San Miguel Eats
It’s a small city - just 175,00 people - but San Miguel boasts plenty of great restaurants. Although most serve some variation of local cuisine, there is a wide variety of options, ranging from Michelin-starred chef’s tastings to taco trucks. Even with a month-long stay, we ran out of time to try all the places on our list. Here are our favorites:
Don Taco Tequila was a late discovery that shot to our number one spot. After finishing our meal, we promptly made reservations to return for another one. We were blown away by the creativity and flavor of their cocktails and dishes. The bacanora margaritas were terrific, and our server Angel introduced us to an ancestral mezcal (Alma Sola) that became our new favorite. We especially loved the barbecue corn “ribs,”the mushroom-stuffed tetelas, and a ceviche tostada made with crispy tempura seaweed and lightly pickled cauliflower. Oh, did I mention this is a vegan restaurant? If there were many more restaurants like Don Taco Tequila, I might be persuaded to go vegan.
Baja Fish Taquito was our favorite place for lunch. Their rooftop had a fun, casual vibe, and was big enough to accommodate walk-ins.. The un-fussy margaritas were delicious, the guacamole was fresh (and served quickly), and the fish tacos were excellent.
La Azotea Rooftop offered a more upscale experience that was still casual and easy. There were terrific views of the churches, and we loved their jicama shrimp tacos (chunks of tempura shrimp serve with thin slices of jicama in lieu of tortillas).
Los Milagros was great for groups, thanks to their molcajete mixto, a feast of roasted meats and vegetables served in a hot bowl made of volcanic rock. There was live music every day, and the walls were covered with interesting folk art.
We also had two special dinners with the kids.
Luna Rooftop, at the chichi Rosewood Hotel, had sweeping views of the mountains and the city of San Miguel. The tapas were tasty enough, but the view was the thing.
Moxi was in the ultra-hip Hotel Matilda, with a Michelin-starred Spanish chef. The chef’s tasting was impressively photogenic, but a bit inconsistent. Moxi does get points for style.
