Nicos
GO HERE: for the city’s best take on elevated home cooking. In 1995, when Gerardo Vázquez Lugo took over the kitchen of his parents’ longstanding restaurant, he sought to treat Mexican ingredients and dishes with the same respect and refinement as the nouvelle cuisine at the city’s fine-dining spots. Working with forgotten and family recipes, local farmers, and eventually an all-Mexican wine list, his approach is de rigueur today but was radical at the time. Lugo is also a partner in Fonda Mayora, which brings the same philosophy to the more-convenient-for-most Condesa hood, trading Nico’s old-school formality for breezier vibes.
ORDER THE: tostadas de charales (tiny whole fish), rose-petal and strawberry salad, sopa seca de natas (a kind of crepe casserole), pulpos a la antigua (octopi in their ink with nuts and red wine).
THE VIBE IS: fonda típica—traditional neighborhood café—albeit a meticulous one, with service befitting the most formal of restaurants, and subtle touches like handmade textiles and elaborate mezcal service.
PRACTICAL STUFF: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Sundays. Reservations recommended after 1:00 p.m.
