WHERE TO DRINK
Mezcal, once disdained, has boomed of
late. It features heavily on lists across the
city, but for anyone wanting to dive deep
into the smoky stuff, a mezcalería is in
order. Longtime favourite La Clandestina
is a convivial spot with knowledgeable
staff. Twenty-six mezcals in 20-litre
bottles, from Michoacán, Guerrero and
Oaxaca, hang behind the bar. Drinks come
in traditional veladora glasses with sal de
gusano orange. Better still, any can be
bottled to take home. La Botica, with
similar cred, has six locations including
Roma and Condesa.
Another agave drink enjoying a revival
is pulque, the Aztec ‘drink of the gods’.
Fermented agave sap, often curado,
flavoured, is weird but worth trying.
Pulquería Insurgentes has nightly music
and a rooftop terrace. Try the curado de
mamey, a fruit tasting of sweet potato,
then move on to craft beers or cocktails.
Lush with ferns, the atmospheric
speakeasy Páramo hides above El Parnita
and here mezcal is boss, straight or in
cocktails. With share plates and a Latin
soundtrack, it’s open late for a lively night.
For serious mixology, Baltra is inspired by
Darwin and the Galapagos, while sister
bar Xaman, a seductive, subterranean
joint in Juárez, celebrates pre-Hispanic
ingredients. On Plaza Washington,
CLOCKWISE: Sample
pre-Hispanic drinks at
Xaman; Baltra’s unique
cocktails; discover mezcal
magic at La Clandestina.132 delicious.com.au