There wouldn’t be much of a revived culinary scene in Mexico City without chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, and the Azul project is the creation of this recipe detective. This location is in a beautifully restored 17th-century building in the Centro Histórico, with an inviting, open-air courtyard filled with trees and hanging lights. The menu, only a few pages, contains a list of fabulous classic and updated dishes from around Mexico – all at reasonable prices, considering the somewhat upscale vibe.

A local institution since 1935, El Moro’s stained-glass windows depict idyllic green fields and smog-free skies – an urban getaway. The menu is beautifully simple: freshly fried churros dusted with sugar, cinnamon, or nothing at all, accompanied by a selection of classic dips like chocolate, condensed milk, and cajeta (caramelized goat's milk). The churros themselves are the stars of the show, with a perfectly crispy exterior and a soft, doughy interior.

Hidden inside a century-old building, Coox Hanal is dedicated to the food of the Yucatán Peninsula. Try the region’s best-known dishes, like sopa de lima, a chicken-based broth with a citrus kick, and cochinita pibil. The latter is marinated pork wrapped in banana leaf and roasted in an underground pit. It comes by the kilo, with warm, house-made tortillas.

To find this hidden pozolería, look for the “pozole” call button at the building’s entrance. Follow the fragrant scents down the hallway into a brightly lit space decorated with Spanish tiles. Here, the specialty is Guerrero-style pozole made with a tomatillo-based broth. Our favorite is the pork and green broth maciza. Let the waiter explain the order to add your accompaniments, from onion slices to crunchy chicharrón. The added spoonful of mezcal adds a smoky touch to the homey, filling soup.

Walking into La Corte is like being transported back to a 1950’s fonda: red vinyl seats, laminate tabletops, utilitarian tableware and a menu that has remained unchanged since in 1952. Here you’ll find comida corrida – cheap, filling meals. In the morning, that means Mexican breakfasts such as scrambled eggs with chorizo or a la mexicana (with onions, chiles and tomatoes). The quality is remarkable, portions are generous, and the menu options change daily.

Explore the traditional side of Mexican sweets at a candy store that goes back to 1874. Its interior – walls covered in French mirrors, handmade wooden displays, green floor tiles – hasn’t changed in over 100 years, nor has its recipes. The founding Guizar family wanted to sell candy from all over Mexico under one roof, but over time they began producing their own. Today, every single candy, cookie and cake on display is produced in the company’s own factory.

Dingy but warm, La Faena is a conversation-starting getaway from the tourists and noise of Centro, and a spot for a decent bite to eat before heading out again. It’s the kind of place where you’ll order a drink and, with patience, come freebie quesadillas. There is a heavy dedication to chicken and beef fare, but we go with the seafood options, such as the squid ceviche, fish filet or Vuelva a la Vida (literally, back to life) – a Mexican hangover cure based on squid, shrimp and… ketchup.

In a city where tortas have grown gargantuan over the years, the La Texcocana version has remained the same manageable size since 1936. The place is such an outlier now that their teleras (buns) have to be special-made. They still serve the famous sardine and cheese tortas the founder was selling in the 1930s. But the fillings now include bacalao (cod), carnitas (pork) and, our favorite, avocado.