Mexico City is one of the world’s great food capitals, and that reputation extends well beyond its white-tablecloth restaurants. The capital’s fast-food scene — from century-old churro shops to pandemic-era smash-burger startups — offers something that’s hard to find north of the border: quick, affordable food with a real culinary identity. Here’s a rundown of seven chains worth knowing before your next trip.
Americans of a certain age will remember when department stores had full restaurants inside — think the Walnut Room at Marshall Field’s in Chicago, or the tearoom at a Nordstrom. Sanborns is that concept, still thriving. It’s a full-service sit-down restaurant operating inside a department store, and it has been since 1903, when California brothers Walter and Frank Sanborn opened the first location in Mexico City. The chain now has roughly 146 locations concentrated heavily in the capital, with branches stretching from Tijuana to Cancún. Its most famous location occupies the Casa de los Azulejos (House of Tiles), a 16th-century colonial mansion decorated with a mural by José Clemente Orozco. Iconic menu items include enchiladas suizas — chicken enchiladas with cheese and green salsa — as well as chilaquiles and club sandwiches. Waitstaff wear traditional dress. The pace is unhurried. The chain is now owned by billionaire Carlos Slim’s Grupo Carso, but the dining room still feels pleasantly stuck in time. For a first-time visitor, it’s a genuinely worthwhile meal, food blogger Jon Barr said.
La Casa de Toño is a Mexico City institution built around traditional street food served at speed. The chain specializes in pozole — the slow-simmered pork and hominy soup that is one of Mexico’s great comfort dishes — alongside tostadas and other casual staples. Chips arrive before you’ve settled in, and the kitchen turns orders around in minutes. It’s a hole-in-the-wall that runs like a machine, with waiters everywhere and a pace that has no equivalent in American casual dining. Worth a stop for the pozole alone, though first-timers will want guidance on how to dress the bowl — cream, oregano, and tostadas on the side, added gradually.
Dynasty Legendary Chinese Food
Every major mall in Mexico City seems to have one, and Dynasty Legendary Chinese Food is a fixture in the capital’s luxury shopping centers. The free samples at the counter pull you in, and the portions are enormous — bigger than anything you’d typically see at a comparable U.S. chain. The sweet chicken and rice combo is the standard order. Visually and conceptually, it lands squarely in Panda Express territory: recognizable, filling, and not particularly memorable. Mall food culture is still going strong in Mexico City in a way it no longer is in much of the United States, and Dynasty benefits from that foot traffic. It’s fine for what it is, but it’s the one stop on this list where Mexico doesn’t have a clear edge.
This is the standout of the bunch. Chubbies is a Mexico City smash burger chain that launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been expanding steadily ever since. It has earned a 4.7 average rating across major review platforms and operates across the capital and State of Mexico. The especial burger — beef patty, American cheese, bacon jam, garlic dressing, and chile — runs around 250 pesos and is significantly better than most fast food burgers available anywhere, including in the United States, says food bloggerJon Barr. Loaded fries come buried under the same toppings. Outdoor seating is available at some locations.
Choosing your taqueria chain in Mexico City is something like picking a soccer team — it marks age, neighborhood, and allegiance. El Califa is one of the city’s best-regarded chains, a tightly run operation open until 4 a.m. every day with multiple locations across the capital, including in Polanco and Condesa. The al pastor — pork carved from a vertical spit — is the standard order. Tacos here are small by American standards, which means you order several and eat them fast. The salsa selection is serious.
Francisco Iriarte emigrated from Elizondo, Spain, to Mexico City in 1933. Noticing that no churros were being sold anywhere in the city, he set up a cart in the Zócalo before eventually opening a permanent shop, naming the business El Moro in honor of a churro vendor from his hometown. That was 1935. The original location sits on Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas in the Historic Center and has never closed. Since 2014, the founder’s grandchildren have expanded to locations across the city, including in Polanco and Roma. The standard order is churros with chocolate for dipping. The consolada — a churro ice cream sandwich — is the signature item. For a late-night dessert stop, it’s hard to beat.
This isn’t a restaurant, per se, but you can still stuff your face quickly and economically here. Think of OXXO as Mexico’s answer to 7-Eleven, only more ubiquitous. Founded in Guadalupe, Nuevo León, in 1976 and owned by the beverage conglomerate FEMSA, OXXO has grown to more than 21,000 stores across the Americas — the largest convenience store chain in Latin America. Nearly every block in Mexico City has one. The coffee is decent, cinnamon cappuccinos are a local staple, and the pastry case usually includes a concha, the sugar-topped sweet roll that is a cornerstone of Mexican bakery culture. Don’t expect anything extraordinary. Do expect it to be open at 3 a.m. OXXO is also actively expanding into the United States, with locations now appearing in Texas.
For more on where to eat in Mexico, the street food guide at Yucatán Magazine covers regional favorites across the country.
Fast-Food Fast Facts
- OXXO operates more than 21,000 stores across the Americas and is currently expanding in Texas
- Sanborns dates to 1903 and is now part of Carlos Slim’s Grupo Carso
- La Casa de Toño specializes in pozole and other traditional street food staples, with multiple locations across Mexico City
- Dynasty Legendary Chinese Food has more than 30 locations across Mexico
- El Califa is open until 4 a.m. daily with multiple locations across Mexico City
- Chubbies Burger launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and now operates across Mexico City and the State of Mexico
- Churrería El Moro has been family-owned since 1935; the original Centro location never closes
Sources: Jon Barr, Wikipedia, El Moro, The Infatuation, Chubbies Burger, FEMSA