Bartola
GO HERE: to find out what the traditional Mexico City cantina of the future looks like: a younger crowd, progressive design, carefully sourced ingredients, forgiving lighting. The menu nods to the exhaustive selections of traditional cantinas and to a restaurant-savvy clientele (the meatballs are topped with bone marrow; the flautas filled with stewed marlin), meticulously prepared but with respectfully few modern twists. The service is elegant-with-a-wink. And the drinks list is heavy on artisanal mezcals, tequilas, and too-sweet cocktails.
ORDER THE: escamoles (ant larvae), chamorro (lamb shank), “oreja de elefante” (chicken milanesa), lengua al albañil (tongue, “worker’s style”). Don‘t miss the goat-cheese flan for dessert.
THE VIBE IS: hipsters, suits, families, and the occasional domino-playing elderly pair sharing a lively space that’s more design school than old-school. The restaurant area stays kid-friendly while the terrace bar gets naughtier as the night goes on.
PRACTICAL STUFF: Opens at 1:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, and at 10 a.m. on weekends. Open at least until 11 p.m. on most nights, even on Sundays.
