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We've compiled the best of the best in San Miguel de Allende and the Heartland - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Clean, bright, and charming, this Italian restaurant has an inviting location on pedestrian-only Andador Cinco de Mayo, just steps away from Plaza de Armas. Customers return again and again for the creative thin-crust pizzas, pastas, and cheese and charcuterie plates served in a historic old home converted to a three-story restaurant.
Huff and puff your way up the 40-plus steps to this restaurant's threshold for an exceptional view of downtown Guanajuato, as well as for the mouthwatering house specialty, filetto Claudio (beef fillet with olives, capers, herbs, and garlic). Save room for the velvety tiramisu. Weather permitting, have your aperitif on the terrace, which has an even more dazzling view, best as sunset tints Guanajuato's domes several different shades of gold. Lunch is served, but on the Mexican timetable: starting at 2 pm.
This tremendously popular restaurant, named after Querétaro's version of Robin Hood, is on the handsome Plaza de Armas. It's strong on regional dishes like goat-filled tacos and shrimp with nopal (cactus) and corundas (a kind of tamale from the neighboring state of Michoacán).
This restaurant overlooking the cathedral might not have the best food in Morelia, but it has the most iconic view. All-glass windows separate four-top tables from a wraparound balcony, where you can have a predinner drink. The menu is a bit stuffy, but not offensively so—its core is formed by Mexican dishes with some fusion touches. The tequila list is extensive, and you'll find a half-dozen high-end mezcals, too. Both the bar and restaurant close at 5 pm on Sunday.
Morelia's current hot spot serves Michoacán cuisine, and not just the ubiquitous whitefish and corundas found at tourist-oriented eateries. Diners choose a seat under the popular portico facing the Plaza de Armas, or inside, where large, open windows overlook the same scene. Otherwise, the plain dining room is brightened only by original paintings and prints of Michoacán scenes. Sample a salad of jicama bloom with cotija (a dry, white cheese produced in the area); tamales of tender new corn; green ceviche; and other upscale versions of classic regional fare. For under MX$300, there's a four-course tasting menu consisting of starter, seasonal salad, main dish, and dessert. How about some chocolate blended with hot chilies and mezcal and topped with avocado ice cream? It's open for unusual breakfast treats, too.
