Photo: Melissa BarnettSan Miguel’s culinary base is growing. From street food to five-star dining, we found culinary treasures everywhere this year. When naming our favorites for 2015, it was easy. We ate at every one of these restaurants at least a half a dozen times and kept pretty extensive tasting notes, ordering new dishes most of the time. There were times that we went back to ordering our favorite things simply because no other place in town made it better.
So what makes a restaurant stand above the rest besides who is doing the cooking? In-season, local ingredients, consistency, and service are important requirements for us.
A dining experience is very personal. It’s all about the people you’re with or even the mood that you’re in. A number of variables influence whether or not you’re going to have a fantastic meal. Make it one! A huge part of the entire experience is controlled by you and this is one of the many reasons that we did not have a bad meal this year, eating out multiple times a day. We’ll admit that some were better than others.
Passion breeds consistency and the restaurants listed below delivered every single time we ate there. Some of them are listed for the second year in a row.
Whether your experience brings you back to the same taco cart week after week or a remarkable burger every Thursday night, one thing’s for certain: Big budget or small budget, San Miguel provides plenty of dining options for anyone who savors the experience of great food.
Bon Appétit!
Best Restaurateur
Photo: Angela Lewis Serrano
Chef Donnie Masterton
The RestaurantSollano #16Blame the food revolution in San Miguel on Donnie Masterton, Chef-Owner of The Restaurant and one of the producers of the highly successful food festival, Sabores San Miguel.
Having built his reputation slowly and steadily since The Restaurant opened in 2008, Chef Masterton always makes dining an interesting and delightful experience. His food has been creative and consistent since the start.
Masterton’s formula is simple: passion and fresh, local ingredients.
From training a legion of talented chefs to his latest ventures, Tacolicious and Birdie’s Burgers, opening in 2016, Chef Donnie Masterton has the Midas touch.
No chef has done more to influence a community and its’ food culture than Masterton. He has elevated the international profile of San Miguel cooking and has led the way to establishing SMA as a new culinary center in Mexico.
Best Restaurant
B’ui cocina de campo
Owner: Daniel EstebaranzOn the equestrian grounds at Otomi’s residential area outside of SMA Km 2 Camino a San Miguel el ViejoI call it “The B’ui Experience” because I was captivated, not just by the setting - in stunningly beautiful Otomi, just outside of San Miguel de Allende - but by everything… from the outstanding food and wine, to the extraordinary service and the state of its’ simple, country elegance.
I ate there a dozen times in 2015 and each meal reached the same, consistent level of excellence.
Owner Daniel Estebaranz provides everything you dream about what a restaurant experience should be…and then some.
Best Dish
Beef shoulder, carrots and onions, burned cabbage, wine reduction and burnt bread infusion
Chef Matteo SalasAperiDos Casas Boutique Hotel and SpaQuebrada 101The first time I had this meal, I wrote: “When did I ever like a main course more than the dessert? Yesterday, at Aperi, Chef Matteo Salas stunned me by a simple ingredient, a carrot, that completely altered my view of vegetables and how chefs cook them. It’s a day later and I can still taste the flavor.”
Why is this dish so good? Because it’s been delicious every time I’ve ordered it…and Chef Matteo Salas cooked it.
If I could pick my last supper, this would be it.
Best Chef
Chef Marko Antoine Cruz SanchezBu’i – cocina de campoOn the equestrian grounds at Otomi’s residential area outside of SMA Km 2 Camino a San Miguel el ViejoExecutive Chef Marko Antoine Cruz Sanchez not only worked at Au Pied du Cochon, a highly rated restaurant in Mexico City’s Polanco district that is noted for its French food, but he managed Hotel Condesa DF, and was part of Chef Enrique Olvera’s team.
After a short stint with Chef Enrique Olvera at Pujol, he joined Daniel Estebaranz to open La Estacion. In the beginning, Olvera created the menu and Marko applied his recipes and techniques. Two and a half years ago, Marko took control of the kitchen and is the now Executive Chef at both B'ui - cocina de campo and La Estacion.
After a dozen meals, Chef Marko Cruz has missed the high spot only once which is quite remarkable. Marko is shown here with his young son.
Be sure to order the tasting menu, which provides the best sampling of his high-quality cooking. Mind-blowing food is always served and expected.
Study his plating techniques and you’ll understand why no one comes close to his genius. We think this chef is missing a Michelin star or two.
Best Private Chef
Chef Michael CoonCasa de Cocinasinsiderroute@aol.comMichael Coon is a chef who understands the flavors deeply rooted in other cultures. The world renowned food and travel expert is the former Travel Director and Co Creator of theCulinary Institute of America’sWorld's of Flavor tours.
Michael owns the Inside Route Tour Company. He’s a respected teacher, favorite guest chef, seasoned MC at the Napa Valley Film Fest, expert culinary leader and is currently working on his first book.
He makes food entertainment beyond the momentary experience of food. If you want to know the dishes and flavors that will find their way into mainstream dining in the next six months, just ask Michael. I often wonder where he hides his crystal ball.
Best Food Festival TIE: Sabores San Miguel and SMA Food Festival
It's hard to believe that San Miguel put two food shows, two weeks apart, into the record books this past year thanks to Sabores San Miguel producers Donnie Masterton and Angela Lewis Serrano and SMA Food Festival's principal trio: Ricardo Pare Trejo, Daniel Estebaranz and Jorge Alarcon L.
Although some people made an effort to compare the two shows, they were both very different; Sabores highlighted San Miguel’s restaurants and the SMA Food Festival was a celebration of its chefs.
Both shows did a remarkable job to further position San Miguel as an emerging culinary center in Mexico.
Look for the 2016 event dates at:
Best New Restaurant
Chefs Bricio Dominguez and Paco RonceroLa Canica Pila Seca #2Chef Bricio Dominguez is a driving force in the culinary landscape in San Miguel. Pair him with a 2 star Michelin chef from Spain and you have an instant recipe for success.
La Canica is beautiful, whimsical and distinctively different from any other restaurant in SMA. The converted old mansion makes an inconspicuous statement that other restaurants just don’t communicate.
With tapas, a bottle of wine and a seat in the window of the light-filled front room, you’ll wonder if you’ve been transported to Spain.
It’s a diversion that I could repeat daily.
Best Mixologist
Miguel BastidaZUMOOrizaba 87-9Stewart Haverlack’s ZUMO is a beautiful restaurant with a killer view. Pair it with a Mixologist like Miguel Bastida and you have a place to write home about.
Starting as a bar helper in Cuernavaca when he was just 14, he has risen through the ranks; did a stint at Rosewood, Patio 3 and Hotel El Palomar before landing at ZUMO.
What’s on Miguel’s cocktail menu changes daily and he adapts his drinks to the taste of the amuse bouche; the time at which the cocktails are first served to the guests as an introduction to the dinner.We think his cocktails are unmatched. Photo of Miguel: Cindy Buhle
Best $3 Lunch: El Tucan, Hernandez Macias #56
At SMA's favorite cheap eat, these rolled tacos are overstuffed with chicken and topped with so many healthy vegetables you'll forget they were ever fried in a pan of oil to begin with.
Bring a hearty appetite and leave your Spanish dictionary at home. Alex cooked for many years back in Chicago and speaks textbook English.
Don’t be put off by this little dive. Alex cooks everything fresh and made to order.
Best Asian: Aguamiel cocina rustica, Pipila 3A, Colonia San Antonio
The best Asian dishes should come from an Asian restaurant, right? Wrong.
Chef Gaby Green’s Asian creations are some of her best. Gaby has that innate feel for what pairs well together. She understands how to blend and balance flavors which is especially noticeable in Asian food.
We can’t think of one Asian dish we’ve tried here that we didn’t love.
Best Appetizers: The Restaurant Sollano #16
Give into temptation. At Donnie Masterson's restaurant, known for its anything but predictable offerings, you can order a bunch of really terrific appetizers and call it a meal.
From the BBQ ribs that are now back on the menu to dumplings and duck egg rolls, we guarantee this feast will be one of your best.
Consistently superior because they’re all made with locally sourced ingredients.
Best Bakery:El Petit Four, Mesones 99-1
San Miguel is filled with bakeries and restaurants serving desserts that are often just too beautiful to eat. Petit Four Bakery turns two of our favorite indulgences, chocolate and tequila, into desserts to write home about. This is the only bakery in town that makes authentic, French pastries.
Take a cooking class from Chef Paco Cardenas. He provides an inspired culinary introduction to the city.
Best Barbacoa: Rodriquez Family Barbacoa, Tianguis de Martes
Imagine barbacoa, lamb wrapped in maguey leaves and cooked in the ground overnight. It's on the breakfast menu and this stand is an early morning favorite at San Miguel's Tianguis de Martes.
Grab a half cup of caldo and an extra helping of Barbacoa, then load up with chopped cilantro, onions and a squeeze of lime. You wouldn't crave another thing all day.
How many times will you have to go in order to name every Rodriquez family member? I bet you can’t do it the first time around. That’s OK though; It’s well worth it to make this a weekly routine.
Best Beef Taco: Don Santos Tacos Clavel 8 off Refugio Sur
Don Santos earns its accolades with authentic Mexican food at this location and a satellite at the Tianguis on Tuesday.The thin strips of beef are cooked in a pile of intestines and chorizo. It’s so well flavored and tender you can’t stop eating them. Honestly, I could pull them right off the grill they are that good.
Heap on a mound of onions, cilantro and some of their remarkable salsas. There is a reason Aprei chef Chef Matteo Salas wants to stage here.
Best Beer: Diablos,Cerveceria Dos Aves
We recently attended the 3rd Anniversary of the Gold Metal Brewery Cerveceria Dos Aves for the release of Diablos, a Belgian Golden Strong Ale.
Hands down, it’s my new favorite beer…a pretty bold statement for someone who’s not even a beer drinker.
BestBirria: Birria Xalisco, Salida a Celaya #81
Birria Xalisco, a restaurant in Celaya, just opened a location in San Miguel.
Birria, a spicy stew from the state of Jalisco, is made with goat meat that is marinated in adobo spices. It’s another reputed hangover remedy that apparently works according to my amigo at the neighboring table. It brought him back to life after just two helpings.
Get a double on the meat and you’ll be full and happy when you hit the bottom of the bowl. There’s an array of salsas on the table to spice it up to the level of heat that you can’t resist.
Best Breakfast: Huevos Mexicanas, Café Oso Azul, Zacateros 17
The cafe looks typically Scandinavian with its white walls and blue-washed wooden tables and chairs; you might even think for a moment you're in Denmark.
Denmark's diet is among the healthiest in the world, so it is no surprise that Jens, the Danish owner of this Mexican restaurant, is trying to create a healthy menu with simple food.
This little cast-iron skillet, sizzling to the touch, is filled with a combination of eggs, tomatoes, onion, cilantro and cheese. Add on a side order of delicious, homemade Italian sausage.
The dish will delight even the hard-to-please breakfast buff looking for a solid meal after a high-spirited celebration the night before.
Best Cajun (Gumbo): Hanks New Orleans Café and Oyster Bar Hidalgo #12
It's not my Gumbo but hey, 1219 miles from New Orleans it's the closest thing you're going to get this side of the border.
This Creole in a cup is made with chicken, sausage and shrimp and just like New Orleans, it's a warm-up before you go dancing in the parade.
Do I think I’m in New Orleans when I eat it? Only during Happy Hour.
Best Caldo: Andy’s Tacos, Insurgentes y Hidalgo
Now I have two good reasons to go to SMA’s most celebrated street food cart.
The latest delight to come out of Andy’s portable kitchen is caldo made with the scraps, bones and drippings of the meat.
Comfort food pleasurably simple, it wowed everyone who was eager to get an instant cup of warmth on a cold December night. With no exception, everyone who tried it loved it.
Like the old proverb goes, “I now believe that good broth will resurrect the dead.” Just don’t wait for Day of the Dead to try it. It’s as delicious and intense as it looks.
Best Carnitas:Bautista Brothers, Guadiana #2
If you saw carnitas being cooked in large vats of fat, I’m sure you wouldn’t make a steady diet of this street treat…or would you? The flavor is unmatched so you will be tempted.
Bautista Brothers is an institution in San Miguel. I recently was reunited with the original at Guadiana #2.
Guadiana #2 is the heart of the Bautista Brothers operation. The carnitas are cooked here, along with a house down the alley and up the stairs where you can also buy bones to make soup.
The tortas made here are so much better than the ones at Tianguis de Martes. They come straight out of the fryer into your sandwich. The bread is also made by a commercial baker and is like no other torta I’ve had in San Miguel.
Bautista Brothers has pop up stands all over SMA that serve late night and two stands at Tianguis de Martes that are serving when I get there at 9:00 AM.
In a torta or on a fresh tortilla, carnitas is at the top of my list of the best street food in SMA. Now, let’s see if you can resist going back for seconds. I never can.
Best Cheese: La Cava, Los Frailes, Real de La Canada #3 also try their bacon
Sometimes, you’ve got to go a long way to get the best. This place is one of them.
It’s in Los Frailes now so it’s not as accessible as it use to be but their Blue Cheese is still one of my favorite addictions. You’ll be enthusiastic about every other selection too.
When it comes to Blue Cheese, this cheese store has no competition in town.
Best Churros: San Agustín Chocolates & Churros, San Francisco 21
San Agustin’s is an institution with cult status. The dueña, Margarita Gralia, is a beloved telenovela star and the walls in this restaurant are a shrine to her career.
The deep-fried pastries, a relative of the doughnut, come in a variety of flavors; chocolate, strawberry, dulce de leche and cajeta. They are usually served plain or sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar when they come out of the fryer.
Order a side of Mexican hot chocolate for dunking. Trying to sink every, tiny multi-colored marshmallow that floats on the top of your cup will make you question whether you ever want to grow up; I didn't think so. Life's too much fun as a big kid.
Best Cocktails: ZUMO, Orizaba 87-9
ZUMO has the best cocktail menu in town. Amen.
Mixologist Miguel Bastida is the imagination behind the infamous Flaming Zumo, a combination of Mezcal, apple liquor, fresh pear, orange and chili ancho. It’s a drink I call the upscale version of a perfect margarita.
Best Cocktails - National: La Mezcaleria Correo #47-A
This Pepino y Cilantro Margarita, made with cucumbers and cilantro, will make you wonder why you ever drank Margaritas made with anything but fresh fruits and vegetables.
In the traditional style, you’re served fresh orange slices and chapulines on the side. The combination of the salty, sweet and tart highlights the smoky flavor of the mezcal. You might need another shot just to wash down the idea of eating small grasshoppers that are toasted with garlic and lime, and seasoned with powdered chili, salt and gusano, the caterpillar that lives off the agave plant.
A delight for the adventurous traveler whose taste buds are looking for something typically Mexican.
If you’re a die-hard, skip the mix and go straight to the Mezcal.
Best Coffee: Lavanda Café, Hernandez Macias #87
Do people come here for the coffee or the breakfast?
Lavanda was created by Chef Karla Becerra Martinez and her partner Victor, who is the head barista and will be representing Lavanda in a major coffee competition this coming February.
Lavanda buys two coffees from Oaxaca and surprisingly, one from Guerrero. The state coffee association asked Guerrero farmers to adopt a natural process for their coffees in order to distinguish them from other Mexican coffees. The result is a full bodied coffee with a surprising finish.
Those who like it claim it’s some of the best coffee in Mexico. I am one of them.
Best Consistent Cuisine: Hecho en Mexico Ancho de San Antonio #8
Hecho en Mexico has one great thing going for it: a level of performance which does not vary greatly in quality over time. When you order the Cobb Salad, you get the same Cobb salad that you ordered last week.
This is the main reason that Hecho en Mexico is one of San Miguel’s favorite restaurants. It’s consistent and that’s saying something in a town where consistency is not always a priority.
Best Croissant: Cumpanio Correo 29
Butter, Butter and more butter. The better-than-Paris croissants at Cumpanio are no longer. Cumpanio changed their recipe and we’re beyond disappointed.
We are on the hunt for a standout in this category. Stay tuned.
From Bianco e Nero, individual lemon pies and dazzling Panna Cotta, Laura Buccheri is the master of great desserts.
The first time I went to La Cucina di Afrodita, Laura served 6 desserts. I ate every one of them. Yesterday, she served five. I did it again.
Give into the delicious homemade Limoncello but don’t blame it on me when you end up taking a few dozen bottles home.
Best Doughnut: Panaderia La Buena Vida Hernandez Macias #72
This doughnut on steroids tempts me every Saturday morning. I’m not exactly sure what Melissa does but they’re the best and biggest doughnuts in town. The texture is just different and nothing like anything I’ve eaten before.
I love the orange but the sugar and chocolate have become cravings as well.
Best English Muffins: La Mesa Grande, # 49 ZacaterosWhy fight it. This is an infatuation I can’t seem to get past. Once you’ve tasted these English muffins, you’ll never want to buy them at a supermarket again.Eat them the day you buy them. They’re fresh and do not keep.
Best Enchiladas: Tacos Don Felix En La Casa, 15th Fray Juan de San Miguel
For someone who never liked enchiladas, the Enchiladas Gloria transformed me. These
Tortillas, stuffed with chicken AND pork, covered in red and green sauce and swimming in melted cheese are my new favorite craving. Now this is how you make an enchilada!
Best French Fries:Moxi at Hotel Matilda, Aldama 53
Pure indulgence; truffled and covered in parmesan cheese.
Close your eyes because this is what heaven tastes like.Best German: Berlin Bar Umaran #19
We love this restaurant for its German comfort food; try the Oven roasted pork shank, served with spinach and herbed mashed potatoes.
A fun happy hour with a Cheers-like atmosphere, this bar just might become a habit after going just once.
Best Gordita: Gorditas deMigajas at Bautista Brothers, Guadiana #2
Gorditas de Migajas y Queso are typically made in Queretaro but the last time I was in Bautista Brothers at Guadiana #2, they were making them there without the cheese.
Crumbs or migajas are what’s left in the bottom of the pan after cooking the carnitas. They are tucked into a pocket of masa and hand-formed into a neatly stuffed gordita. Watch them being pulled off the hot comal without even burning a finger and you’ll understand that this is a skill that takes plenty of practice to master.
I’ve always favored costillas but migajas are the real jewel of the mix. Full of magnificent pork flavor, it’s now one of my favorite street eats in San Miguel.
Best Hamburger: The Restaurant, Sabores San Miguel
Every Thursday night, you get to select from a long list of delicious, gourmet burgers. This simple In and Out Burger with a secret sauce is one of my favorites. The fried potatoes are a superb substitution for french fries.
Burger night has become so popular, a new burger restaurant, Birdie’s Burgers, is in the mix of Masterton’s openings in 2016.
Best Happy Hour: TIE: Aguamiel cocina rustica, Pipila 3A, Colonia San Antonio and Hanks New Orleans Café and Oyster Bar Hidalgo #12
Aguamiel offer a different special from 3-5pm. Sometimes it’s a drink and botanas and other months it is an early-bird dinner special. No matter the offering, it’s always a great buy.
Hanks? Not only 2x1 drinks but some of the best people watching in SMA.
Best Huevos Rancheros: Lavanda Café, Hernandez Marcias # 87
How does this popular restaurant make perfect poached eggs look like little balls of Oaxaca cheese? Chef Karla's drop-dead gorgeous presentation comes from her training as a graphic artist. She's armed with a portfolio of her mother's classic recipes including this picture-perfect version of the dish.
The taste will astonish even the most die-hard Eggs Benedict lover who has never given a second look at this Mexican standard.
Best Huarache: Huarache Rancheros, El Huarache Veloz, San Juan de Dios 27
This popular Mexican breakfast stop may convince you to give up that bowl of Zucaritas once and for all. Since 1986, this stand in the Mercado San Juan de Dios makes fresh huaraches; an oblong, masa base that is dressed with selected toppings such as salsa, potatoes, onions, or meat then covered with a pile of ranchero cheese. Spice it up with a dose of peppery salsa. Photo: Valen Dawson
Best Ice Cream: Cherry-wood Balinese Vanilla Ice Cream with Apple Wood Smoked Sea Salt and Lapsang Souchong Caramel Swirl
Travel and Food Blogger Valen Dawson’s homemade ice cream is not just the best ice cream I’ve eaten all year, it’s the best ice cream I’ve eaten ever… and I eat a lot of ice cream.
Best Japanese: Delica Mitsu San Miguel de Allende, Calzada de Luz #49, Guadalupe
If the Asian Salad doesn’t get you, the Fried Curried Rice Ball will. Go early. They frequently have a line and always run out of food. This is the freshest, simple food in San Miguel.
Italian food isn't just nourishment, its life and everything at La Cucina di Afrodita is Italian at its best.
Chef Laura Buccheri has the wonderful ability to create beautiful and inspiring dishes such as this homemade cocoa tagliolini with walnuts, gorgonzola sauce and mesquite smoked bacon. It was an unusual combination of ingredients but the flavors worked so well together.
This hike to the country is so worth it for both the food and the vistas.
Best Liquiado:Osvaldo's, Independencia #47
Call this place unpretentious. At this dog friendly restaurant, 90% of the customers are Mexican. Mix that with good food, cheap prices - everything on the menu is about 50 pesos- and a charming owner with 6 beautiful kids and you get a place where you want to go as often as you can hike up the hill.
Go for the tasty liquiado which on a split 15 pesos.I'm trying to remember the last time I got anything this good for $1.
Best Local Spirit: Casa Dragones
It’s no secret I like tequila. Good tequila. Casa Dragones is a handcrafted, small batch, luxury tequila and was rated by Wine Enthusiast at 96/100 – the magazine's highest tequila rating. Its’ spiritual home is in San Miguel.
It’s one indulgence that’s worth the price tag. It’s available for purchase at La Europea or sip it on the rooftop at La Azotea.
Best Margarita: Aguamiel cocina rustica, Pipila 3A, Colonia San Antonio
I was not a fan of tamarind or flavored margaritas for that matter until I tasted Aguamiel’s Tamarind Margarita. It tastes like a margarita and that’s what I liked about it. Most tamarind margaritas in SMA do not.
According to Aguamiel, their secret starts with good tequila because it changes the flavor and the hangover factor. They use only fresh ingredients in all of their margaritas and that is the difference.
Their mango margarita takes the number two spot.
Best Market Cook: Fonda Dona ReyesatMercado Ignacio Ramirez
Dona Reyes is your beloved grandmother reincarnated. She’s owned this stand for over 46 years and she’ll fuss over you until you cry uncle and can’t eat another bite. Such is the case with the Caldo de Pollo con Arroz with a whole chicken leg and a bouquet of fresh cooked vegetables. Smother with chilies and condiments to ramp up the heat. You’ll get a jolt you’ve never experienced at breakfast before.
Better than a sweater on a cold December morning, you get extra hugs for eating everything in the bowl. It’s mandatory; it’s your grandmother.
Who said you can’t get an adopted family and a warm meal in SMA for 50 pesos?
Best Menudo: Dona Bola, On the corner of Calle Calzada de La Luz and Calle Amado Nervo
Menudo; Mexico's cure for a hangover. With 50 kilos of tripe each week, Doña Bola's starts the cooking process every Thursday morning with both tripe and pork trotters (pigs’ feet).
This SMA institution, located on the Calzada de La Luz, began as an unpretentious street stand. It's now a thriving restaurant that's packed every Sunday with Mexican families savoring a 'home cooked' meal.
You wouldn't find this one in the guidebooks. It's all word of mouth.
Best Mixiotes: El Pato Barbacoa y Mixiotes, Calzada de la Estacion #112
The next best thing to your mother's pot roast, Mixiotes is a traditional, pit-barbecued meat dish made of lamb that is cut with the bone and seasoned with pasilla, guajillo and spices like cumin, thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, cloves and garlic. It's then wrapped in small bundles and cooked in the ground overnight.
At this thatched-roof palapa at the end of Canal Street, Pilar and Jose Luis will convince you there is no better comfort food anywhere in Mexico. If it weren't for the location, this spot would have a line around the block every day.
Take a doggy bag because it's even better the next day. I said it was in 2014 and I’m saying it again this year: It’s one of the best dishes around.
Best Mushrooms:Simbiosis, Saturday Organic Market, Ancha de San Antonio and Cardo on the grounds of the Rosewood
I never use to be a mushroom lover until these exotics showed up at the Saturday Organic Market. They have a wide variety of options so ask them to give you a visual tour.
Just how good are they? You’ll always end up buying more than you planned on.
Best Newcomer Chef:
Who is she? You’ll find out soon enough. Look for a post soon. This East Coast transplant will surprise you in 2016. You can count on it.
Best Onion Rings: Hanks New Orleans Café and Oyster Bar Hidalgo #12
Crispy and light, that’s our only criteria. We haven’t found any better than Hanks.
Sorry, I don’t split an order. Just ask my lunch partner who always gets his hand slapped if he even thinks about it. Too good to eat with Ketchup. Hold the salt!
Best Parrillada: Don Lupe Grill, Pila Seca 34-B
The Parrillada proves that there is nothing like a combination of steak, chicken, and chorizo with a smidgen of shrimp, to get you excited about BBQ. Don’t forget to request an extra order of tortillas because this mixed grill is large enough for a three-way split. An addiction worth giving up almost everything for including the ice-cold cerveza you wash it down with. Best Pasta: Bacco at Hotel Sautto, Hernandez Macias #59
The chefs at Bacco Restaurant in the Hotel Sautto have a talent for creating authentic Italian food with seasonal produce. Richard Sautto plays the perfect host at this beautiful, old world patio that is lit up like Christmas nearly every evening.
Amatriciana, the southern Italian favorite, is made with fresh tomatoes, smoked pancetta, garlic, onion and Italian basil. Pair it with the house wine and have a second glass to celebrate the fact that in your next life, you’re coming back as an Italian.
Best Peruvian: Ceviche, La Parada Recreo #94
With the beach a seven-hour drive from San Miguel, the most sought-after dish in town is seafood. At La Parada, the ceviches are legendary. Ceviche is raw fish or seafood that is “cooked” by marinating in citrus juice. La Parada does a novel take on conventional ceviche by using salmon in the citrus, then topping it with snow pods, seaweed and cucumber. Wash it down with a cool Pisco Sour and you’ve just taken a quick trip to Lima, compliments of Chef Alexandra Gutt, who is responsible for heightening the profile of mouth-watering, Peruvian flavors in San Miguel.
Best Pie: Claudia’s, Phone 415-151-0146
I've taken high altitude baking classes but I’ve yet to make a respectable pan of popovers, cornbread, pie or anything for that matter. I’ve added flour, decreased sugar, cut my butter and still haven’t figured out the formula. So last year, I bought rather than made a lemon meringue pie. I never liked lemon meringue but this one was exquisite and like every other American in San Miguel, I was going through lemon withdrawal. This pie was so artistic, especially the layer of light and almost fluffy meringue on top.
You’ve probably eaten one of Claudia’s pies at some of the better restaurants around town or at La Pulga. Sweet or savory, they are the best around and I’ve devoured enough of them to validate that statement.
Best Pizza: Casa Chiquita Pizza, Correo #45
The Cipriani, a perfect pairing of Cheese, Beef Carpaccio, Arugula and Parmesan. It’s my favorite and can be ordered as an individual pizza with four slices.
Head to the rooftop. The view is almost as good as the pizza.
In a tiny pozoleria with an open kitchen, cooks creates this beloved Mexican dish with hominy, chicken, pepitas, tomatillos, epazote and a handful of fresh jalapenos. A cure-all, the medicinal brew once had ritual significance and is so good you'll want to skip dinner and have a second helping. A medley of toppings adds to the experience.
Best Produce: Saturday Organic Market, Ancha de San Antonio and Cardo on the grounds of the Rosewood
A market or a meeting place? Hands down, the best produce and people watching in town.
Best Rooftop La Azotea, Umaran #6
Food: The Jicama Taco…the shell is a thin slice of Jicama that is topped with lightly breaded shrimp, fried leeks, chipotle mayo and a tamarind sauce. It’s one of the most delicious and creative tacos in SMA.
Service: The best in town, compliments of Ram, Eduardo and the remarkable staff.
Drinks: Biggest wine pours; best house wine.
View: When was the last time you saw a pink sky?
People-Watching: The list of personalities who frequent this high-style eatery goes on and on.
Best Salad: Shaved Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad,The Restaurant Solano #16
You haven’t tasted a salad this good ever…even if you don’t like Brussels sprouts.
I’ve tried to recreate it at home but somehow it always tastes better at The Restaurant.
Best Service: TIE: La Azotea, Umaran #6 and B’ui cocina de campo, on the equestrian grounds at Otomi’s residential area outside of SMA Km 2 Camino a San Miguel el Viejo
It takes a team and in both cases, it’s a duo that leads them…
Ram and Eduardo at La Azotea
Gabriel and Angel at B’ui
How can anybody this young know so much about good service.?
Best SMA Food Enthusiast: Carol Jackson
Who you share your table with is just as important as what is on it.
Not because she’s got enviable taste buds, is a great cook or happens to send me everything I possibly want to know about in the world of food.
She was a foodie before the word was ever invented.
Best Soup: Muro Loreto 10B
As advertised, this Azteca soup IS the best and biggest bowl in town. Also try their chicken…and, the list goes on and on.
Best Steak: Buenos Aires Bistro Mesones #62
All of Chef Mariano’s beef is Certified Angus Beef. Most is Mexican beef from Sonora, export quality, which makes it hard to source because producers obviously prefer to sell it abroad at US prices but some of his beef is from the US because the quality is there. If he can, he always tries to support local or national businesses, but it’s not always possible because the quality has to be there. One thing for sure: Chef Mariano is committed to the quality of his products and it shows. Watch for a post on Chef Mariano next week.Best Street Food: Andy’s Tacos, Esq Insurgentes y Hidalgo
Andy is easily the King of SMA Street and anyone who has indulged there agrees. Every evening at 7pm, there’s a long line at his taco cart in Centro. The mere aroma attracts aficionados who jockey for one of the few seats and a small plate of savory Tacos Al Pastor. The pork is marinated in dried chilies, spices and pineapple and is slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie then covered with a spicy, red chipotle salsa. Andy's is a favorite of partygoers looking for an after-hours feast and still intoxicated by the magic of the fiesta.
This is the place I want to stage, especially at around 3 AM.
Best Sushi: 1826 Tequila Bar Rosewood Hotel
The Rosewood sent their sushi chefs to train in Japan. You can tell. Sushi is served every Friday and Saturday night in the 1826 Tequila Bar. The freshest raw fish in San Miguel and the only place I will eat inland seafood.
Best Sweets:Artesana Boutique, Rosewood Hotel
Open for over a month, this new little shop, tucked away inside the Rosewood Hotel, sells Salvador’s baked goods including the most decadent chocolate that looks like a taco topped with fruits and nuts.
Designed by Tables and More out of Guadalajara, the shop is drop-dead gorgeous and has outdoor seating. You’ll likely find the coffee crowd here as they also serve Starbucks for the same price as the Starbucks in town.
Best Tacos al Pastor: Andy’s Tacos, Esq Insurgentes y Hidalgo
Unlike the other pastor vendors in town, Andy will caramelize his meat to an almost-crunchy texture. That process makes it picture-perfect when he shaves it off the vertical spit, fries it, splashes it with a somewhat fiery salsa, kisses it with thin slices of pineapple and hands it over with a grin.
If you blink twice from the sweet-smelling smoke in your eyes, you'll swear that Elvis is alive and well and living in San Miguel. That's part of the reason you come here.
Call it a religious experience that happens as it moves toward the midnight hour. I’ve looked for his equal at nearly every taco place in town. There isn’t one.
Best Tamales:Tamales La Chappis, Insurgentes by Templo del Oratorio
I hate tamales. That was until I discovered street cooks Maria de la Luz Tovar Hernandez and Educardo Alonzo Zarate Cruz making fiery tamales laced with spicy, green chilies. The tamales are offered several different ways and always sell out early so get there when the sun comes up.
The blissful part of this breakfast is watching San Miguel come alive in the morning as you savor every spicy bite.
Sunrise isn’t suppose to taste this good. An 8 pesos experience that’s pretty darn hard to beat.
Best Tequila Tasting: 1826 Tequila Bar Rosewood Hotel Calle Nemesio Diez #11
There are plenty of tourist attractions in San Miguel, but none of them are as enjoyable as the tequila class at the1826 Tequila Barin the Rosewood Hotel. Grab at least two friends and you get a private class with the resident Tequilier (tequila sommelier). The bar has 120 varieties of tequila and 20 brands of Mezcal to choose from, including Casa Dragones.
One of my favorite Extra Anejos, a tequila aged for at least three years, is the Atelier Del Maestro. I love the hand-painted bottles. At 1826 Tequila Bar, the person to take the last shot gets to keep the empty bottle.
Another perfectly good reason to drink up.
Best Up-and-Coming Chef: Gabriel Ordonez, 58, Mesones #58
It’s rare to find a bar with imaginative food but Chef Ordonez is creating small plates that are worthy of a cult following.
A gifted chef with a talent for integrating flavors, Gabriel trained in the acclaimed Peruvian kitchens at both Malabar and Central Restaurante. Both restaurants earned spots on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants this past year. Malabar captured the number twenty position, while Central Restaurante took the top spot for the second year in a row.
We’re currently headed back to search his kitchen. We know where his spoon is…we’re looking for his magic wand.
Best View: Luna Rooftop Bar, Rosewood Hotel
A feast for the eyes, devouring the beauty of San Miguel is on the top of my list of things to do. Travelers maintain it’s their favorite activity, especially while enjoying the tapas and tequilas at their favorite rooftop bar.
The Luna Rooftop Tapas Bar at the Rosewood Hotel shows off the best views; a 360-degree spectacle certain to take your breath away, especially at sunset.
Best Wine Cellar: Cava Sautto, Hotel Sautto, Hernandez Macias #59
This wine store, hidden behind the registration desk in Hotel Sautto, has a remarkable cellar that is stocked with well-known labels, including Casa Madero and other fine wines from Mexico, South America and Europe.
You could spend hours hanging out in the cellar studying labels but you’ll have more fun taking them home and tasting them.
Don't miss the Cava Sautto Wine Festival on February 6th.
Best Wine Expert: Arael Gómez Tello, Arggot del Vino Arael Gómez Tello is a sommelier from the University of Tourism and Administrative Sciences by the Mexican Association of Sommeliers. Graduated from the Turquois Mónaco-México Foundation in Restaurant and Bar Operations and Customer Service in 2003. Founder and proprietor of Arggot del Vino, a wine distributor serving the market in San Miguel de Allende, Querétaro, and the Bajío region. Gastronomy instructor at the Instituto de Artes y Oficios de Querétaro for seven years.
He is currently teaching a six week course, MASTERING WINE: A Practical Wine Course.
Arael distributes over 300 labels.
Best Wine Store: Carnevino, Ancha de San Antonio #22
If you can’t find a wine at one of the most interesting and well stocked wine store in town, owner Jorge Alarcon L can get it for you. Expect to see a restaurant in the store this year.
We love the variety of wine, liquor and gourmet food that he sells.
Jorge Alarcon L is another one of the most knowledgeable wine resources in town.
