Spanish Restaurants in Mexico City — Where to Eat on a Rainy Day
Hearty food and good wine — the perfect meal on a gray day
Last week my husband and I had lunch at Bulla. It was a rainy Wednesday afternoon. The World Cup was on, the dining room was packed with business people and office workers. My husband and I shared huevos rotos, lentils and rabo de toro. In particular, the lentils with a light red wine were exactly right for the weather — warm, hearty comfort food. It was my first visit, but wel’ll definitely be adding Bulla to the rotation.
Summer in Mexico City is the rainy season. It doesn’t rain all day — the mornings are usually dry if not sunny, but by mid-afternoon we have showers most days. On days that are grey from the start, or if you’re feeling chilled after being caught in an afternoon downpour, hearty a hearty Spanish dish and red wine are the perfect thing to warm you up.
Mexico City has an enormous offering of Spanish food, and many of the restaurants are exceptional. Here, I’m sharing the ones we frequent. The two we go back to most consistently are El Centro Castellano and El Chanclas — but all of the suggestions here are good.
El Centro Castellano
Centro Histórico — There are other branches, but we always come to this one, even if another is closer
The original, and our favorite outpost of the Centro Castellano is not in the part of the Centro Histórico that most visitors wander into — you need to know you’re going. The entrance is through a low door that opens onto a bar with ham legs hanging overhead. The floors are worn and feel ancient. The walls are stone and covered with photographs of celebrities and politicians who have eaten there over the past several decades. The dining rooms spread across two levels, with dark wood beams and few windows. It is exactly the opposite of open and airy, which might be just what you’re looking for if you’ve been exploring the Centro in the rain.
Their bread is fresh and very good — try it with their butter, which I believe is seasoned with garlic, and the salsa alongside. (Note that it is not gluten free — my very fond memories of the bread at El Centro Castellano are from the time before my intolerance. If you’re looking for a good gluten free bread option, you can find my favorites here.) If you’re going with a group, the platón castellano is a generous sharing plate: chorizo, morcilla, setas al ajillo, jamón serrano, queso manchego. It is large, so plan accordingly. You may be able to request a half portion if your party isn’t huge, but you still want to try a little of everything. My husband always orders their paella on weekends, and the dish we order at every visit is the huachinango a las brasas. This is a light dish served with steamed vegetables, and good at any time of the year, even on a warm day.
As long as you’re not the designated driver, try the clericot. It is strong — made with a house wine they bring specifically from Spain — and it arrives in a pitcher shaped like a chubby woman. It’s one of their house specialties and worth trying.
El Chanclas
Polanco
We like the chorizo a la cidra as a starter, and the rabo de toro main at El Chanclas in Polanco. The slow-braised oxtail, rich and falling apart, is the perfect meal for a grey day, watching the rain fall from their covered terrace. They have a good selection of Spanish wines on their wine list and it’s worth exploring.
This is one of our favorite spots to meed friends for lunch. It’s centrally located for those who work near or in Polanco, and the terrace is the perfect spot for a long lunch and a good catch up.
Bulla
Polanco — Condesa — Reforma
New to the rotation as of last week, but destined to become a regular lunch spot, Bulla in Polanco and Reforma serve a business crowd with relaxed energy. The lentils are the reason to go on a grey day. The huevos rotos are also very good. At least in Polanco and Reforma, they have outdoor tables but whether they’d be a good seat on a rainy day depends on the location and how hard it’s coming down.
La Cocina del Bizco
Condesa
A couple of very good friends, who happen to live a few blocks away, rave about La Cocina del Bizco, and they’re right — it’s good. I particularly enjoyed the olives when we went. The atmosphere is fun: red and white decor with a Spanish food meets 50’s diner aesthetic. It is very popular, which means getting a table requires planning ahead. We went with a big group and they somehow fit 8 adults into a table I’d have initially thought seated 5 — thankfully we like each other. It was a rainy evening and we shared all of the dishes that came to the table. The wine was good, and the tarta vasca has a bit of a following here.
La Barra de Fran
Polanco
At the pricier end of the restaurants on this list, La Barra de Fran feels a bit more posh than some of the others and the crowd reflects it — local, polished. My favorite menu options here are the rice dishes; they’re a bit different from the usual paella, served in a hot frying pan with all the crunchy caramelized bits around the edges. I like to order the vegetarian option with artichoke hearts. They have covered outdoor seating, which makes it a workable choice even when the weather is uncertain, but we sat at the bar on our first visit, ordered raciones of jamón serrano and manchego cheese and a bottle of wine and had a thoroughly nice time in the cozy space. It was the perfect spot for a date, and would be cozy on a gray day.
These are the Spanish restaurants in our regular rotation. If you have a favorite not on this list, leave it in the comments — there are so many good options worth knowing.
