Vegan food in Mexico City has exploded on the scene and definitely has the potential to rival other major cities like Los Angeles, New York City, and London. On top of the abundant options, every time we sat down to eat we said: “Wow, that was the best (insert food item) we’ve EVER had!” Seriously, the food blew us away and we highly recommend you book a trip to eat your way through our Vegan Guide to Mexico City ASAP. Your taste buds will thank you.
Veguísima
If you’re searching for vegan options of traditional Mexican dishes, then look no further than Veguísima. Order the vegan chicharrón, which are traditionally fried pork rinds, but here you’ll find similar taste and texture without the cruelty. They are crispy and salty and pair perfectly with chunky guacamole. If you have never tried or heard of “mollettes,” you must try the one at Veguísima. Depending on where you order it from, there could be many different toppings, but the basics are beans and cheese on toast. Theirs is a giant foot-long open-faced baguette topped with beans, chorizo cauliflower, potatoes, cheese, a cream sauce, and guacamole. The only way that it can be described is a Mexican pizza. Just trust us, you don’t want to miss this dish.
Forever Vegano
If you’re searching for a delicious and filling brunch, then head straight to Forever Vegano. Start your meal with a cinnamon roll or croissant, but save room for the main course. Chilaquiles is a Mexican staple and can be found on many menus all over the country. It’s chips topped with beans, a cream sauce, and to add a hint of spice, some jalapeños. Another traditional dish is the enfrijoladas which are corn tortillas stuffed with tofu scramble and drenched in a chipotle bean sauce. They don’t look pretty, but they will keep you going back bite after bite until you’re completely stuffed.
Fat Vegan
You don’t have to read too much into the name Fat Vegan to know what you’re about to get yourself into. It’s a vegan junk food mecca! With a wide array of options ranging from burgers to milkshakes to salads, there are going to be at least a few different options that appeal to your palette. If you want to stay on the lighter side, the caesar salad is a fantastic option that comes topped with croutons, sundried tomatoes, and sauteed onions. Get it topped with the fried tofu to add an extra layer of crunch. Speaking of fried tofu, Fat Vegan has the BEST fried tofu that you can get, possibly in the world, so if you don’t get it on your salad, definitely check out La Muy Crispi, which is a fried tofu sandwich topped with a Korean chili glaze, cabbage and carrot slaw, and a spicy, but not too spicy, chipotle sauce.
No matter what you end up ordering, be sure to grab one of their incredibly delicious milkshakes. Their salted caramel milkshake, topped with pretzels and cream, is a sure-fire way to make you say OMG. They are large enough to share but taste so good you might not want to!
Gold Taco
Gold Taco is a little gem found in the popular Mercado Roma. What vegan guide to Mexico City wouldn’t highlight tacos? It’s basically a food stall that has a surprisingly extensive menu including tacos with six different “meat styles” ranging from chorizo to carnitas to bistec, you’re sure to find a favorite. Additionally, they are one of the few places where you can find vegan tamales in the city. If you’re in the mood for a larger plate, grab an order of the flautas, which are basically large taquitos that are stuffed with soy-based chorizo, beans, and potatoes, all smothered in red and cream sauces. If you’re feeling adventurous try the quesadilla with huitlacoche which literally translates to “corn smut.” It’s a fungus that grows on corn and it’s very prevalent in Mexican cuisine.
Churrería El Moro
When you finish up your lunch at Gold Taco inside the Mercado Roma, don’t leave without an order of churros from Churrería El Moro. The churros themselves are all vegan and you can choose to have them coated in either white or brown sugar. You’ll get four GIANT churros all for only 24 pesos- that’s about $1.25 USD. This is a chain restaurant, so you can find them all over the city, but some of the locations offer almond milk-based hot chocolate that you can dip the churros in for a more authentic experience.
La Pitahaya Vegana
The best bite of food you might have in your entire life can be found at La Pitahaya Vegana. This restaurant is known for its “grammable” pink tacos that they make in-house using dragonfruit (pitahaya) to give them a bright pink color. The Mole Mixteco dish is made up of (pink) tortillas stuffed with bananas, drenched in traditional mole sauce, and topped with Mexican rice. The sweetness of the banana paired with the spicy and savory flavor from the mole mixes in your mouth to create pure perfection. They are also well known for tacos or enchiladas. The menu is pretty small, which means they’ve perfected every single dish that they offer and, honestly, you can’t go wrong with any dish you choose to devour.
Gatorta
Gatorta is an all-vegan food truck and is the perfect street food experience. A “torta” is basically just a sandwich, but here you’ll find them filled with different traditional fillings. For a simple sandwich, try the Milanesa, which is breaded seitan with beans, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and avocado. It’s the perfect combination of flavors and will leave you feeling satisfied. Cochinita pibil is traditionally a Mexican slow-roasted pork dish that is marinated in orange or citrus flavors. At Gatorta you can get a veganized version with the soyita pibil, which uses soy instead of meat. The orange flavor really comes through in the sandwich and is a very unique flavor that you won’t find outside of Mexico. Don’t leave without scoping out the deserts, the ones that look like twinkies are the perfect way to end your meal.
Plantasia
Not all food found on our vegan guide to Mexico City is traditionally Mexican. For an Asian inspired meal, try Plantasia. They have a wide variety of food options on their menu, but definitely start your meal with the crispy wontons. They’re filled with kimchi and vegan mascarpone and create the perfect explosion of flavors when dipped into the sweet chili sauce. If interested in a strange dish that will leave you scratching your head as to why it tasted so good, try the Kushi. It’s a skewered banana that’s been filled with walnut cheese, panko encrusted and deep-fried. They also have many different sushi options that are worth trying, our favorites were the crispy kimchi and dynamite rolls.
Vegan Inc.
If you’re looking to get your vegan cheese fix in, run, don’t walk, to Vegan Inc. Your appetizer MUST be the vegan fondue, no questions about it. In fact, this fondue had us coming back to Vegan Inc multiple times because we couldn’t stop thinking about it. Imagine hot, bubbling cheese cooking right at your table with little bits of bread for dipping. They also give you grapes to dip into the cheese, which may be the best flavor combination possible. Speaking of hot bubbling cheese, order the raclette, which are mini baked potatoes that have been cooked in a cast-iron skillet. They bring it to your table and then pour hot, molten, cheese right over it. The dish will sizzle and bubble right before your eyes and of course will appease all of your cheese cravings. If you didn’t get enough cheese, try the mac and cheese dish. There must be some secret ingredient for how they make cheese because it was the best mac and cheese we’ve ever had.
Por Siempre Vegana Taqueria
The tacos at Por Siempre Vegana Taqueria don’t look pretty, but they’re absolutely delicious. One piece of advice that most people will give you about finding good tacos is to look for the line. No matter what time we arrived at Por Siempre, we waited about 30-40 minutes, which is how you know they’re good! The wait is definitely worth it, so don’t get discouraged. They even have a vegan pastor spit and carve the seitan fresh right in front of you. The best part about this taqueria is that each taco is dirt cheap, on average about 15 pesos, which is less than $1 USD. You can go in there and order all the food you could possibly eat for less than $10 USD for two people. Grab a glass of their agua del dia which is a fruit infused water that can be anything from cucumber and mint to tamarind.
Pan Gabriel
Pan Gabriel is an all-vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and organic bakery with a couple of locations scattered throughout the city. They have a million different options, but definitely try the conchas, which is a traditional Mexican sweet bread. They also have fresh baked donuts and cakes. A lot of the options are individually wrapped, so you can stock up to eat them throughout your entire trip.
We hope our vegan guide to Mexico City has inspired you to book a flight so you can stuff your face with all the delicious food. If we missed your favorite vegan restaurant (there were still so many we didn’t get to try) let us know down below in the comments.
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