486 restaurants

Eating in Mexico City. This is one of the great eating cities, and the reason is structural rather than fashionable: every regional cuisine in Mexico arrived here, the markets are enormous and cheap, and the street food layer is continuous from dawn until four in the morning.

The four levels, and all of them are worth using. Street stalls — tacos, tlacoyos, tamales, esquites — where the rule is to eat where there is a queue. Market fondas, serving comida corrida: soup, a main course and agua fresca for roughly the price of a coffee in the Condesa. Neighbourhood restaurants, cantinas and taquerías with table service. And the chef-driven kitchens of Polanco, the Roma and Juárez, several of which appear in the world rankings.

Times, which catch everyone out. Breakfast is substantial and savoury. Lunch is at 14:00 and is the main meal. Dinner starts at 21:00. Many kitchens simply do not open before 13:00.

Practical rules. Markets, street food and small taquerías are cash; restaurants take cards. Tip 10 to 15 per cent and check whether it is already on the bill. Drink bottled water. And taste the salsa with the tip of the taco before you pour it on — nothing is labelled by heat.