The Food Police Guide to Cantinas in Mexico City / El Mirador de Chapultepec, a cantina of lineage and elegance in a stately neighborhood.
Frequented by politicians, businessmen, and celebrities.
By Anna Lagos / Photos courtesy by El Mirador
Legend has it that at the bar of El Mirador Chapultepec cantina, founded in 1904, up to three lines would form to wait for service and that some people loved to eat there because it was fun to watch customers fight over tables.
El Mirador, acquired by "Don Juan Celorio Torres, a well-known figure in the world of fine dining," as stated on the same website of this cantina, is one of those places that is visited for the atmosphere, respectful of traditions, and also for the food. The crowd is well-dressed and elegant. The bar includes the classics: pure liquors and beer, but also wines and cocktails.
El Mirador, acquired by "Don Juan Celorio Torres, a well-known figure in the world of fine dining," as stated on the same website of this cantina, is one of those places that is visited for the atmosphere, respectful of traditions, and also for the food. The crowd is well-dressed and elegant. The bar includes the classics: pure liquors and beer, but also wines and cocktails.
Sitting there, you'll understand what it takes for a place to operate for about 120 years. First, the service, which guides you from the moment you arrive until you leave (I swear, even the valet parking). Second, a classic kitchen without unnecessary frills. One of its specialties is the Tribilín: shrimp, beef fillet, marinated fish with olive oil, Maggi sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, onion, and roasted chilies. The other, perhaps the most famous, is the milanesa manchega: a sheet of breaded beef fillet with ham, a crust of Manchego cheese, and mashed potatoes. Not to mention the chamorro tacos, tongue tacos, and burnt tortilla chips with salt, lime, and pepper.
For dessert, don't forget to order a bartolo de crema that is cooked in the ovens of La Vasca, a pastry shop founded by Señorita Aurora Valle Lombide, who was strictly trained by nuns in the art of dessert making since she was a child, and whose desserts, by order, were taken to the Kings of Spain in the thirties. Also, don't miss ordering the pámpano a la sal, a dish that is ordered upon arrival, as a sort of ritual among diners. Try it because it runs out. And remember to make a reservation!
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The bartolo has earned its fame, really don't forget to reserve it upon your arrival.
- Address: Av Chapultepec 606, San Miguel Chapultepec I Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City.
- Phone: 55 5286 2161
- Hours: Monday to Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sundays close at 8:00 p.m.
- Ideal for: Eating well and for the atmosphere, respectful of traditions.
- Type of cuisine: Mexican and Spanish.
- Payment: Cash and cards.
- Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
- Parking: Yes
- Beer price: $63
- Reservations: Yes.
- Nearby public transport: Metro Chapultepec
- Pet friendly: No
- Suitable for children: No
