Lebanese Food CDMX / Al Andalus, authentic Lebanese cuisine with 3 locations
The first restaurant was founded in Mexico City’s Historic Center, inside a 17th-century house, by a Lebanese immigrant.
By Alejandro Pohlenz
The Lebanese community in Mexico is quite significant (one very notable son of Lebanese immigrants is Carlos Slim). They emigrated from that Middle Eastern country in two waves: between 1878 and 1900, and the larger one starting in 1910, right before World War I. Although in Mexico they were immediately labeled as “Arabs,” most were actually Maronite Christians fleeing the Ottoman Empire (which collapsed in 1922). Maronite Christianity is connected to the Roman Catholic Church, though its rites and traditions differ (the Mass is even given in another language). The interesting part is that, being Christians, they were accepted in Mexico with relative ease.
I also find it fascinating that “tacos árabes” (brought by the Lebanese) were the ancestors of tacos al pastor. Tacos árabes are called shawarma, made of marinated lamb and cooked on a vertical rotisserie.
Who founded Al Andalus?
One of the notable Lebanese immigrants to Mexico was Mr. Mohamed Mazeh, originally from Tyre, who lived in Granada (hence the name Al Andalus, since that city belongs to the Andalusia region of Spain). Once in Mexico, he began by selling tacos árabes and later found a 17th-century house in the historic center, where he opened the Al Andalus restaurant in a bright, pleasant space. (There are now branches in Nápoles and San Ángel.)
What’s on the menu?
The food is classic Lebanese: grape leaves, dried jocoque (eaten with pita bread), tabbouleh (a wonderful salad made with bulgur), mashed chickpeas and eggplant (also eaten with pita), raw keffe (similar to steak tartare), and keffe bola (breaded and fried lamb). There are also meat skewers and tacos al pastor.
My friend Sandra, also of Lebanese descent, has invited my wife and me to eat at her home in San Jerónimo. What’s astonishing is that all the food is on the table at the same time. It’s like an homage to abundance: the hot dishes and cold dishes form a kind of buffet so fabulous you unfortunately don’t know when to stop eating.
By the way, don’t skip the desserts, though they might send you into a diabetic coma—they’re very sweet!
- What we love and you must try: raw keffe, grape leaves, tabbouleh.
- What we don’t love as much: we love everything!
- Address: Calle Mesones 171, Centro Histórico, CDMX.
- Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
- Ideal for: breakfast and lunch.
- Payment: cash and cards.
- Accessibility: yes.
- Phone: 55 5522 2528
- Reservations: none.
- Nearby public transport: Metro Pino Suárez.
- Pet Friendly: no.
- Kid-friendly: yes.
- Vegan options: yes.
