Start the year by getting to know the hotspots of CDMX, the places that have recently opened and offer interesting cuisine proposals. For our foodie followers who frequently ask which new place we recommend, whether for dinner with friends, impressing your partner, family lunch or simply for a change from the usual restaurants, we have created a list of six new places in different areas of Mexico City that have opened during the last months, to keep you informed about the inaugurations worth knowing!
Carmela y Sal
The chef from Tabasco, Gaby Ruiz, renowned for her Gourmet MX restaurant in Villahermosa Tabasco, starts the year with her first inauguration in the capital, Carmela y Sal, within Torre Virreyes, better known as the Dorito. Within a modern yet refined ambiance, with wooden tables, green and orange chairs and very high ceilings, guests can enjoy the chef’s delicacies. Her cuisine is inspired in the lands of Mexico with a modern twist, among her dishes you’ll find unique and surprising combinations.
Start with one of her drinks, created by master mixologist Jan Van Ongevalle from The Pharmacy in Belgium, one of the favorites is tarragon with mezcal, grilled pineapple and absinthe, or the classic Negroni. Moving on to appetizers, our favorites were the jicama with basil pesto, pistachios and green grapes; the coconut lies tostadas, and the tiny packages of plantain filled with beans, tomato sauce, ranch cream and pork rinds. For the main course, try the fish with pipian and the chicken breast with noodles, bean sauce and green salad. Don’t leave before trying the spectacular bananas with milk caramel, whipped cream and caramel powder.
Pedregal 24, Lomas Virreyes (dentro de la Torre Virreyes) Tel: 76001280
Meroma
Mercedes Bernal and Rodney Cusic met at The Culinary Center in New York, the city where they later worked at renowned restaurants, such as Café Boulud, L’Atelier by Joel Robuchon and Musket Room, where they acquired a vast experience alongside chefs of worldwide fame. Years later, they decided to endeavor on a new adventure and opened Meroma on Colima street. Upon walking into this new restaurant, you’ll notice a small and cozy bar on the first floor, ideal for having drinks with friends before going upstairs to the main hall. Preferably, ask for a table on the terrace, surrounded by an impressive tree that makes you feel as if you weren’t at the center of the capital.
On their menu you’ll find dishes with an emphasis on seasonal and local ingredients. Our favorite dishes were the raw of the day with pecans, serrano pepper, fried parsley and lemon; the mushroom and fresh cheese agnolotti with caramelized butter; the rotisserie chicken with toasted peanuts and pickled carrots. End your visit on a sweet note, the popovers with pears in unrefined brown sugar, frozen yoghurt and honey, it’s phenomenal!
Colima 150, Roma Norte Tel: 59202654
Lima 700
Lima 700 opened in December on Tonala street in the Roma area. The restaurant is located within one of the traditional spectacular old mansions if the neighborhood with luxurious finishing touches, similar to others in the area, such as Purveyor and Blanco Colima. Here, guests can enjoy authentic Peruvian flavors in traditional dishes, as those you’ll find at the best restaurants of Lima, unlike other Peruvian establishments we have in the city offering Peruvian fusions. We suggest starting with the fish ceviche in tiger milk, the Lima causa consisting of potatoes with yellow pepper stuffed with chicken, or the conchitas, clams au gratin with parmesan cheese. As the main course, our favorites were the sautéed fillet with tacu tacu, a mix of rice and beans, or the famous pepper hen. To close with a flourish, order the “suspiro a la limeña.”
Tonalá 144, Roma Norte Tel: 37175411
Sartoria
The young Chef Marco Carboni, who worked at one of the best restaurants in the world, Osteria Francescana, alongside the renowned Massimo Bottura, opened Sartoria in the Roma area. The restaurant serves Italian dishes while seeking to be the midpoint between a traditional Italian trattoria with contemporary and cosmopolitan touches, as those of an osteria. The restaurant’s name, which in Italian means tailor shop, is the place where creations are handmade, in this case the pasta, which is the site’s star. You can see the cook making paste at the moment, right before being brought to the table.
Start with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the fried gnocco frito with prosciutto di Parma, and foam of Parmigiano and balsamic vinegar from Modena. The favorite pastas are with pesto a la Genovese with pistachios and sweet roasted garlic foam, or the green tortellini “burro e salvia” with butter and fresh sage. Pair your dishes with a good Italian wine, its menu offers over 80 labels. Despite the small portions, Satoria is an excellent choice to enjoy the best of Italian cuisine.
Orizaba 42, Roma Norte Tel: 72653616
Boul
If you are seeking a healthy option to eat in the capital, you’ll love Boul. The restaurant intends to fusion the best Latin-American flavors to create rice bowls that combine interesting ingredients. Start with their dry sour milk and ricotta-style cheese on coconut toasts and their delicious grilled avocado with balsamic dressing. For the main course, the favorites are Paraiso Verde: rice with cilantro, fish strips, jicama, mango, avocado and yoghurt sauce with cilantro and serrano pepper; or the Santo Pollo: aromatic rice with hoja santa, chickpeas, avocado and marinated chicken with tomato sauce.
If you prefer, they offer the option of creating your own bowl with your favorite type of rice, a variety of proteins and additional ingredients and sauces to choose from.
Cozumel 22, Roma Tel: 52116583
Café Milou
Are you a fan of brunch? We found a place you’ll love! It’s Café Milou, a small restaurant that appears to be a coffee shop at first sight, but actually offers much more. From the minute you step into this cozy site, you’ll feel as if you were in Paris. Its menu, despite being brief, offers truly tasty simple dishes by using high-quality ingredients. The house’s specialty is the brioche bread, homemade and served with butter and homemade marmalade, simple but I promise you’ll fall completely in love at the first bite. Other dishes you don’t want to miss are the avocado toast, one of the best in the city, the French toast with whipped cream and seasonal fruits, and their benedict eggs with salmon and hollandaise sauce over their iconic brioche. Café Milou will become your favorite place to enjoy on weekend mornings.
Veracruz 38, Roma Norte Tel: 70981422
