Eating Out: Fancy Meals
Fancy meals
For those special occasions when you don't mind splurging on great food and wine
Run by chef Elena Reygadas, Rosetta has become one of the city’s highlights for people looking for excellent italian food with Mexican ingredients. Located in a beautiful Porfirian house in the heart of Colonia Roma, Rosetta is one of our personal favorites for those occasions where we want to treat ourselves to a fancy meal.
Bread and pastas are freshly baked every day, so the whole place smells delicious from the moment you step inside. We love the burrata, the roasted beet salad, all pasta dishes and if you’re a meat lover, the short rib is pretty much mandatory. The menu changes often, but those dishes are mainstays.
55 locals recommend
Restaurante Rosetta
166 ColimaRun by chef Elena Reygadas, Rosetta has become one of the city’s highlights for people looking for excellent italian food with Mexican ingredients. Located in a beautiful Porfirian house in the heart of Colonia Roma, Rosetta is one of our personal favorites for those occasions where we want to treat ourselves to a fancy meal.
Bread and pastas are freshly baked every day, so the whole place smells delicious from the moment you step inside. We love the burrata, the roasted beet salad, all pasta dishes and if you’re a meat lover, the short rib is pretty much mandatory. The menu changes often, but those dishes are mainstays.
Lardo’s the newer offering from Rosetta’s Elena Reygadas, heavy on the cured meats and freshly baked breads and pastas. From the pizzas to the cold cuts platters, most of the food is meant to be shared at the table center. Also offers a pretty good breakfast. Be sure to make a reservation if you want a table.
313 locals recommend
Lardo
6 Cda. MazatlanLardo’s the newer offering from Rosetta’s Elena Reygadas, heavy on the cured meats and freshly baked breads and pastas. From the pizzas to the cold cuts platters, most of the food is meant to be shared at the table center. Also offers a pretty good breakfast. Be sure to make a reservation if you want a table.
This is our favorite restaurant in the city bar none. If you’re looking to splurge in only one meal, this is your best choice as far as we’re concerned. The setting is beautiful, and the food is hard to beat for freshness and originality. Menu changes with the seasons, everything is sourced farm-to-table, and chef Lalo Garcia has yet to make a dish we didn’t love. Pricier than most of the other options on this list, but absolutely worth every penny. If you choose to go be sure to make a reservation. There are an additional three restaurants from the same chef in the city: seafood place De Mar a Mar, communal restaurant-café Lalo! and French brasserie Havre 77.
289 locals recommend
Máximo Bistrot
65 Bis Av. Álvaro ObregónThis is our favorite restaurant in the city bar none. If you’re looking to splurge in only one meal, this is your best choice as far as we’re concerned. The setting is beautiful, and the food is hard to beat for freshness and originality. Menu changes with the seasons, everything is sourced farm-to-table, and chef Lalo Garcia has yet to make a dish we didn’t love. Pricier than most of the other options on this list, but absolutely worth every penny. If you choose to go be sure to make a reservation. There are an additional three restaurants from the same chef in the city: seafood place De Mar a Mar, communal restaurant-café Lalo! and French brasserie Havre 77.
French inspired Havre 77 is the fourth restaurant from Maximo Bistrot’s Lalo Garcia, and is just as good as all his other offerings. Located in a beautiful recently renovated Porfirian building, Havre 77’s same farm to table philosophy brings forth some excellent dishes if you’re in the mood for French food. We love the oysters, the steak frites and the lobster rolls.
57 locals recommend
Havre 77
77 HavreFrench inspired Havre 77 is the fourth restaurant from Maximo Bistrot’s Lalo Garcia, and is just as good as all his other offerings. Located in a beautiful recently renovated Porfirian building, Havre 77’s same farm to table philosophy brings forth some excellent dishes if you’re in the mood for French food. We love the oysters, the steak frites and the lobster rolls.
We’re probably biased since this restaurant is run by a dear friend of ours, but if you like steaks, burgers and anything else centered around meat then you’ll probably love Carnivoro. I’m a huge fan of the bone marrow Tuetano dishes, but these are admittedly not for everyone. The stars of the menu are the dry aged smoked beef cuts: Vacio, Picaña, New York, Churrasco, Arrachera and Porter House.
7 locals recommend
Carnívoro
138 Avenida YucatanWe’re probably biased since this restaurant is run by a dear friend of ours, but if you like steaks, burgers and anything else centered around meat then you’ll probably love Carnivoro. I’m a huge fan of the bone marrow Tuetano dishes, but these are admittedly not for everyone. The stars of the menu are the dry aged smoked beef cuts: Vacio, Picaña, New York, Churrasco, Arrachera and Porter House.
Newcomer Merkava is one of the rare options for Israeli food in the city. Frequently packed, the place offers a wide assortment of amazing hummus based dishes, as well as some meatier choices. Should you choose to go there we recommend making a reservation.
25 locals recommend
Merkavá
53 AmsterdamNewcomer Merkava is one of the rare options for Israeli food in the city. Frequently packed, the place offers a wide assortment of amazing hummus based dishes, as well as some meatier choices. Should you choose to go there we recommend making a reservation.
Another one of Mónica Patiño’s creations, Casa Virginia sits on top of Delirio. French inspired menu changes with the season, but the dishes are always both exquisite and plentiful, with prices to match. Very good choice if you’re looking to splurge on a memorable meal.
57 locals recommend
Casa Virginia
116 MonterreyAnother one of Mónica Patiño’s creations, Casa Virginia sits on top of Delirio. French inspired menu changes with the season, but the dishes are always both exquisite and plentiful, with prices to match. Very good choice if you’re looking to splurge on a memorable meal.
Chefs Mercedes Bernal and Rodney Cusic have created an outstanding newcomer to Colonia Roma’s food landscape that’s without a doubt my favorite new restaurant of 2019. It can get a little crowded on the weekends, but the food is worth the noise and the wait. I love the roasted artichokes, the milk squab and the callo de hacha tiradito.
42 locals recommend
Meroma
150 ColimaChefs Mercedes Bernal and Rodney Cusic have created an outstanding newcomer to Colonia Roma’s food landscape that’s without a doubt my favorite new restaurant of 2019. It can get a little crowded on the weekends, but the food is worth the noise and the wait. I love the roasted artichokes, the milk squab and the callo de hacha tiradito.
I have mixed feelings about Elly's. The food is perfect and the location is beautiful. However the waitstaff is snobby enough to look down on you if you fail to match the right appetizer to the right entree from a menu that’s a little too precious for my taste. If you don’t mind paying top dollar for a restaurant that feels overly impressed with itself then you’ll have a wonderful meal in a beautiful setting
11 locals recommend
Elly's
310 HamburgoI have mixed feelings about Elly's. The food is perfect and the location is beautiful. However the waitstaff is snobby enough to look down on you if you fail to match the right appetizer to the right entree from a menu that’s a little too precious for my taste. If you don’t mind paying top dollar for a restaurant that feels overly impressed with itself then you’ll have a wonderful meal in a beautiful setting
At some point in your trip you might want to go for some traditional Mexican food that’s neither a comida corrida nor tacos. For those special occasions my first choice would be el Azul. The Condesa branch is closer, but the downtown Azul is far more beautiful. It would be a sin not to order the Chiles en Nogada if they have them on the menu.
237 locals recommend
Azul Historico
30 Isabel La CatólicaAt some point in your trip you might want to go for some traditional Mexican food that’s neither a comida corrida nor tacos. For those special occasions my first choice would be el Azul. The Condesa branch is closer, but the downtown Azul is far more beautiful. It would be a sin not to order the Chiles en Nogada if they have them on the menu.
Em occupies the physical location of Maximo Bistrot's first incarnation. It's conveniently located, with a farm to table approach that implies a darily changing menu. Ingredientes couldn't be fresher, and the staff is as dedicated as they come.
That said, the menu can be a little precious. I'm not one for feeling gauche because I asked for some extra salt. If you like fancy though, it's a fine place really close to the apartment.
10 locals recommend
EMÍLIA RESTAURANT
133 TonaláEm occupies the physical location of Maximo Bistrot's first incarnation. It's conveniently located, with a farm to table approach that implies a darily changing menu. Ingredientes couldn't be fresher, and the staff is as dedicated as they come.
That said, the menu can be a little precious. I'm not one for feeling gauche because I asked for some extra salt. If you like fancy though, it's a fine place really close to the apartment.