Rooftop El Mayor in Mexico City

El Mayor: lunch facing the Templo Mayor

Above the Porrúa bookshop

North of the cathedral, the Porrúa bookshop stands on the corner of República de Argentina and Justo Sierra streets, right opposite the Templo Mayor excavations. You walk through the bookshop to go up to the restaurant, located on the top level. A long wooden terrace, sheltered by a retractable awning, runs along the façade: planters of cacti and agaves, chairs of wood and woven straw, tables with white tablecloths. Below lie the remains of the former Aztec sanctuary; further away rise the bell towers of the cathedral, the vast open esplanade of the Zócalo and the façades of the colonial palaces, with the Torre Latinoamericana on the horizon.

Cuisine from the regions of Mexico

The menu draws on recipes from different states, blending pre-Hispanic, colonial and modern heritage: chile relleno with pressed chicharrón, plantain molotes with mole poblano, escamoles in butter or mezcal, chapulines, enchiladas and enmoladas, fish and meat in sauce. In the morning, chilaquiles, eggs prepared in many ways and homemade sweet bread. Some desserts, such as bananas flambéed in mezcal, are prepared at the table. Part of the produce comes from small producers and from insect and seed gatherers. At the bar, you can order an Aperol Spritz, a sangria, a jug of clericot or a draught beer.

Practical information

Open every day: breakfast from 9am to noon, lunch from 1pm to 6.30pm; in the evening, the terrace hosts private events only. Bookings on +52 55 5704 7580. Access through the inside of the Porrúa bookshop. Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station (line 2), a five-minute walk away.