Las Duelistas
GO HERE: for the roots of Mexico City drinking culture. Pulque is the spontaneously fermented sap of certain giant agaves, with a slightly viscous texture, many well-documented nutritional qualities, and about the same potency as beer. It is said that in the 1880s, there was a pulqueria on every block in Mexico City. Now there are just a handful of places like this that exclusively serve fresh pulque.
ORDER THE: unadulterated “blanco,” which is tart and funky, or one of the 40-something revolving “curados,” naturally-flavored pulques of which there are always several available. Try the guava, peanut, or celery.
THE VIBE IS: somewhat chaotic, even in the earlier hours, though the crowd gets younger as the day goes on. Not for the shy, as you’ll likely have to squeeze into a communal table. There’s a lot of pride around pulque, and a certain communal aspect to it, so don’t be surprised if someone pours you a taste from his or her plastic pitcher.
PRACTICAL STUFF: Open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Yes, 10 a.m.
