Where to eat in Mexico City, according to a local chef

As a child, I’d go to the tianguis (street market) at Obrero Mundial Avenue. It’s a traditional bazaar where I’d eat quesadillas and flautas (rolled tacos). I remember my mum cooking traditional Mexican food — things like fried tacos, carne de cerdo con verdolagas (pork with purslane), mole de olla (beef and vegetable stew) and milanesa (fried cutlet). You can try these types of dishes at Taqueria El Jarocho, a restaurant in Cuauhtémoc borough.

Corn and chilli are two ingredients that define Mexico City. Chilli, in my opinion, adds flavour, not just spice. Corn is the base of everything we do at Maizajo. It would be romantic to say we go to the market every day to get our ingredients, but this city is too big for that. We source our corn and meat from a range of providers and farmers around the country. For seasonal ingredients, though, we try to go to the market at Central de Abasto.

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I always have an amazing meal at Nicos in Azcapotzalco. It’s where I first fell in love with traditional Mexican food as a cook. It goes back to our culinary roots but uses really good quality produce. I always ask for the mojo isleño con robalo (snook fish in a tomato sauce) or the catch of the day with fried plantains. I love Azcapotzalco’s mole verde (green sauce) with pork and the sopa seca de nata (a noodle casserole). I always have a great meal at La Docena, too, whether I order oysters, clams or pescado a la talla (grilled fish). It’s really chilled with good service and good vibes.

When I finish working, I usually go to Bar Mauro. The cocktails are so well done and it’s the perfect place to go and catch up with friends and family. My drink of choice is a Maurito (with mezcal, Lillet Blanc, sherry and guava) — it’s the bar’s signature drink and it’s so fresh. Or I have a Dirty Martini with extra brine — it always has to be really dirty.

My favourite taco is from La Sagrada Familia in Central de Abasto market. The stall isn’t easy to find (it’s inside one of the biggest markets in the world) so you need to go with someone who knows it.

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I love the tacos campechanos with beef and longaniza (spicy sausage). There’s also a food stall close to Maizajo called Quesadillas Doña Mary, which makes beautiful tacos and quesadillas. The torta de bistec (steak sandwich) is the best in the city. One torta and one taco, that’s always my combo. These places aren’t touristy at all.

When people visit, I take them to see the city’s art, but we eat along the way. Palacio de Bellas Artes has amazing paintings, and Museo Anahuacalli, designed by 20th-century muralist Diego Rivera, has an incredible collection of art. I’d start the day with tamales (steamed corn dough rolls with fillings) for breakfast at El Cardenal, then walk along Mazatlán Avenue in La Condesa, which is really beautiful. After that, we’d visit one of the museums, then have a taco at El Rincon Tarasco or El Turix. Seeing the city while eating on the side of the road — that’s a really special experience.