The 2024 Picture Book of Favorite Foods in San Miguel de Allende

It seemed like new flavors popped up everywhere last year when we finally arrived at the best part of the 2024 season: selecting new dishes to add to the ongoing list of our 150 favorites that were published last February.

The list would be longer with our on-again-off-again culinary tour because for nearly four months, we were evaluating a steady stream of Birrias, Moles, Tlayudas, Tamales, Chapulines,Torta Ahogadas, Pozoles, Barbacoas, Quesadillas, Sopa de Lima, Lechon, Cochinita Piibil and other regional specialties in Guadalajara, Merida and Oaxaca. We were a bit surprised when we finally totaled up the list of favorites for SMA but we did a lot of research and poured over menus most of the year, allowing us to narrow down the SMA restaurants to the ones that had the best profiles for the most reliable eating in the eight months we were here. In other words, we went straight to the good stuff and had plenty to choose from.

SMA has the best variety of food in Mexico of any city we’ve traveled to last year and that gives our chefs plenty of inspiration to introduce more. So eat with your eyes and enjoy the feast. In no particular order, take a trip through what we loved about eating out in SMA last year.

Buen Apetito!

APPETIZERS AND SIDES Bao Buns (a.k.a. Bacon Bath) by La Azotea; the best appetizer in SMA Seasonal Vegetables with Pistachios Sauce by Hacintto Green Fava Bean Hummus by Altar Esquites by La Azotea Smoked Beet Rolls at Atrio Foie gras with wine bread, butter and red wine reduction by Cumpanio; an anniversary special Queso Fundido by Pirules Garden Kitchen at the Rosewood Provoleta Cheese and sun-dried Tomatoes by Serrano 82

BREADS Gugers by Cumpanio Danish Bread at Artio Pulque bread by Altar at Doce 18 Concept House Fried Pizza Bread by Hacintto Brioche Balls with Butter and Rosemary Honey at Atrio Pink Peppercorn Bread at Salvajes Brasserie Split Top French Roll by Panio; for dipping

BREAKFAST Avocado Toast and Lechon by Café Aldama 57 Choripan by Cumpanio Barbacoa by Barbacoa Hnos. Rodriquez ; the original! Birria by Café Aldama 57 Torta Ahogada by Café Aldama 57 Pancakes by Café 1910

BURGERS Burger Steak au Poivre by San Mezcal Juicy Lucy platter at the NEW Bastardo

COFFEE AND DRINKS Coco, Coffee and Milk by Cumpanio Fresh Squeezed Juices and Smoothies at El Compita Caramel Latte by 20 Trece Expresso with Milk by Cumpanio Latte by Dulce 1810 Affogato by Lukrezia SMA - try this for a special surprise!

DESSERTS AND SWEETS Santiago Lava Cake with Caramel by Serrano 82 Basque Spanish Cheesecake by Atrio Wedding Cookies by Alfredo García-Lucio at Nectar Easter Cookies by Chef Patsy Dubois Churros by Churro Bonfi at Tuesday Market Pastries by Dulce 1810 Flan with 70% Tabasco Chocolate Ganache by Altar at Doce 18 Dulce de Leche Gelato by Amorino New York Style Cookies by Joleisa Bakery Cannoli, Profiterole - really any dessert by Chef Laura Buccheri at Sikelía by La Cucina di Afrodita

ENTREES Sea Bass Collar by Hacintto Pasta with Guanciale at Sikelía by La Cucina di Afrodita Shrimps in salmorejos and yellow lemon marinade by Hacintto Oxtail with Mole by Hacintto Roasted Cauliflower with Mole Coloradito by Altar at Doce 18 Swedish Meatballs by the NEW Bastardo

HANDHELDS Pizza Fritta by Fari CarnitaTorta by El Moto Bautista - Independencia Hojaldra de Mole Sandwich by Lolita Oaxaca Cheese Flautas by Altar at Doce 18 Pastrami Sandwich at the NEW Mesa Marrakesh Bacon, Caramelized Onion and Arugula Pizza by Cumpanio Chicken Sandwich by Trakaloso Pepitos Prime Rib Eye Beef Sandwich by Trakaloso Pepitos Prime

SALADS Ensalada King Crab by Atrio Tomato Salad by Atrio Salmon Salad with Trout Caviar by Pirules Garden Kitchen at the Rosewood Clementine Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blue Sheep Cheese by Altar

SOUPS French Onion Soup by Salvajes Brasserie Gazpacho by Cumpanio Roasted Tomato Soup at the NEW Bastardo

SPIRITS Affogato by Ziracco Marshmallow Espresso Martini by Mike Esponosa of Tobala Mixology Margaritto at Hacintto by Garnish Chef and Mixologist, Yuranzi Silva Martha Esperanza by Atrio Wine at El Estoril; as recommended by owner, Guiillaume Martin Blue Cheese Negroni by Mike Espinosa at Salvajes Brasserie Codigo 1530 Rosa-Blanco Tequila Heineken 00 Código 1530 Anejo Sherry Finish Barrel Select Tequila Virgin Cocktails by Serrano 82 Tito Martini at Atrio Corona 00

TACOS Don Santos Tacos at Tuesday Market Matador Tacos at Lolita

EXPERIENCES Codigo 1530 Tasting Room at Hotel Casa Blanca 7 While most tequila is aged in American whiskey barrels, Codigo 1530 tequilas are aged in French White Oak barrels from the Napa Valley resulting in a uniquely, delicate finish. This eye-catching tasting room is located in the Casa Blanca 7 Hotel in Centro, San Miguel de Allende.

HALL OF FAME

Tito Martini + Rib Rice by Chef Arturo Sandoval at Atrio Since they opened in 2017, Atrio’s chef, Arturo Sandoval, has been on top of his game and Atrio has been a #1 restaurant in SMA; whether it’s Tito’s Martini made tableside by Abraham or a piping hot plate of Rib Rice that’s always cooked to perfection.

Hamburger Night every Thursday by Chef Donnie Masterton at The Restaurant Still going strong after 16 years, there’s no argument with this choice; it’s a given. Chef Donnie Masterton won the burger race a long time ago.

Chocolate Truffles with Whiskey and Tequila by Panio The first sweet treat we ate four days after we arrived 13 years ago also happens to still be the best bite of chocolate in SMA.

Vegetarian Food by Nectar at Camino Silvestre NECTAR went straight to the Hall of Fame because it taught me to love vegetables again; something that only can be achieved by owners who really understand and love vegetarian food.

NEW OPENING LOCAL This new hot spot by Chef Paulina Carreno of Panina will open soon. It promises to be one of the best restaurants in SMA and you’ll be amazed by the prices; we did tastings back in January. Much to our surprise and delight, there’s a chef’s table - the first by a female chef in SMA. Stay tuned!

Local SMA Guide

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Local SMA Guide for featuring me on their April cover and acknowledging my work in documenting the gastronomy of San Miguel de Allende for the past 13 years. I follow in the footsteps of good friends, Journalists, Storyteller and PR Executive, Rose Ruiz and Chef Ana Martinez of Cumpanio, who recently graced the cover with their amazing contributions to SMA. A special thanks to Designer Merely Claudia for the exquisite, Claudia Bo Mexican design I am wearing in the picture, to SMA’s community of talented chefs and to my readers. Thank you to #MyrnaCamacho and the entire #localsmaguide team; it’s both an honor and a privilege to be celebrated in this way.

HACIINTTO

Another one of SMA’s best restaurants in 2025 is Hacintto.

Meet Chef Regina Aguilar, Mixologist, Yuranzi Silva, and Sommelier, Viridiana Martinez, the 3 talented chefs behind Hacintto; a soon to be sold out and you’ll need a reservation Hacintto. Yes, that one!

We popped in again last week for another round but this time I brought the discerning palates of Chef Michael Coon, the well-known world food and travel expert who is the former Travel Director and Co-Creator of the Culinary Institute of America’s World of Flavor tours and Sebastian Acosta Quiroz, who worked with Chef Matteo Salas and often tastes those flavors that you and I never do. We all love Hacintto and I’m delighted to report that they both had the same great experience I did. With only 7 dishes on the menu, it’s an easy choice and for a later round, choose one of the daily specials; always over the top. And the special dessert? Ask for it and try to guess the ingredients because it’s a dish that will remind you that coming back tomorrow is definitely not too soon.

The Roasted vegetables: a seasonal plate of vegetables, pistachio praline, kale and homemade fried focaccia still reign supreme as one of the best vegetable dishes in SMA. The focaccia is the only bread that’s made this way in SMA. The Oxtail, Mole and Mashed Potatoes were also high on our list as was our special: the delicate Sea Bass roasted neck served with pasilla and ancho chili mayonnaise and a fine pico de gallo; one of the best dishes we’ve had this year.

The soon-to-be-famous if it isn’t already, Margaritto is made with Casa Dragones tequila blanco, lemon oil, pineapple, cucumber, chile liqueur and bitter firewater. It’s one of our new favorites created by Venezuelan born Chef and Mixologist, Yuranzi Silva. The dynamic personality on the floor is Chef and Sommelier, Viridiana Martinez, who turns everyone’s visit into an unforgettable experience. Like all the restaurants on this list, Hacintto’s prices are easy on your budget. There’s just a few places left for a special, four course menu for Valentine’s day on February 14th, just two days away, at just $750 pesos + service. Michael, Sebastian and I all agreed that we could eat the chef’s new sea bass dish every day; a fitting tribute to one of the best new restaurants in SMA.

Hacintto Insurgentes 60, Centro San Miguel de Allende Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 2:00 PM - 10:30 PM Closed: Sunday - Tuesday For Reservations Phone: 415 103 2158 Chef: Regina Aguilar Garnish Chef/Mixologist: Yuranzi Silva Sommelier, Chef and Front of the House: Viridiana Martinez

Altar

One of the best places to go in San Miguel de Allende in 2025 is Altar, the new rooftop at Doce 18 that was two years in the making and finally opened last Friday. The project was a technically difficult one from the very beginning, a work in progress, and long delays caused the original chef to back out. Thank you Majo Casas for seeing us through when in November,2024, the vision was resumed and Chef Jorge Avendano was selected as the Executive Chef; a popular choice since his cooking is well known at his other SMA establishments: Salvajes Brasserie and Bastardo Restaurante. Chef Jorge Avendano is one of the top chefs in SMA; we’ve followed his rise since 2020. Altar is his first dance with Mexican food and undoubtedly will prove to be his best restaurant yet. Jafet Flores, the former baker at MAEH Panadería and Roberto Hegel, his former Sous chef at Salvajes Brasserie make up part of his growing team. He’s still looking for qualified staff so contact rohegel@gmail.com for additional information if you’re interested. Chef Jorge Avendaño made his mark when he started cooking with French and Spanish chefs all over Europe. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Mexico, he worked for over 20 years in restaurants and hotels around the world. In Mexico, he was the Executive and Creative Chef at Parker and Lenox, Puebla 109, Corredor Tonala and Catalina, among others. His career changing moment was when he worked with Chef Rene Redzepi, owner of the three-Michelin star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark. At Noma, he became an expert in many things, including fresh, seasonal produce. The dishes he creates today are unquestionably Michelin class. At Altar, there are 26 modern Mexican dishes on the menu of which 10 are vegetarian and 6 are desserts. We had lunch on opening day last Friday and were honored to be one of his first customers. In addition to the Corcholata Amuse-Bouche, we had Roasted Cauliflower with perfect Mole Coloradito, Grilled Ranch Cheese with Olive Oil and Gajillo Chile with a Drunken Sauce and mustard leaves, Drowned ShortRib Flautas with Morita Chile and Green Tomato Sauce, an exquisite Heirloom Tomato Salad with Clementine Tomatoes from Chinaberry Farms with an over the top, local blue sheep cheese made by Quesos del Rebaño from Peña de Bernal; one of our favorite producers. We also had a Pulque bread; a mild alcoholic drink made from fermented agave juice. Pulque is the main ingredient used to help soften and lighten the bread during the cooking process. Altar’s pulque bread comes with an addictive blend of butter and Hoja Santa; all locally sourced. For dessert we had a Flan; a wonderful recipe from Chef Avendaño’s mother Annie, to which the chef added a mound of 70% Tabasco Chocolate Ganache. The chocolate reminded me of the Tortino I fell in love with in Merida. It was the best chocolate we’ve ever eaten a second time around. We also had one of the delicious homemade ice creams: Lemon Pie. The entire lunch was cooked personally by the chef and was a fabulous end to the week. The following Monday, Chef Michael Coon and I shared another tasting of Pork Belly Tacos ($95 pesos each), green fava bean hummus with pitas (absolutely one of his best dishes that is vegetarian), the drowned Oaxaca Cheese Flautas with Morita Chile and green tomato sauce (which I liked better than the one stuffed with Short Rib; a total surprise for me to pick cheese over meat) and a crunchy Bunelo de Viento with both Guaba Pastry Cream and Guaba Ice Cream. There are 2 beautiful open air lounges in back you can reserve for groups of 12-15 people that also provide a glorious sunset view. The nighttime views are divine, perhaps the best in Centro SMA, and the daylight vistas may result in the longest lunch you’ve ever had. Four hours in, I was still working on dessert and counting the colonial churches on the skyline. If you hadn’t claimed it as your hometown yet you certainly will after you see these inspiring views. We’re still amazed that Chef Jorge Avendaño could put all the pieces of Altar together in less than 90 days. And when we finally convince him to take a victory lap, grab a Margarita and declare the win, we’re headed back to his kitchen to try the 16 other dishes we missed. Altar Rooftop Doce 18 Concept House Relox 18, Centro San Miguel de Allende 37700 Open daily 2:00 PM- 1:00 AM Closed Tuesday Phone: 415 216 6082 Chef: Jorge Avendaño Reservations are suggested