refreshing ice cream. Both the a la carte and the tasting menus overlap well enough, so no need to fret. Refined, bold flavors come through clearly in both.
Esquina Común
Cuisine: Mexican
The address may no longer be a secret, but reservations at this hotspot are closely guarded (and only available by direct messaging on Instagram), but any perceived hassle disappears once you've arrived at this covered rooftop setting with bountiful greenery and a lovely, relaxed vibe.
This is a special operation run by a young and talented team. Their concise menu is impressively prepared and enticingly plated. Dishes of note include the pescado del dia, which may be grilled cod set in a luscious green mole and dressed with crushed ripe plantain, fava beans and pumpkin seeds. Staying on theme, the masa and plantain tamal de pescado is filled with chile red-tinted fish with a flavorful salsa macha.
Rosetta
Cuisine: Creative
Chef Elena Reygadas's Rosetta is a perennial favorite, packed with a crowd that comes here for creative cooking that leans Mexican but is inflected with global influences. Dishes are designed for sharing, ideal for those who want to sample more of her ingenious creations like the cabbage tacos with two small rounds of Savoy cabbage, served warm with pistachio puree and romeritos. Blending interesting flavors and textures, this dish is a great play on expectations and its different shades of green are visually arresting. A sweet potato tamal over toasted pumpkin seeds with a buttermilk sauce and salsa macha is equal parts sweet and savory. Honey jelly, cut into perfect cubes and served with a quenelle of brown butter ice cream and vanilla sauce, is an exquisite ending.
Sud 777
Cuisine: Creative
Sud 777 enjoys an enviable location in Mexico City's ritzy Pedregal neighborhood. The space is modern and sprawling, with lofted ceilings, dark wood, and earthy colors.
Chef Edgar Núñez presides over a multicourse tasting menu as well as a large a la carte comprising starters like kampachi tostada with fermented tomatoes and Oaxacan tamal soup with beans and black mole to main dishes like red snapper al pastor and local turkey with ""mole amarillito."" Vegetables figure prominently on the tasting menu, and diners may be treated to the likes of beet tartare, avocado with foie gras, and a simple but spectacular spinach, sauteed in sherry and set in a pool of lush almond and garlic puree.
Taquería El Califa de León
Cuisine: Mexican
There is a reason why El Califa de León has endured for more than half a century. This taqueria may be bare bones with just enough room for a handful of diners to stand at the counter but its creation, the Gaonera taco, is exceptional. Thinly sliced beef filet is expertly cooked to order, seasoned with only salt and a squeeze of lime. At the same time, a second cook prepares the excellent corn tortillas alongside. The resulting combination is elemental and pure. Other options are few but excellent, and include bistec (beef steak), chuleta (pork chop), and costilla (beef rib). With meat and tortillas of this caliber, the duo of house-made salsas is hardly even necessary.
In Baja California
Animalón
Cuisine: Mexican
Many restaurants claim to be transporting, but how many deliver on the promise? Animalón certainly does. In season, this spot shines with an al fresco dining space under a centuries-old oak tree (during colder months, they move to a pop-up space). It's the very definition of tranquility, yet with owner Javier Plascencia at the helm, it's equally thrilling.
The contemporary Mexican cuisine pulls influences from all over the country. The kitchen's vision is apparent in dishes like beer-braised barbacoa wrapped in a banana leaf, steamed and smoked in a pig's bladder, then served tableside for a dramatic presentation. Ceviche is ubiquitous, but here a custom molcajete with a blue corn tostada dusted with frozen avocado is lifted to reveal diced kampachi for a dish that truly impresses.
Conchas de Piedra
Cuisine: Seafood
This rustic-chic collaboration from the people behind Deckman’s and Casa de Piedra, one of the many wineries in the valley, brings together what both places do best—seafood and sparkling wine. The outdoor dining area is warm and inviting thanks to communal tables, café lights strung overhead and a jaunty instrumental playlist. It's a compact, seafood-focused menu offering aguachiles, ceviches, and warm dishes like seared abalone. Every dish is stunning, with balanced flavors and bright colors. Clam ceviche, served in two petite clam shells balanced on small pebbles, is just one example. For a heartier dish, consider the crispy oyster taco. A single scoop of cucumber sorbet served in an abalone shell is clever and fresh.
Damiana
Cuisine: Mexican
Damiana boasts a stunning setting, nestled on the Viñedos de la Reina property. Two rows of trees provide shade for the tables lined up on the patio for those who want to dine outdoors.
Chef Esteban Lluis celebrates the local valley's products in his multicourse tasting menu that is contemporary Mexican at its core. The kitchen plays with presentation and expectations in fun and creative ways. The dishes are bold and brilliantly executed, as in the perfectly cooked, crispy duck served over pickled cabbage and sided by carrot purée and duck confit wrapped in Swiss chard. Desserts make a lasting impression, especially the pumpkin crème brûlée on a mandarin dacquoise cake or the guava flan with crispy phyllo sheets.
In Baja California Sur
Cocina de Autor Los Cabos
Cuisine: Mexican
Located in the bougainvillea-strewn Grand Velas hotel, this plush oceanfront restaurant is sophisticated, amplified by the resort-formal dress code. The terrace is a nice spot for bites and cocktails, and a few choice tables overlook a koi pond.
The multicourse tasting menu is Mexican at its heart, with global elements and inspirations woven throughout. This is a kitchen unafraid of taking risks, especially when it comes to flavor combinations. A farm-raised sea scallop served under a miso butter with tom yum and a tempura-fried shiso leaf is delicious. Then, in a triumph of flavors, beef tenderloin is plated with celery root purée, poached beets, and maitake mushrooms. Shaved Comté with a quenelle of honey ice cream is a playful take on the cheese course.
In Nuevo Leon
KOLI Cocina de Origen
Cuisine: Mexican
The three Rivera-Río brothers (Rodrigo, Daniel, and Patricio) combine their talents here, overseeing the culinary, pastry, and front-of-house efforts for this singular establishment. More than perhaps any other, this restaurant embodies the new face of Norteño cuisine, celebrating local ingredients and traditional dishes with a menu that is simultaneously inventive, playful, and bold. A sense of pride in local traditions and ingredients is apparent throughout their immersive tasting menu, whether it’s a suckling pig paired with a distinctive mole neolonés, or an exceptionally tender, reimagined take on cabrito, paired with plum and foie gras. Cocktail pairings, whether with or without alcohol, are both thoughtful and memorable.
Pangea
Cuisine: Contemporary
After 25 years of operation, Chef Guillermo González Beristáin’s flagship remains a standard bearer for Monterrey’s fine dining scene, offering skillful cooking that combines Mexican cuisine with accents from Asia and France. The stylish space offers diners a choice between an ample à la carte offering and a tasting menu that best highlights the kitchen’s talents. Flavorful dishes, characterized by a sense of balance and astute seasoning, range from a sweet tamal of winter squash paired with crème fraîche and caviar, to a dish of crisp-skinned quail with foie gras mousseline, pistachios, and cherries. Desserts end the meal on an elegant note, like a Pavlova filled with raspberry compote and a sorbet of lychee and white tea.
In Oaxaca
Los Danzantes Oaxaca
Cuisine: Mexican
This Oaxaca favorite can count more than 20 years of history to its name, but that’s not stopping the young chef Alex Burgos from forging ahead with his own ideas and sense of refinement. Set in a dazzling, open-air courtyard, the memorable space buzzes as personable servers guide locals and visitors alike. Start with hoja santa filled with local goat cheese and served in a warm tomatillo sauce before moving to the mole sampler, which is a masterclass in sauce work. Salsa borracha is another can’t-miss sauce that shines with tender pork ribs. Getting full? There is always room for the guava cheesecake, which is lighter than expected and crowned with mamey cream. The restaurant even makes its own mezcal, which is used in their finely made cocktails.
Levadura de Olla Restaurante
Cuisine: Mexican
One could spend an entire afternoon in the shaded, breezy courtyard of the young talent, Chef Thalía Barrios Garcia. Colorful and creative, she channels traditional Oaxacan recipes as well as memories from her hometown of San Mateo Yucutindoo. Vegetables take priority over meat, evident in starters like the salad of local tomatoes dressed in a fruit vinaigrette and set on beet puree. The meatless tamales, which she learned from her grandmother, are peerless. A recent version featured delicate, full-flavored masa enrobed in a duo of moles and finished with squash blossoms. Heartfelt, comforting cooking can further be found in her machucados, a childhood favorite that blends tortillas and pipian salsa. A selection of ancestral beverages rounds out the experience.
In Quintana Roo
Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya
Cuisine: Contemporary
Once inside the opulence of the Grand Velas resort, guests are treated to an indulgent, immersive experience from beginning to end, encompassing live music, assiduous service, and, of course, singular cuisine. As its name indicates, the cooking here is driven by the creative vision of Chef Nahúm Velasco, in the guise of a sophisticated modern tasting menu that emphasizes novel flavor combinations and compelling textures. A meal might progress from spider crab paired with silky jackfruit, to roasted pork with black garlic, cleverly decorated with leaves made from beet and butternut squash, and end with textures of honey from the property's own Melipona beehives. The menu changes regularly, so there’s always an element of surprise alongside the culinary artistry.
Le Chique
Cuisine: Contemporary
Nestled inside the Azul Beach Resort, Le Chique presents a thoroughly charming experience in a swanky setting. The space, service, and presentation all display a high polish, and there is a distinct theatrical sense that lends an air of special occasion to this spot. The tasting menu spans Mexico's regions, showing a clear sense of style and personality while consistently impressing with creativity, excellent ingredients, strong technique, and impactful flavors. Green passionfruit filled with foie gras parfait and vibrant maax ik or brûléed marrowbone with escamoles are just two of the first bites that set the meal off on a luxurious start. Seafood-based bites are then presented with a flourish, followed by heartier compositions. Finally, the sweets course is as tempting as the very first bite.
HA'
Cuisine: Mexican
If you’re not staying at the Hotel Xcaret, be sure to devote extra time to arrive at this restaurant, as it involves some navigation. However, once you’ve found it, you’re in for a treat. The cuisine has a definite French bent, which is perhaps no surprise given Chef Carlos Gaytán’s training, but there is nonetheless a confident use of distinctly Mexican flavors and ingredients. This is cooking with a clear sense of identity and strong technique, and noteworthy for bold, creative flavor combinations. The mushroom beignet decorated with a frilly crisp of cauliflower in a creamy truffle and mint sauce is a standout, as is the seared filet mignon with crispy potato mille-feuille garnished with house-cured ikura. Choose the wine pairing to learn more about Mexican wines.
Green Stars
Our farm program has been developed to maximize conscious planting and harvesting; every ingredient grown in-house will be used on our menu. We use sustainable products from local farms allowing for traceability and illustrating responsible practices that lead to preservation. We also source products that help preserve national traditions and support our local community of farmers and fisherman.
We have 3 farms that grow specifically for Deckmans group. We source only legal, responsibly grown or foraged Baja California mollusks for our ingredients. We reuse all waste shells as erosion control, grind up for our chickens and use for calcium in our vineyards and farms. We make our own olive oil and use only salt from San Felipe.
We have 3 orchards where we produce approximately 80% of our vegetables. In each garden we have a minimum of 5 boxes of bees. We produce compost with organic waste; and use all the mollusk shells for erosion control, construction, garden fertilizer, and calcium for our chickens. On average, our ingredient travels 35km from production to consumption. We only use seafood products from Baja California.
This family-run property features 25 acres of organic herbs, vegetables and fruits trees including mango, papaya and citrus. We raise chickens for eggs and have a butcher program on site. Our ranch feeds are all vegetables, with no hormones or antibiotics and they are milled fresh every 2 weeks. We continue working to realize efficiencies between the farm, ranch, restaurant, and market. For example, we send our “spent” flowers out to the chickens who love to peck at the drying seed heads, vegetable trimmings go to the pigs and chickens, and chicken manure comes back to heat the composting we use on the farm.
We have our own organic garden and use seasonal products. We responsibly manage organic waste and follow a Zero Waste policy. We have alliances with small producers, social organizations and artisans. We donate our glass bottles and cooking oil to a glassblowing workshop that uses oil as an alternative fuel. We reuse coffee remains to roast our beets, and organic waste for compost. We collect rainwater to irrigate crops.
Our monthly tasting menu is crafted from locally-sourced, seasonal produce, mainly from our own farm, vegetable garden, animal pen and apiary. All our dairy products are produced in-house. The seafood comes from local suppliers who ensure traceability and sustainability. We champion local viticulture with an exclusive 100% local wine list. We strive in waste management—separating, recycling, and composting—to enrich our garden and vineyard.
Hero Image: Gina & Ryan Photography / Acre
