Breakfast in Mexico City is one of my favorite meals. Usually it’s a fruit plate or a glass of freshly squeezed juice, followed by a heavy, spicy, substantial dish that will keep you satiated until the 3 p.m. lunch hour. Pancakes in DF can be a dinnertime snack.
The most typical Mexican breakfasts offer a lovely array of textures: the half-crunch, half-sog of a perfectly executed plate of chilaquiles; the spongy curl of a piece of chicharrón drowned in salsa verde, the toothsome bite of a grilled cactus paddle paired with a slab of queso panela. Everything comes with a stack of hot corn tortillas, either wrapped in a cotton towel or a straw basket. Breakfasts at restaurants and fondas can sometimes stretch into two hours, but no one ever hurries you.
Here in New York I’ve been eating muffins or oatmeal in the mornings, which has been fine, because you know, es lo que hay. But I’m totally missing the presence of chilaquiles, cecina, huevos divorciados, and those thick, dreamy bean sauces they used to serve in the cafeteria at my old gym.
Here are some of my favorite Mexican breakfast photos from my archives. Hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I do.
Please feel free to share your favorite Mexican breakfast (and why) in the comments!