Hostería de Santo Domingo

It simply is the oldest in the city, for it has been offering its services to diners since 1860. The building has a rich history, and there is located the piano played by Agustín Lara, murals, papel picado, and even hundreds of celebrity autographs; but if we are talking food, the famous chiles en nogada is a must, the dish they presume being experts on. No for nothing it is known as the cathredal of chiles en nogada. 

Where you are eating. The restaurant occupies part of a building that goes back to the 16th century, tied to the old Santo Domingo de Guzmán monastery complex: some five hundred years of structure, with doors and windows remade many times and a courtyard now roofed in glass, which explains the light in the main room. It has operated as an eating house since 1860, and that continuity —rather than the building itself— is what makes it the city's oldest restaurant still in business.

What to order. The dish people queue for is chiles en nogada, served here all year round, unlike most Mexican kitchens, which offer them only from July to September. Beyond that the menu is classic colonial and Mexican cooking: marrow soup, chicken in pipián, mutton barbacoa, pork shank, and house sweet breads. Portions are generous and prices moderate for the Centro.

When to go. The main meal, between 14:00 and 16:00, is the busiest stretch, especially Thursday to Sunday, when there is also live music; for a quiet dining room, come in the morning or mid-afternoon on a weekday. Booking is worth it for groups.

Getting there. It is at Belisario Domínguez 70-72, on Plaza de Santo Domingo, known for its arcade of public scribes. Allende metro station on Line 2 is about four blocks away, and it is a ten-minute walk from the Zócalo.