1. La Rifa Chocolatería

La Rifa Chocolatería was actually both the first and last place I visited during my time in Mexico City – it became a statement to come here with friends, to write, to celebrate, to recuperate, and everything in between.

My absolute favourite thing about this place is the fact that the supply chain is completely transparent, with the staff knowing absolutely everything about the origin, processing, and livelihoods of the chocolate producers. They have built such strong relationships with their farmers and the love from farm to cup is evident in each sip – this is the original, gritty method of chocolate consumption, and it’s absolutely delicious.

Plus, they have these little pig-shaped biscuits which are divine.

C. Dinamarca 47, Cuauhtémoc, 06600

2. Piloncillo y cascabel

I’ll be honest: I’m really not a big fan of mezcal. However, I am a big fan of places where the staff really take their time to care for you and explain the origins and stories behind their products.

Here, I learnt about mezcal processing, the tierra that it comes from, and the many different resulting flavours. Plus, I ate worms for the first time – I was told that the flavour of the small side dishes really brought out the inherent tones of the mezcal.

Honestly, even without liking the taste of mezcal, I absolutely have to recommend this place as one of the top sites you need to explore in Mexico City. I absolutely loved it here – k know that you’re going to, too.

Torres Adalid 1263, Narvarte Poniente, Benito Juárez, 03020

3. Taquería Los Güeros de López

Obviously, whilst in Mexico City you’re really going to be able to indulge in tacos. Honestly, I didn’t know that there were quite so many types – but bloody hell, the taco img list seems endless.

Here, I tried so many different flavours for the first time – No they were all incredible. Namely, I need to recommend the suadero (brisket), lengua (tongue), and tripa (intestines). They also sell tacos de ojo (eye), but I was slightly too weak to give them a try. Let me know how they taste!

C. López 93, Colonia Centro, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06090

4. Tamales Iztamalli

Av. Luis Hidalgo Monroy 9-29, San Pablo, Iztapalapa, 09000

Upon arriving in Mexico City, I was told that one beverage that I absolutely needed to try was champurrado. Basically, this is a drink made from corn dough and chocolate, and would quickly become one of my favourite things ever.

I tried it for the first time here, accompanied with a tamal filled with chocolate sauce and chicken – believe it or not, this was a divine combination quite possibly sent down from the gods.

When I eventually return to Mexico City, this will be one of the first places that I will stop. No words.

5. Pulquería Las Duelistas

Honestly, I’m not a big fan of pulque, fermented -, but in this pulquería, I started to change my mind.

Not only are the vibes in this place super warm and welcoming, but the pulque is smooth, sweet, and hot too slimy. It’s the perfect introduction to this iconic Mexico City drink, and I adore the artwork that fills the interior of the place. You’re going to love it.

Aranda 28, Colonia Centro, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06400

6. Churrería El Moro

Any foreigner will recommend this place without hesitation – but then again, so will the locals. This churrería was established in 1935 and since then, it ha produced the best churros in the city without fail.

One of my favourite things about this churrería is that it offers lactose-free options: ideal for someone who loves to binge chocolate products without wanting to risk the livelihood of their stomach.

Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 42, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000

7. Por Siempre Vegana

For the absolute best vegan tacos in the city, you need to head to Por Siempre Vegana. During my time in Mexico City, I tried a lot of both vegan- and non-vegan taco places, and this came out as one of my favourites.

The vibes are good, the prices are decent, and the agua de Jamaica is the best that you’ll find in the whole city. Thank me later.

C. Manzanillo 18, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700

8. Taquería El Califa

My absolute favourite taco is al pasto, which has fresh pineapple pieces wedged between the meat. It might sound a little odd, but the mix of sweet and savoury comes together to create something absolutely otherworldly.

And to be completely frank, my favourite al pasto comes from here, El Califa; the flavours combine to almost taste a little like Jaffa Cakes. Try it. Your world is about to be changed.

Av. P.º de la Reforma 382, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600

9. La Puerta de Quetzalcoatl

I have such fond memories of this place. I was first introduced to this place via a Couchsurfing language exchange event, and since then. I’ve visited a handful of times – namely, to celebrate my 24th birthday and to commemorate my (hopefully brief) absence from the city.

The owners are all so incredibly lovely and during my celebrations made sure that everything was super special and personal. The food is amazing, the vibes are stunning, and it will forever be a special place in my heart. I love it here.

C. Zaragoza 9, Santa Catarina, Coyoacán, 04010

10. Dooriban

For my final favourite food place in Mexico City, I was almost tempted to talk about the tacos in Orinoco or the pastries in Saint, but I think I’ll go for something completely different: Korean food.

The tea here is the best in the city (the second best is Gin Cha) and the food is absolutely divine. This is my favourite place to go on little dates with friends, and I will always make such a big event out of coming here for the night.

Tabasco, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700

Culinary Backstreets

You’re probably wondering if I have any food tour recommendations.

In every country that has a Culinary Backstreets, I like to join their tour. This is hands down one of the best companies I have ever gone out on and I shall forever be loyal to them. Last time, I went with them in Istanbul.

One of my favourite things about this tour is the fact that not only does it take you to the best food spots in the city but it offers the opportunity to really get under the skin of a place and learn about its stories.

In Mexico City, Culinary Backstreets offered a lot of variety, we walked through a lot of beautiful reas where Elizabeth, my guide, brought out her incredible storytelling skills and made it all come alive. She also showed us ow to use the metro and act around the areas we were in, making it the perfect welcome to become more comfortable in travelling Mexico City sola.

Hungry Nomads

I also have to recommend Hungry Nomads. This was the cheapest tour but also managed to pack in a lot, mainly visiting small stalls…

My guide, John (and also owner of the tour company), was extremely down to earth and easy to get along with, and by the end it felt as though we had been friends. I actually went on this tour at the end of my stay in Mexico City after frequenting the same places for many months and it brought a fresh breath of air that I’d needed – we went through local neighbourhoods which I’d not yet explored.

It was a six-hour tour but it went by so fast, and this tour honestly had the most food and variety.

Eat México

Finally, I’d like to recommend Eat Mexico where I went on a city taco tour. My guide, Adrian, knew an awful lot about tacos (honestly, before the tour I still thought that tacos came in hard shells) and didn’t hold back on taking us to the best stalls in the city.

One of my favourite things about this tour was the fact that Adrian made it clear that we could order as much food as we wanted, and at the end of each stop asked if anyone fancies seconds or thirds.

This was also my first night tour and I loved being able to wander around Mexico City at night and feel completely taken care of.