Cantina in Mexico City / Restaurante El Venadito: A cantina with live music in the Verónica Anzures neighborhood
This cantina offers a rotating botana menu with a wide variety of dishes, changing daily.
By Alejandro Pohlenz
Regarding the Verónica Anzures neighborhood, anthropologist Luis Barjau states something quite derogatory: "(an area of CDMX) of pretentious middle-class settlers, who wanted to emulate the then opulent Polanco, but in a small way, lacking the resources of the inhabitants of that one." In the Porfirian era, the Chapultepec forest was surrounded by ranches. One of them was the Anzures. The curious thing is that centuries ago, it had been granted to La Malinche. Veronica was a saint who in the Way of the Cross offered Jesus Christ a cloth to wipe away his sweat. In Food Police we also refer to the cantina El Faro de Cádiz which, like El Venadito, is near the Pemex Tower, in Marina Nacional.
What is special about El Venadito?
It was founded, as announced on its worn-out marquee, in 1937. Its interior is nothing exceptional; perhaps the ceiling can feel a bit low and, therefore, oppressive, but it is clean, quite normal and offers a quiet atmosphere (except for Friday and Saturday, when there is live music). I was saying, the interesting thing here is that the "botana" menu changes every day (in quotes, because, in reality, it is a complete meal).
What does the El Venadito menu include?
With 3 drinks and 4 beers (I'm more of a beer drinker than anything), the menu is free (otherwise, it costs 195 pesos). Among the options are shrimp broth, crema conde (bean soup, I love beans), cochinita pibil tacos (a generous portion), sirloin with salad and French fries, salmon in tamarind sauce (my friend said it was succulent), arrachera chapata, chicken tortas in salsa de árbol (tree chili sauce), pork spine with purslane, beef in its juice and mole. El Venadito is a very decent traditional cantina. On Saturday you can listen to Gisell, María Islas or Annie singing pop covers by Whitney Houston (I got I will love you...) and others. Ask for the waitress Mayte. If you are a soccer fan, in El Venadito you can watch it and ward off boredom with a few beers.
- What we love and you should try: crema conde.
- Address: Bahía de la Ascensión 75-D, Verónica Anzures, CDMX.
- Hours and days of operation: Monday to Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Sundays closed.
- Ideal for: drinks and botanas.
- Payment: cash and cards.
- Accessibility: yes.
- Parking: no.
- Reservations: no.
- Telephone: 55 5260 0957
- Nearby public transport: bus stop at Galería Plaza de las Estrellas.
- Pet Friendly: no.
- Suitable to go with children: no.
- Vegan options: no.
