Breaking Out of The CDMX Echo-Chamber: A Food Guide

Flying into Mexico City for the very first time, I knew better than to expect anything — and while I certainly knew I’d be eating a lot of tacos, nothing in me was prepared for them to be so juicy, tender, and yes, vegan, that’d I’d never be able to appreciate a taco from anywhere else the same. I’d heard about the city’s lungs, Chapultepec Park, and I’d seen videos of the suspending shelves at Biblioteca Vasconcelos, but I was by no means told about the chilling feeling that’d run up my spine as I walked up the floating staircases or the way my own lungs would strain to adapt to the city air and altitude. Despite being a relatively newfound tourist hot spot, this city was full of unexpected surprises, and I was happy to find them everywhere I went.

Throughout the five days I spent in CDMX I saw dogs napping by the dozen in the park, locals building ofrendas outside the National Art Museum, and I bought a vintage camera from a store on Donceles Street, none of which were things I foresaw. The best surprise, however, was a subtle yet incredibly direct reminder of why I became a food and culture writer in the first place: to encourage people to take a more authentic and intentional approach to travel, one that embraces the unexpected and honors local communities. In a city that’s only becoming more gentrified — with a food scene that' has reportedly assimilated its spice levels to appease tourists —that’s not an easy feat. But, below, you’ll find a collection of restaurants where you can enjoy plant based food that does just that.

First Stop: Tacos at Por Siempre Vegana

After landing around 8 pm, and spending a couple of hours making my way through customs and collecting my bags, my first mission after getting into my Airbnb was food — and what better first meal than tacos and guacamole? While the combo would repeat itself at different locations throughout my time in Mexico City, my first fix came from a place called Por Siempre Vegana. Por Siempre Vegana isn’t a new discovery by any means, in fact it’s got thousands of positive reviews and has even been featured in publications like Infatuation for having some of the best tacos in the city — vegan or not. 

Por Siempre Vegana is open late most nights, and being walking distance, it gave me the perfect excuse to stretch my legs after a long day of travel. I still did manage to get lost on my way there, and after finding the first location I visited closed (they have two), I got in an extra couple of blocks of walking before sitting down and enjoying my tacos. The restaurant was completely open to the street, with a dining area that extends onto the sidewalk and an open kitchen where you can watch everything get prepared. I took a seat right outside and placed my order: one (vegan) pastor taco, an order of guacamole, and a glass of jimaica agua fresca.

Personally, I prefer my tacos very simple — just the “meat,” cilantro, onions, and a squeeze of lime (and a scoop of my guac if I’m feeling a little extra). Everything came out flavorful and fresh, the only thing I’d say is to ask for the chips on the side of your guacamole (they got kind of soggy sitting in the bowl). Overall, Por Siempre Vegana is a great late night option for a quick bite in a convenient location. I simply can’t say anything bad about it, and while I did eventually find even better tacos, I’d never turn it down.  In fact, I’m dying to go back just to get to try the dairy-free horchata.

Breakfast at Cafe Amamba 

Cafe Amamba looks like something right out of my saved Instagram posts. Only, just looking at its menu full of fresh pressed juices and avocado toast, I’d expect to see it saved under trendy sector of LA over CDMX — and I don’t mean that in a negative way, either. If you know me at all, you know I love a cold green juice in the morning, and I love it even more with a piping hot espresso by its side. Even so, it’ll take some serious convincing to get me out of the house for a serving of avocado on bread. Yet, from the morning I first sat down here and on, all I’ll ever need to hear is two words: Cafe. Amamba. 

Made with a thin spread of red pepper hummus, a healthy (and not excessive) amount of thinly sliced ripe avocado, and topped with an egg per my request, Cafe Amamba managed to reinvent a dish that’s been done many many ways, and many many times. To make it even more Mexico City and less LA, Cafe Amamba serves it alongside a small amount of its house-made salsa macha — which they also sell in store and is now one of my most used condiments. Delivering a soft crunchy texture, a hit of spice (which no avocado toast is complete without), and depth from toasted nuts and cocoa, I simply cannot and will not get enough. 

Cafe Amamba didn’t just get me out for avocado toast once, but twice. I came back for the exact same order just a couple of days later, and on my birthday no less. Sat outside on the patio or inside the quaint cafe, Cafe Amamba is the perfect stop before or after a morning walk through Chapultepec Park or any time your Instagram story needs a boost.

Enchiladas from Gracias Madre

I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive walking up to Gracias Madre the first time — and I know from experience that a restaurant with a neon sign inside is usually a bad omen. I think this mindset might have bled into my food, or maybe it was because I’d already had some vegan tacos the night before, but my first meal did not meet my standards. That was mostly because the vegan cheese they used hardened on top of the taco fillings instead of melting and spreading over them. But, it also had to do with the strange minty aroma that came through in my pastor taco. All in all, I left Gracias Madre the first time feeling a bit underwhelmed. I did enjoy the cold beer and guacamole, at least. 

Later on in my trip I shared this experience with someone who encouraged me to give Gracias Madre another shot. They recommended that I order a plate of enchiladas, which was honestly all I needed to hear (I love enchiladas). So, when I found myself walking by one day, phone dead (hence the pictures above taken on my digital camera), I stopped for a moment to sit down. I ordered just as suggested, asking for the enchiladas and an agua fresca, and I couldn’t have been happier. The enchiladas were filled with a mix of tofu and vegetables and coated in a flavorful green salsa. The texture of the cheese seemed to work with it too, providing a rich flavor that balanced out the brightness of the salsa. I will be thinking about this meal until I come back.

Classic Vegan Street Food in Front of The Diego Rivera Museum

Of all my food experiences in Mexico City, this street stand outside of the Diego Rivera Mural Museam felt the most authentic. There’s no way I would’ve come across this stand on my own, and I have to credit Jimena of Travelling Herbivore for bringing me here. While most of traditional Mexican cuisine was originally vegan and vegetarian friendly, a lot of the street food stands you’ll come across today use animal lard in both the beans and tortillas. But, not this place. I really wish it had a name I could share with you, but just know it’s located directly outside of the Diego Rivera Mural Museum, and that they only set up shop there on Saturdays. Not only will you get an authentic, vegan-friendly street food experience, but you’ll get to try some unique ingredients. 

Going with a group, I got to try a few different things. One of the standouts was a huit la coche quesadilla (without the cheese). Huit la coche is an ancient fungi that grows on corn, and was first consumed by the Aztecs who are indigenous to Central Mexico. It’s an ingredient I’d never seen nor heard of before and, interestingly, the funky taste of the fungi made up for the lack of cheese. If I could get my hands on it myself, I’d love to mix it with other, more meaty mushrooms for texture. But, it was honestly delicious as it was, and I’ll never be able to get over how soft the tortillas were. Following the huit la coche quesadilla I also got to try a tlacoyo. Mine was filled with beans and mushrooms, and topped with grilled cactus (also known as nopales) — all of my favorite things. 

Overall, this experience felt both authentic and new. The combination, paired with all of the unique ingredients and the vegan-friendliness of it all made it something that, in my opinion, you could only experience in Mexico City.

VEGuerrero in Colonia Buenavista (BEST Vegan Tacos in CDMX)

From the outside looking in, VEGuerrero doesn’t look like much — but, in my experience, the best places never do. This is another place I have to credit Jimena of Travelling Herbivore for, and I’ll forever be both thankful to and slightly mad at her for it, because I don’t think any taco will ever taste the same to me again. The tacos from VEGuerrero were hands down the best that I’ve ever had, vegan or not. The “meat” was juicy and tender, which I later learned is because they are all made from scratch following traditional preparation methods (which often includes hours of marinating and preparation).

My order consisted of a trio plate, including a pastor taco, a chicharron, and a suadero, which I paired with a cold Victoria and cantaloupe agua fresca that really hit the spot. Topped with onion and cilantro, cheese was not even a thought when it came to these tacos. They were so good they didn’t need it, nor did I miss it. Looking back, it really let the quality of the “meat” shine. The suadero taco was my personal favorite of the bunch. I liked it so much, in fact, that I ended up coming back for more the next day, knowing that I’d probably regret it if I didn’t. VEGuerrero will definitely be the first place I come to the next time I visit CDMX. 

Plant-Based Seafood by The Park at Paxil

When we stopped at Paxil during the vegan food tour I went on (the same one led by Jimena of Travelling Herbivore that I keep mentioning), I was a bit surprised. I must have walked along this same street a dozen times before and not even noticed this humble yet adorably decorated street stand, as it was directly adjacent to one of my favorite parks, The Plaza Rio de Janeiro. Again, I’m thankful to Jimena for introducing me to such a unique place, but also a bit concerned, because I’m not sure where I’m ever going to get to enjoy anything like it again. 

Paxil specializes in vegan seafood, and has a full menu of Mexican and Japanese-Mexican dishes, including crispy portobello “fish” tacos and “tuna” tostadas. By this time in the tour, however, I had gotten pretty full on tortillas and decided to change it up by ordering what they call a takeshi. In this dish, sushi rice, veggie “tuna,” fresh avocado, and battered “fish” are all layered on top of a toasted sheet of nori. Drizzled with tamarind sauce and sesame, the takeshi delivered a nice variety of crunchy and soft textures along with sweet and tangy flavors — and it was surprisingly filling. 

What I really enjoyed about Paxil was the environment. Being right on the street, you’re fully immersed in the city while being able to sit and watch as the chefs prepare your order. The only thing I’ll say is that, next time, I’ll go in with the fork first (things got pretty messy). I’m also looking forward to trying some of the other menu items (particularly that crispy portobello “fish” taco).

Street Tortas from The Gatorta Truck

Gatorta was the second to last stop on the tour I took with Jimena (and no, this isn’t sponsored — she’s just really good at what she does). It’s a good thing I went with a group, too, because these tortas were no joke. That photo above was just half of one, stuffed with house-made vegan milanesa and salchichas. Salchichas, being one of my favorite Spanish words, are sausages while the milanesa, or “milanesa de res,” is essentially a Latin style of schnitzel. In this case, the “meat” is cut extra thin, breaded, and fried, before being sandwiched (along with the salchichas, mashed avocado, lettuce, and vegan mayo) between soft pieces of telera bread. 

Parked on the corner of Puebla 182 and Avenue Insurgentes, Gatorta also serves a menu full of other vegan foods (including a particularly delicious tiramisu). But, the torta is their namesake. While you might be able to find a vegetarian-friendly torta elsewhere in the city, Gatorta’s is like the street food stand mentioned earlier on in that it ensures a completely vegan take on a traditional cuisine. Much like the beans and tortillas you’ll stumble upon at street stands around CDMX, the telera bread that is signature to the city’s tortas is often made with lard — making vegan renditions like the one they serve especially rare. 

No trip to Mexico City is complete without a street torta. In so, Gatorta ensures that experience is extended to vegans, too. The only advice I have is to go with a friend who you can share it with or plan on bringing your leftovers home with you. It’s absolutely delicious, but it’s huge.

Birthday Dinner at Pizzeria Della Madonna 

When it came to my final meal in CDMX, I wasn’t too picky. The only thing I knew for sure was that I couldn’t eat one more taco if my life depended on it — and, in a city full of the world’s best, that’s saying something. But, then I remembered a beautiful restaurant I had passed by some days before. It quite literally took my breath away. I had yet to sit down for a nice meal during my trip, and it was my birthday after all. So I thought, why not treat myself to Pizzeria della Madonna? Not to bring her up again, but my food tour guide, Jimena, mentioned that they had a delicious vegan pizza on the menu. As I said before, she’s really good at her job, and she wasn’t wrong about the pizza.  (Pro tip: plan a food tour early on in your trip, because you’ll leave with a long list of recommendations you can hit throughout the rest of your stay.)

I’m happy to report that the pizza I enjoyed inside of Pizzeria della Madonna tasted just as good as I thought it would when I was standing outside, looking in. After learning more about the Italian born and trained chef and owner, Marco Coboni, that really shouldn’t have been much of a surprise. Recognized as one of the best pizzerias in the world in 2024, I don’t think you could go wrong ordering anything off of the menu at Pizzeria della Madonna. My choice, however, was the vegan summer pizza pictured above. The style is neither Neoplitan nor Roman — but whatever it is, it works. Topped with an extra healthy helping of sauce (the trick to any cheese-less pizza) organic eggplant, zucchini, peppers, salmoriglio and garlic all sourced from farmers in nearby Valle De Bravo, I happily dipped each slice into the house chili oil and took sips of orange wine in between.

Needless to say, this birthday girl left Pizzeria della Madonna very, very happy. Whatever I didn’t finish was thoroughly enjoyed back at my Airbnb while I packed and binged TV.