Cantinas in Mexico City / Restaurante bar El Bosque, an emblematic place in San Miguel Chapultepec
It has existed as a cantina since 1939. Today it offers bar and restaurant service and, they say, has the best salt-crusted fish in the city.
By Alejandro Pohlenz
I came across a new phrase related to cantinas. It says they are "the cradle of sorrows." It doesn't refer to "cradle" as a synonym for origin: cantinas would be, rather, places where one rocks troubles to sleep, as if they were babies. Another advertisement for Restaurante-bar El Bosque brings a smile: "originally a cantina and now too."
The origin of Cantina del Bosque
It has been a cantina since 1939, when President Lázaro Cárdenas ruled and machismo prevailed (women did not acquire the right to vote until 1953). Years later (in 1981 it changed ownership) a division was made in the El Bosque cantina: on one side, the bar for men; on the other, the restaurant with access to the (misnamed) "weaker sex."
The pandemic infected Restaurante-bar El Bosque. They had to intubate it and it almost died if not for an investment fund that rescued and reformed the place. Currently, the traditional bar and some of the old cooks and waiters are preserved. It is a very comfortable place where you can not only try to forget your hardships, play dominoes or dice, or talk with friends about controversial topics, such as religion, soccer or politics, but also where you can eat well.
The Cantina el Bosque menu
The specialty that everyone talks about is the salt-crusted fish. (Some have said that it is the best salt-crusted fish in Mexico. I cannot confirm). To prepare this fish, it is completely covered, so that it cooks in its own vapors inside a kind of chamber or crust of salt. They recommend the milanesa manchega, gratinéed with a layer of guajillo chili. The Tribilín stands out: meat, shrimp and fish. And the most illustrious drink is the cascada: vodka, lemon soda and citrus extract. As soon as you sit down, they give you the botana of the day (courtesy of the house) and a bull that was pardoned, but died as soon as it left the plaza, does not take its eyes off you.
- What we love and you should try: salt-crusted fish and milanesa manchega.
- What we don't like so much: the tongue tacos and the gender separation.
- Address: 13 de Septiembre 29, San Miguel Chapultepec, CDMX.
- Hours and days of operation: Sunday and Monday 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday and Saturday 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
- Ideal for: drinking, snacking and eating.
- Payment: cash and cards.
- Accessibility: yes.
- Parking: no.
- Reservations: yes
- Phone: 55 5256 5370
- Nearby public transportation: Chapultepec Metro.
- Pet Friendly: no.
- Suitable to go with children: no.
- Vegan options: no.
