Viva Mexico
16 days exploring Querétaro, San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City
Hello everyone... We just spent the most glorious 16 days in the Guanajuato state of Central Mexico. And when I say glorious, that is an understatement. My only other experience traveling to Mexico is the beach town of Puerto Vallarta, a completely different and possibly less authentic version of what Mexico has to offer.
I have been fascinated by the idea of traveling to the culinary gems of Mexico, and I somehow knew in my soul that there was more to Mexico than the average person sees, hears about, or experiences. And, as much as I’d like to gatekeep the onslaught of tourism that knowing will bring, I must shout to the rooftops…you must experience the beauty, hospitality, food, and drink of inner Mexico.
If you are here, you must love food as much as I do. If your experience of Mexico has only been one of the many beautiful beach towns, I would implore you to rethink your next vacation. Step away from the ocean and immerse yourself in central Mexico's amazing, beautiful people and cuisine. I promise you will not be disappointed, nor will you go hungry!
From the moment we stepped off the plane in Querétaro I was blown away, I immediately felt safe and excited to explore. We stayed in Centro, which is the old town center of Querétaro. Querétaro is a Unesco World Heritage site, and the cobblestone streets and narrow roadways will have you entranced. The hospitality and service are on-par if not exceeding what you will find at any 5-star resort, from the taxi drivers to the hotel porters. We spent our 24 hours in Querétaro ambling through the charming streets, attempting a little Spanish along the way, and savoring our first bites of chilaquiles, braised lamb tacos, and delicious refreshments.
Speaking of refreshments, the surprise of the trip was the Mexican wine. Most of us are familiar with Tequila and Mezcal, but did you know that Mexico has a booming wine country and we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of some of the best! If you enjoy wine, do not sleep on the local wineries you will find in Central Mexico.
Our time in Querétaro was too short, but our main itinerary had us in an Uber heading to San Miguel de Allende. The sweetheart of Central Mexico, and maybe the world. San Miguel voted the best small city in the world by Travel & Leisure, is a charming Spanish colonial town in the state of Guanajuato. It is famous for its beauty, of course, the stunning Parroquia, a neo-Gothic church of pink stone. This mid-size small town has a thriving food season, vibrant nightlife, and a cosmopolitan feel. It is also the center of art with the Instituto Allende drawing art students from worldwide since the end of World War II.
What can I say about the food that hasn’t been said before? Probably nothing, but everything is so flavorful, beautifully presented, and delivered to the table with a flourish. Guacamole is garnished with crispy pork belly. Cocktails are made tableside. And, because I am so obsessed with the service, wine is poured at the table. Even if you only order a glass, they bring the whole bottle, show you the label, and pour a small amount to make sure it is to your liking, before filling your glass. And, we have to talk about street food. There are small sidewalk taco carts everywhere, pull up a seat and order a sampling of everything. For 100 pesos (about $5.00US) we got 4 tacos and an Agua Fresca.
San Miguel has an international food scene. Most cuisines are represented. We were surprised to find delicious Chinese food, so much Italian, and seafood is abundant even in the middle of Mexico. You will find lots of restaurant lists for planning, but my suggestion is to stop into the local neighborhood places where you will have homey comforting food, from a mom-and-pop set-up. Do the Luna Bar at the Rosewood Hotel for cocktails at sunset, but eat dinner somewhere else. And, there are many rooftop restaurants and bars to enjoy all of the spectacular views of SMA. My favorite meal was Baja Fish Taquito, the best fish tacos ever, and Dorados (crispy shell) my favorite.
As our time in San Miguel came to a close we made our way to Mexico City, and while I only had a brief 24 hours there, I fell in love, with the energy, vibrancy, beautiful tree-lined streets, amazing city parks with ruins, wide pathways for walking, running, places for families and children to hang out and play. And, the food scene here is beyond words. Just as vibrant as Paris, or maybe more. While my husband keeps reminding me we stayed in the nicest neighborhood in Mexico and saw a very small portion of Mexico City, I’m still enamored by the feeling I had while I was there. We dined at the world-famous Pujol restaurant, and that experience is a story for another time.
While we were in San Miguel I accidentally purchased ground coffee from Oaxaca, not realizing that it was not just ground coffee. When I opened I smelled cinnamon, anise, slightly sweet, and I thought oh no, I made a mistake. I’m not your flavored coffee girly. You will not find me drinking pumpkin-spiced anything, but I also wanted my morning coffee. So, with no other choices at that moment, I brewed a pot and skeptically took my first sip. It was heavenly, and now I am trying to recreate the subtly sweet, warming spices. This is reminiscent of chai and while I am working on recreating a version I can brew in my coffee pot, here is what I have been finding in my research online that closely resembles the one I enjoyed in Mexico.
I leave the chocolate out when I make it, but I bet would be delicious as written. Enjoy!
