Food writer Thomas Rees published a guide to enjoy the best of San Miguel de Allende’s cuisine on The Culture Trip, a website that showcases the best art, culture, food and travel for every country in the world. Here are his top picks for San Miguel’s restautants and cafes:
A warren of cobbled callejones (narrow-streets) and charming colonial buildings, San Miguel de Allende is among the prettiest of Mexico‘s towns. Colorful processions and regular fiestas add to its appeal, as do an excellent array of award-winning restaurants and cafes. Ranging from traditional to cutting edge, they are fast earning San Miguel a reputation as one of Mexico’s culinary capitals.
Moxi
Those looking for serious, high-end cooking in San Miguel can’t do much better than Moxi. Run by Enrique Olvera, one of the country’s foremost chefs and owner of the Mexico City restaurant Pujol, Moxi’s kitchen specializes in innovative and artfully presented takes on Mexican classics. Dishes change with the seasons and include confit leg of suckling pig with almond mole sauce and tamarind puree, and beef carpaccio with rocket and buttermilk. Housed in the boutique Hotel Matilda, Moxi’s dining room is casual but elegant and boasts an impressive art collection.
Zona Centro, 37700 San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico +52 415 152 0883
La Posadita
La Posadita boasts one of the best restaurant locations in San Miguel. The views from its charming roof terrace, with the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel on one side and the surrounding hills and mountains just visible from the other, are a major part of its draw. Homely service accompanies the generous portions of Mexican fare which includes fajitas, stuffed chilies, and cochinita pibil – Yucatan-style shredded pork marinated with orange juice. Pozole, a homely broth beloved across Mexico and a cornerstone of the country’s food culture, is regularly available at weekends and well worth trying. Margaritas from the bar, including a tamarind-flavored twist on the classic recipe, are expertly made and uniformly well received, making La Posadita the perfect spot to unwind after a day’s sight-seeing.
Cento, 37700 San Miguel de Allende, GTO, Mexico, +52 415 154 8862
Via Orgánica
More than just a restaurant, Via Orgánica forms part of a local non-profit organization that runs both a nearby organic farm and a school designed to promote sustainable farming techniques, fair trade and environmentally friendly living. The winner of numerous guidebook plaudits, the cafe itself uses all organic produce, and serves local wines and beer from Via Orgánica’s own microbrewery. With freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, salads, and plenty of vegetarian dishes on the menu, this is the place to come for a taco detox. Breakfast is also a big attraction, with options including pancakes with fresh fruit and homemade granola. More produce from the farm is available from the whole food shop on site.
Calle Margarito Ledesma 2, San Miguel de Allende, Guanjuato, Mexico, +52 415 121 0540
Cafetería San Agustín
An obligatory stop for breakfast or a late night snack, Cafetería San Agustín is something of an institution in San Miguel. Popular with visitors from elsewhere in Mexico on account of its owner, former Mexican soap opera star Margarita Gralia, its similarly renowned for its churros con chocolate: crisp doughnut sticks, dusted in sugar and served with freshly made drinking chocolate for dipping. With its lively coffee-house atmosphere and views of the Iglesia de San Francisco, it’s an excellent place to linger provided there isn’t a lengthy queue. A range of different chocolates are on offer, from dark and rich to sweet. If you’re in the mood for something savory, enchiladas and other Mexican favorites are also available.
San Francisco 21, Zona Centro, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico, +52 415 154 9102
Cafe Firenze
Overlooking the church of San Antonio, Cafe Firenze would be worth a visit for the views alone, but the kitchen, overseen by two chefs from Atlanta, USA, also happens to serve some of the best Italian cuisine in town. Perfect if you’re looking for a change from Mexican fair, Cafe Firenze is known as much for bold Mediterranean flavours as for refined presentation. Its beef short rib has won wide acclaim, with classics like porcini mushroom risotto finished with white truffle oil, carbonara and tiramisu also on the menu. Many ingredients are locally-sourced and organic, while pasta and even smoked salmon is freshly made in-house. With strong representation both from Italy and South America, the wine list is a further strength, as is the friendly and attentive service.
Cafe Firenze, Plaza de San Antonio, # 2 sur, Callejón de San Antonio 1, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico, +52 415 121 0763
Source: The culture trip
