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I’m in Mexico City this weekend and one of the musts for this trip was to hit up the tiny taco stand that received a MICHELIN star in 2024. It was worthy of the accolade and it’s easy to see why it has been in business since 1968, Make sure to put Taquería El Califa de León on your list while visiting this vibrant city.
Taquería El Califa de León is not visible from the street. Stands selling clothing and one selling men’s bikini underwear and jockstraps block the view. Once you get around the clothing vendors you’ll find a line to order. The entire shop is 100 square feet and consists of a 680-degree grill, a tortilla press, a refrigerated case holding beverages, and a cashier in the back corner.
The business has been running on Avenida Ribera de San Cosme for 56 years. One person works the grill while tortillas are hand cranked from a press on the counter by another. The preparation is simple. Beef and pork are grilled with salt and lime juice. The meat is sliced thin and has exceptional flavor. It’s then slapped on top of a corn tortilla (also cooked on the grill) and served. Diners can add more lime or fiery red and green sauces. I tried them all, but also enjoyed these tacos as they are right off the grill. The menu only has four choices: bistec (seared steak), chuleta (thinly sliced pork), costilla (fork-tender beef), and gaonera (whole steak).
I was mesmerized watching the rhythm of the corn tortillas and meat being made and cooked right in front of the hungry crowd.
A basket of tips overflows on the counter.
The taco stand rightfully and proudly displays its MICHELIN star.
If the counter is too crowded, there are tables in the clothing store directly to the left. All they ask for is a tip for using the space to dine.
All four varieties were delicious, but the bistec and gaonera are sublime. We ordered several of each and ended up with a bill of only $21!
Anthony’s Take: I have been fortunate to dine in many MICHELIN-starred restaurants and most of them have been pretentious restaurants filled with white linen tablecloths and serving multi-course tasting menus. You won’t get that here and that is the beauty of this find. Its simplicity makes it excellent. If you’re in Mexico City, eat here.
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
2 comments
Looks nice but kind of bougie. Mexico has so very many unrecognized places that could use a little exposure rather that a Michelin guide place.
You are mistaken, they do not have a Michelin star, they may be included in the Michelin Guide, not quite the same thing at all. Restaurants with a Michelin Star would display the Michelin sign right next to the stars it has been awarded, in this case zero.