When you tell someone you’re visiting Mexico City, there’s a 75% chance they’ll respond with, “Oh, are you going to...what’s that place called?” If you feel like talking to this person, finish their sentence with “Pujol.” This high-end Mexican spot in the middle of Polanco is one of the best-known restaurants in the world, and one of the hardest to get into—reservations open a year in advance, and you’ll need to plan months ahead to get a table.

Entremar is your lesser-known backup plan when Contramar is fully booked, which, yes, happens often. It’s run by the Contramar team and serves the same incredible seafood menu—including the iconic tuna tostadas and butterflied grilled fish coated in red and green salsa. The formal-ish yet beachy space has fewer crowds, and, refreshingly, not as many movers and shakers as its sister spot, and service is quick and friendly.

This spot opened in 1974 and feels like hitting rewind to another era—it’s full of arched doorways and windows, traditional art, and even a small aquarium. The food is Lebanese classics that always ensure you leave happy. Kick things off with the plato libanés, a generous spread of hummus, labneh, baba ganoush, tabouleh, stuffed grape leaves, and kibbeh, before moving on to the spiced beef kafta wrapped in pita, or their famous chicken with rice in a rich pine nut and almond sauce.

Bulla isn’t just the best Spanish spot in Polanco—it’s the best Spanish restaurant in all of Mexico City. This place is unpretentious (with prices that are even less so), and its the kind of laid-back spot where you might come for lunch and end up drinking cañas till 7pm. You’ll be impressed by their perfectly runny tortilla de patatas, which you should combine with a pan con tomate and Mahou. For the main event, go in on the tapas-style dishes, like the tender pulpo a la gallega.

If you grew up in Mexico City near Polanco, you came to Klein’s with your parents. And now, you probably come here with your own kids for a hit of nostalgia and some very good matzo ball soup. Although the dishes are not kosher per se, this Mexican Jewish diner has a big menu using a variety of kosher ingredients, including the beloved kosher salami torta filled with thickly sliced meat and layered with avocado and some spicy pickled vegetables.

This tiny counter-service deli is where we go for tortas under $3. They’re super simple with three key ingredients: fresh telera, a generous avocado layer, and a dab of butter. Unlike 99% of other tortas in town, they’re served cold, like the ones you were maybe sent to school with as a kid. All six sandwiches on the menu are solid, but the $2.50 vegetarian torta de queso blanco is the MVP (you can make it a double for 50 cents more).

Bellopuerto isn’t a traditional limey/spicy seafood restaurant like so many others we know and love. Instead, this spot serves things like a short rib and octopus burger, and while your brain might start to hurt just thinking about that, we promise it’s great. The roasted bone marrow with crispy octopus chicharron and salsa borracha is another thing you should prioritize. It comes with fresh tortillas and will have you wondering what other versions of chicharrones you’ve been missing out on.

Ticuchi is dark—as in very dark—and while that’ll make the experience feel sexy and mysterious, the real appeal here is the food. There’s a heavy vegetarian focus, and corn is the star (the people making fresh tortillas in the front kitchen should clue you in). The menu changes often, but it consistently includes impressive small plates like their outstanding tamal de esquite. They also have excellent mezcals on the drink menu, but our favorite cocktail is the tequila-based Silver Rush.

This Paris-based French bistro with locations in London and New York keeps it simple with just one main dish for $25, and they nail it every time: a super tender, pre-sliced beef steak topped with a secret sauce full of strong notes of tarragon, dijon, and, of course, butter, and a side of fries. Between the red booths, white paper-covered tables, and French maid uniforms, this place screams Paris, and that’s part of the charm. The desserts are great, too.

Quintonil and Pujol are inherently intertwined: They’re both in Polanco, the chef at Quintonil also worked at Pujol, and Pujol’s most famous dish—the mole madre that’s been cooking since 2013—was initially made to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Quintonil. There’s also a similar focus on local ingredients and beautiful presentations, with a rotating tasting menu for about $240 per person or the option to order things à la carte.

It can be hard to find good Indian food in Mexico City, but Dawat shines, and it’s why they’ve drawn in everyone from India’s ambassadors to Mexican presidents for over 20 years. This spot nails the usual suspects like lemon rice, butter chicken, garlic naan, and chicken tikka masala, all served in portions hefty enough to share with a group. If you’re taking a tequila break, the mango lassi, made with fresh mangoes, is a nice change of pace.

The menu here is packed with cuts of high-quality, free-range beef from a ranch in Querétaro, plus plenty of non-meat options, like chewy homemade gnocchi with a decadent house ragu. Prices are reasonable for the quality of the food, which is solid but not necessarily what you’ll be thinking about the week after. What you’re really here for is the party atmosphere, and to catch up with friends inside a dining room that looks like a hotel lobby or on the covered patio with a Parque Lincoln view.

The restaurant cafe from the Fabiana’s pizzeria team is a go-to Polanco spot for any meal of the day (it’s open from 8am to 10pm). However, we prefer it for breakfast and lunch when we can take advantage of the airy space, which includes an open kitchen and a lush outdoor terrace brimming with plants. Bandido specializes in dishes grilled over a wood fire, like the standout lamb chops with a zesty lemon, parsley, and mint crust, and an incredible wagyu smash cheeseburger.

Siembra started as a beloved Polanco tortillería and taqueria, and in 2023 the owners added a full restaurant next door. And while the menu has expanded too, their masa is still the star of the show. Get the smoky pulpo zarandeado served with fresh tortillas, and enjoy the fact that you don’t have to stand up to eat with salsa dripping down your shirt. This place scores extra points for its rustic, beautifully lit dining room that gives off major old hacienda kitchen vibes.