Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Mexico / Máximo, a Fascinating Spot with Sustainable Cuisine
After a turbulent journey, the masterminds behind this restaurant created an extraordinary, light-filled space where they serve dishes crafted from seasonal, locally sourced Mexican ingredients.
By Alejandro Pohlenz
Do you think it’s possible to earn 32 Michelin Stars? Sounds unbelievable, right? Well, French chef Joël Robuchon (1945–2018) achieved exactly that — he was basically the Michael Phelps of fine dining — earning those stars across his many restaurants. Here’s another fun fact: which city do you think has the most Michelin stars? I would’ve guessed Paris. But no — it’s Tokyo, boasting over 400 stars.
Now, let’s talk about a restaurant with a simple yet perfect name: Máximo. As in, “the best — period.” Máximo recently earned one of those coveted Michelin stars. It’s also featured among the Top 50 Restaurants that “reinvented” themselves after the dark days of the pandemic. The restaurant’s philosophy? “We focus on the best local ingredients available to us. Ours is a sustainable cuisine, built on seasonal Mexican products and close, transparent relationships with our suppliers.” (Have you noticed that nearly every Mexican restaurant to earn a star so far shares this same belief — proximity and sustainability?)
A Winding Life Story
The story of one of Máximo’s founders is nothing short of remarkable. Born in Michoacán, he moved with his family to the United States, where they worked in the fields. He started out as a dishwasher, got caught up in a robbery, and ended up in jail. Later, he became a chef — but in 2007, he was deported. Back in Mexico, he worked at Pujol, partnered (and married) Gabriela López, and together they opened a tiny bistro. Their rise was meteoric, and by 2020 — yes, the year the pandemic began — they had relocated to Álvaro Obregón.
The Food at Máximo
Here’s part of their June 17, 2025 menu:
Plantain and macadamia bread, burrata, octopus ceviche, crab tlayuda, picaña tonatto (that’s a tuna-based sauce), corn soup, lamb birria sincronizada, tagliatelle with oxtail ragù, free-range pork tenderloin, wagyu beef tongue, wagyu New York strip ($1,450 MXN), and a wagyu cheeseburger. There’s also a tasting menu. The space itself is stunning — a glass ceiling floods the dining room with natural light and calm.
- What we love and recommend: the Wagyu New York strip.
- What we don’t love so much: you know my activism about octopus — and with all due respect, I’m not sure how octopus qualifies as “local cuisine.”
- Address: Álvaro Obregón 65 Bis, Roma Norte, Mexico City
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 1:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Closed Sunday
- Perfect for: Lunch or dinner
- Payment: Cash and cards
- Nearest transit: Metrobús Cuauhtémoc, Jardín Pushkin stop
- Accessibility: Yes
- Reservations: Yes
- Phone: +52 55 5264 4291 / 55 5525 2687
- Pet Friendly: No
- Good for kids: Yes
- Vegan options: Yes
