Taco stand in Mexico City is recognized with a Michelin Star
May 20, 2024
Jean G. Fowler
Latest Modification Date: 5/20/24
Corn tortilla. Tender meat, spicy green or red salsa. Lime, cilantro, or onions. The idea of a taco may seem simple, but its delicious flavors have transcended culinary tradition, and now, historic globally recognition as this taquería has been recognized with a Michelin Star for the first time.
Located in the San Rafael area in Mexico City, Taquería El Califa de León has obtained the first Michelin recognition for a taco place in the world. The Michelin Guide is a global referent for the best restaurants and describes the taco stand as “high-quality cooking”:
“There is a reason why El Califa de León has endured for more than half a century. This taqueria may be bare bones with just enough room for a handful of diners to stand at the counter but its creation, the Gaonera taco, is exceptional. Thinly sliced beef filet is expertly cooked to order, and seasoned with only salt and a squeeze of lime. At the same time, a second cook prepares the excellent corn tortillas alongside. The resulting combination is elemental and pure. Other options are few but excellent and include bistec (beef steak), chuleta (pork chop), and costilla (beef rib). With meat and tortillas of this caliber, the duo of house-made salsas is hardly even necessary”.
After the Michelin Guide publication, Califa El León, which has been open for 70 years, became flooded with impatient customers waiting to order tacos. The line goes around the corner and those who go in the tiny business are rewarded with the mouthwatering, traditional dish prepared by chef Arturo Rivera Martínez, who adds a pinch of salt to the meat, squeezes half a lemon on top, and takes fresh tortilla.
Funny enough, the tiny 10-meter restaurant has very few tables and it is almost too hot to sit inside the taquería, which is half occupied by the grill where the food is cooked. As many food places in Mexico, people eat standing up and
Location: Av. Ribera De San Cosme 56, San Rafael, Cuauhtémoc, 06470, Mexico
What is a Michelin Star?
A Michelin Star is awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking. We take into account five universal criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavors, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine, and, just as importantly, consistency both across the entire menu and over time.
They are annual awards based on the voting of famously anonymous Michelin Inspectors, who are full-time employees who are former restaurant and hospitality professionals who eat at restaurants all over the world, then discuss their experiences as a team and make a final decision.
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Taco stand in Mexico City is recognized with a Michelin Star
May 20, 2024
Jean G. Fowler
Taco stand in Mexico City is recognized with a Michelin Star
May 20, 2024
Jean G. Fowler
Corn tortilla. Tender meat, spicy green or red salsa. Lime, cilantro, or onions. The idea of a taco may seem simple, but its delicious flavors have transcended culinary tradition, and now, historic globally recognition as this taquería has been recognized with a Michelin Star for the first time.
Located in the San Rafael area in Mexico City, Taquería El Califa de León has obtained the first Michelin recognition for a taco place in the world. The Michelin Guide is a global referent for the best restaurants and describes the taco stand as “high-quality cooking”:
“There is a reason why El Califa de León has endured for more than half a century. This taqueria may be bare bones with just enough room for a handful of diners to stand at the counter but its creation, the Gaonera taco, is exceptional. Thinly sliced beef filet is expertly cooked to order, and seasoned with only salt and a squeeze of lime. At the same time, a second cook prepares the excellent corn tortillas alongside. The resulting combination is elemental and pure. Other options are few but excellent and include bistec (beef steak), chuleta (pork chop), and costilla (beef rib). With meat and tortillas of this caliber, the duo of house-made salsas is hardly even necessary”.
Latest Modification Date: 5/20/24
After the Michelin Guide publication, Califa El León, which has been open for 70 years, became flooded with impatient customers waiting to order tacos. The line goes around the corner and those who go in the tiny business are rewarded with the mouthwatering, traditional dish prepared by chef Arturo Rivera Martínez, who adds a pinch of salt to the meat, squeezes half a lemon on top, and takes fresh tortilla.
Funny enough, the tiny 10-meter restaurant has very few tables and it is almost too hot to sit inside the taquería, which is half occupied by the grill where the food is cooked. As many food places in Mexico, people eat standing up and
Location: Av. Ribera De San Cosme 56, San Rafael, Cuauhtémoc, 06470, Mexico
What is a Michelin Star?
A Michelin Star is awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking. We take into account five universal criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavors, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine, and, just as importantly, consistency both across the entire menu and over time.
They are annual awards based on the voting of famously anonymous Michelin Inspectors, who are full-time employees who are former restaurant and hospitality professionals who eat at restaurants all over the world, then discuss their experiences as a team and make a final decision.
