Las Brasas

What it is. A neighbourhood taquería on Mercedes Gómez, in the west of the city, open straight through from 12:30 to 23:00 every day. It is the kind of place that never appears in guidebooks and where the people of the area eat.

How it works. You order by the piece and then order again; tacos are counted in twos and threes. The salsas sit on the table and the heat is never announced: taste with the tip of the taco before you pour. The agua fresca of the day — jamaica, horchata, tamarind — is the usual drink and normally costs less than a soft drink.

What to expect. Low prices, fast service, cash. In taquerías of this kind you usually eat standing or at a long table, and the bill is kept in the server's head: you pay at the end by saying how many tacos you had.

Getting there. Centenario #173, colonia Mercedes Gómez, in Álvaro Obregón. There is no Metro right there: a taxi is the practical option, or Metro Tacubaya and a short ride.