Let me start off this essay by saying that I have taken many food tours in many different cities around the world….. dozens, even …… and this tour called Culinary Secrets of the Centro Histórico by Culinary Backstreets ranks high in my top 3. So when I tell you that this is an amazing tour company, I mean it.
I arrived in Mexico City at night, landing in a gorgeous sunset while we sat on the runway for a long time. After an unbelieveably long line for immigration, I got a taxi and finally arrived at my hotel in the Centro Histórico well into the night. The next morning? I was ready to get going.
My tour began at 10am in the Zocalo just beside the The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral which is the largest and oldest cathedral in Latin America. It was literally built upon and with the ruins of a great Aztec temple as a testiment to the Spaniard’s domination of the indiginous people.
La Parroquia de Veracruz: A neighborhood cafe good for breakfast
Our first stop of the day was at La Parroquia de Veracruz. Because it was 10am we started off with some wonderful coffee. They have a fun ritual where if you request milk, you clink your glass three times and they will bring the milk for you.
An Exercise Break
Leaving the heart of Centro Historico, we headed north just to the outskirts. Along the way, we took an unexpected turn as our guide showed us a very large, but deteriorating church. The Church of Nuestra Señora de Loreto was the last city church built during the Spanish colonial period. It was built between 1806 and 1819. Due to construction mistakes, the church is tilting heavily to the right. But then our guide suggested we climb to the top to see the view!
Having just arrived in Mexico City the night before, I was in no way acclimated to the high altitude of 7500ft, but I somehow huffed and puffed my way up the steps to the top.
Nice views from up there, and I could see the mountains in the distance and the haze of pollution.
Being in March, the Jacaranda trees were blooming all over the city and it was very pretty.
Below, the door on the left is the original beautiful door of the church.
Abelardo L. Rodríguez Market, Home to Diego Rivera Murals
Stepping through the front gate of this covered market is like going straight back in time to the 1930s. This building has remained largely unchanged, and the huge murals by Diego Rivera are in wonderful condition.
This funny gentleman prepared us some green juice from fresh fruits, and we also sampled a wonderful homemade tamale.
My Very First Taco in Mexico City: Chamorro Achicalada
Finally, the moment had arrived. We walked up to this taco stand in the market called Don One and I was about to have my first real Mexico City taco. This was the whole reason I got on a plane by myself to CDMX and traveled over 2000 miles. I was literally so excited.
Our guide chose for us the chamorro achicalada taco, which is all the crispy bit of carnitas at the bottom of the pot. As he handed me the plate, I smelled so much flavor, aromas that you don’t get in tacos in New England, that’s for sure. And first bite? Wow. Holy hell, it was so spicy. I had to laugh because I kind of expected it to be really hot, but I was not prepared. I enjoyed every bite of it, and couldn’t wait for more tacos.
Carnitas, though originally from Michoacán, are beloved in Mexico City. I’d never had cucumber on a taco before, but I totally understood why it was there.
Lunch Cooked on the Comal
Our guide weaved us through tiny passageways and aisles of market stalls, and I completely lost all sense of direction. We arrived at the food stall of a woman and her family who makes tortas and quesadillas on the comal. We had a wonderful quesadilla made from Oaxacan cheese and squash blossoms, and the torta was so filling. I love that bread.
The Historic El Taquito Taurino Restaurant
Probably my most favorite stop on this tour was the incredible El Taquito restaurant on Calle del Carmen. This is an historic restaurant with a storied past throughout the 20th century, full of celebrity visitors such as Marilyn Monroe, Diego Rivera, King Charles III, Pope John Paul II, presidents, artists, bullfighters, and journalists. The walls are covered in photographs of famous visitors during its nearly 100 year history.
The restaurant wasn’t open when we were there so we got full attention from the wait staff. We got to look around the beautiful rooms, and then we were treated to such a wonderful meal.
I was sad to learn that this restaurant has since closed this location. They do have other locations, but this historic and original restaurant closed in August 2024. They cited changes to the neighborhood as reasons for the closure, such as an increase in street vendors on the roads and sidewalks making access to the restaurant difficult for dine-in customers.
An Old School Mexico City Cantina: La Dominica
We stopped in at a vintage cantina from 1922 called La Domininca. It’s an old fashioned place where you wouldn’t be likely to find too many tourists. An interesting thing about the old cantinas is that the snacks are free when you buy a drink. We ended up with beers and tequila shots, and they brought us out soup, chicharrones, quesadillas, and salsa. The interior looks frozen in time, with mint green walls and old photos.
Our guide explained that a cantina is a place where you go to have some drinks and sit and think about your life’s choices. Crying is also acceptable. I kind of thought he was kidding until I heard the exact same thing from another tour guide in another cantina. So it must be true that it’s the sort of place you go to space and out and reflect on things.
One More Restaurant: El Gallo del Oro
After that meal, I would have assumed that El Taquito was the grand finale of the food tour. But I was wrong. There was even more to come. We headed back near the Zocalo area to one of the oldest neighborhood restaurants, El Gallo del Oro. Operating since 1874, this is the oldest existing cantina in Mexico City. The vibe is old school, with dark wood and dated furnishings. It has the same old school vibe as the Puritan Backroom here in Manchester.
This restaurant is known for their carajillo drinks, their paella, and their molcajetes. We ordered all three as a group, and it was sooooo much food. We were already so incredibly full, and to follow up with this copious amount of meat and proteins was just wild. The Mexico-style Carajillo is a two-ingredient espresso cocktail made with vanilla-spiced Licor 43 and freshly pulled espresso. Simple, yet delicious.
Final Thoughts
What made this tour such a stand-out to me was the quality of the food, and the unique locations. Every step we took was calculated to maximize access to such a variety of local gems. And there was so much food! I really couldn’t believe that the tour just kept going, with more dishes being ordered, and more drinks being offered. This food tour lasted a whopping five hours, from 10am until 3pm.
Our guide was also really outstanding, but unfortunately I can’t remember his name. He was so knowledgeable, and always made sure that everyone could hear him. He never walked and talked like sooooo many tour guides do, which means that only the people walking right next to him can hear him. Our guide always made sure that we were all fully stopped and present before talking about the restaurants, the food, or the history and culture.
At the time that I took this tour in March 2023, I paid $115 USD. I can see that this same tour is now (as of February 2026) increased to $140 USD. It is astonishing how much food and restaurant costs, as well as sustainable and responsible tourism, continue to rise. It’s a great tour, but honestly, at this price point it would start to give me pause.
Still, I feel that this is an extremely high quality food tour company, and I would happily seek out their tours in other locations if it was in the travel budget.
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New Hampshire Food Photography
Erika Follansbee is a published Goffstown, NH food photographer whose job is to make food look amazing. She is available for hire to help small restaurants and cafes to create beautiful images of their dishes to use for marketing, websites, and social media. Magazine-quality food images are the best form of advertisement.
Erika is also a wedding photographer. Visit www.erikafollansbee.com for more information.
