Cantinas in CDMX / Salón Puebla: diplomats and paella
Salón Puebla cantina (free snacks cantina) in Santa María La Ribera resists, like every traditional cantina, the passage of time. The sangrita with a well-aligned caballito is witness to its paella in the north of Mexico City.
By: Youyi Mayora Eng**
Photos courtesy of: Facebook Salón Puebla
In 1859, the Santa María ranch was subdivided. It was the last remnant of the old Teja Hacienda, very close to San Cosme Avenue. The Santa María La Ribera neighborhood began its journey into the history of Mexico City; along its streets, neighbors would see Gerardo Murillo (Dr. Atl) and Amado Nervo walking.
At Fresno Street number 246, corner with Eligio Ancona, the Salón Puebla cantina remains undefeated after countless decades. Gone are the times when the tram shook the ground with its heavy rails, causing the patrons inside to vibrate. Founded in 1943, during World War II, under the presidency of Mexico's last military leader, General Manuel Ávila Camacho, Salón Puebla has witnessed the evolution of its neighborhood and the now disappeared Federal District. Its tables have witnessed countless meetings of Mexican foreign service members who used to come to the cantina for some rounds of chess, when the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was nearby.
What do they sell at the cantina?
Protocol dictates that they write today's snack on a piece of paper: shrimp broth, seafood soup, mushroom quesadillas, pork trotters, grilled meat. With three drinks or four beers, it's on the house. If you're thirsty, you won't pay for the food. But I'm inclined towards a tempting torta that caught my attention: egg and chorizo torta; straight to the heart and to the memory of taste. The semicircular bar gives it a different touch, the wise and aged bartender stands like a pirate observing his destiny, his horizon, his ocean. The table next door tastes of Valencia paella, because they say it's one of the best around. Our waiter tells us that they have a buffet on Saturdays, so I have to come back. The season for chiles en nogada is approaching. The waiter says it with pride and a smile that invites curiosity. Salón Puebla Cantina fulfills its purpose. A witness to the passage of time, an accomplice to the charm of appetite, and undoubtedly, a guardian of eternal Santa María La Ribera neighborhood.
- Address: Fresno 246 corner Eligio Ancona, Santa María La Ribera neighborhood
- Operating hours: Monday to Saturday 12:45 pm to 10:00 pm
- Ideal for: lunch, dinner
- Type of food: Mexican and Spanish
- Payment: cash and cards
- Accessibility: yes
- Parking: valet parking available
- Reservations: advisable on Fridays and Saturdays
- Phone: 55 2630 1453
- Nearby public transport: San Cosme, Normal metro stations
- Pet friendly: no
- Suitable for children: no
- Vegan options: no
