Cafe Aldama 57

We love a chef who delivers something special and Chef Juan Carlos Hernandez of Cafe Aldama 57 is the master of those unique, culinary offerings in SMA. We started writing about him in 2023, when Café Aldama 57 first opened, and haven’t stopped talking about his food since then.

The menu is small but consistently exceptional, especially the Lechon and Avocado Toast; the BEST breakfast dish we’ve eaten in SMA all year with just 3 more months to go. In fact, we thought this dish was so good we invited two of SMA’s favorite restaurateurs to try it: Sebastian Acosta Quiroz, a Chilean born sommelier turned business executive who previously worked for Hotel Matilda, Aperi, Dos Casas, Cumpanio, Casa de Los Olivos, Jacinto and Panio and just last week, Toño Aranda Lavalle, a partner with brother, Andrés Aranda Lavalle; owners of Bocaciega, Tostevere, La Choperia and Fari, four of SMA’s most popular restaurants. We wanted to know what the experts thought too because many of them own the best palates in town. The conclusion was unanimous - Sebastian and Tono both loved Café Aldama 57 and Chef Juan Carlos Hernandez’s cooking their first time out.

Another great dish is his French Toast. The chef recently changed up the recipe and I don’t think he can make it any better … but knowing him, he probably will. The last time I had French Toast this good was in Paris; pain perdu with a crispy, caramelized crust and a creamy, custardy interior.

Great food is defined by the chef and Juan Carlos worked for renowned chef, Francisco Ruano, at Alcalde in Guadalajara; rated one of the 50 best restaurants in the world. His Guadalajara offerings on the Cafe Aldama 57 menu are divine: Birria and Torta Ahogada. He also worked for Chef Paul Bentley at Magno Brasserie, where he crafted a menu that delighted diners with authentic, smoky flavors straight from the grill. He moved to Bovine Brasserie in SMA to continue his passion for grilling and French food. He’s part of the chef team at Moxi in Hotel Matilda under the direction of Chef Vicente Torres, who is one of the great chefs of Mexico. Café Aldama 57 is also part of that group.

Most of the dishes at Cafe Aldama 57 are priced around $200 pesos; a bargain for the quality and ingredients. Cafe Aldama 57 is old world: quiet, cozy and welcoming but we also love the ambiance. Where else can you sit in a big window, that opens up to one of the most beautiful streets in the world, and shower morning greetings on friends who are off to Parque Juarez for a run? It doesn’t get more local than that! We all want different things out of a restaurant. Bruce James, Managing Partner of Matilda, just wanted a good cup of coffee in the morning so he opened Cafe Aldama 57. What he got instead was the best place for breakfast in San Miguel de Allende. CAFÉ ALDAMA 57 Aldama 57, Centro Daily 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM/ Closed Tuesday Phone: 415 688 2284 Chef: Juan Carlos Hernandez

Taquería Orinoco Mexico City

I was starving when I finally arrived in Mexico City for my overnight stopover back to the states and the first restaurant I saw was Taquería Orinoco. I could have done this one with my eyes closed; it was all of about 15 steps from the front door of my hotel. Taqueria Orinoco claims its origin in Monterrey, a city that also owns a unique taco culture. The flour tortillas distinguishes it from the taco traditions in the central part of Mexico where corn tortillas are a staple. My very first clue it was good was the longest line I had ever seen at a Taquería; it literally extended down the block. The staff told me that YouTube had run a video just that morning on Taquería Orinoco and bingo, taco lovers instantly showed up, and You Tube was the official taco bible today. As it turns out they knew something we didn’t know, putting them ahead of the game on round one. I immediately devoured three Tacos Al Pastor Trompo on Flour Tortillas at $29 pesos each or a total of 87 pesos for the meal/ $4.66 USD. They also make a great Taco Costa Trompo Harina with cheese and an avocado slice- for $69 pesos each. The staff were super friendly and totally in the know about every single item on the menu. I found Taquería Orinoco on my list of over 200+ taco spots in CDMX that were recommended to me since I did the call out in May. I’m finally getting around to doing research to narrow the list down to 25 before September. Long lines never lie and with great big beautiful flavors and the proximity of it all, Taquería Orinoco is, at least for now, my #1 tacos al pastor restaurant in Mexico City.

Adding Taquería Orinoco to the list, I now have a total of four favorite taco spots in Mexico; the other three in SMA: the Pork Jowl Taco at Zibu by Chef Eduardo Palazuelos and the Mango and Pork Belly Taco by Chef Odín Rocha at Pirules Garden Kitchen at The Rosewood, along with Andy’s.

And now one last secret revealed: Andy’s full name is Andres Vasquez Laguna; forever the late night king of the streets and still my number one taco spot in Sweet Home San Miguel.

Taquería Orinoco Av. Álvaro Obregón 100 Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX Sunday -Wednesday 1:00 PM - 3:30 AM Thursday 1:00 PM - 4:00 AM Friday - Saturday 1:00 PM - 5:30 AM

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE: 2025 BEST CITY IN THE WORLD

Congratulations to all of SMA’s chefs (photos in no particular order and if we didn’t post yours we need to take a new one), restaurant owners and staff who worked so hard to put San Miguel de Allende on the world map as the WORLD'S BEST CITY 2025 in Travel + Leisure for the second year in a row AND the BEST CITY IN MEXICO, followed by four other cities that we know and love and spent a month each in this past year: Mexico City, Oaxaca, Mérida and Guadalajara.

SMA’s restaurant scene was built from the ground up and is now one of the top destinations in the world for food; its culinary reputation not resting on regional specialities but rather on its diversity.

Yes, you did it again so take a bow because this big, beautiful award belongs to you chefs and we couldn’t be more grateful or proud.

Congratulations!!!

TOP 10 WORLD'S BEST CITIES 2025: 1. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 2. Chiang Mai, Thailand 3. Tokyo, Japan 4. Bangkok, Thailand 5. Jaipur, India 6. Hoi An, Vietnam 7. Mexico City, Mexico 8. Kyoto, Japan 9. Ubud, Bali 10. Cuzco, Peru