The one-room dining room is formal but not fancy—white tablecloths are balanced out by simple wooden chairs and aging restrooms (the restaurant has been open since 1957), and you'll be welcomed with a warm handshake. The chef, Gerardo Vazquez Lugo, started the Mexican chapter of the Slow Food movement, so expect dishes that are sourced very carefully. Nico's is a serious restaurant without any pretense.

This family-run lunchspot has been popular for decades and received a Lifetime Achievement gong from the World’s Best Restaurant outfit. The mother-and-son team adhere to the slow food philosophy, using only local ingredients and preparing dishes with great care and attention to detail and tradition. The fish empanada, tortilla soup and chicken in the almond-scented house mole are legendary.

Respecting and following traditional Mexican cooking methods is where the magic behind Nicos begins. The chefs aim to provide dishes of the highest quality at the same time as supporting small local producers. Having started off as a small cafeteria in 1957, Nicos became so successful that nowadays it is a busy restaurant, run by the Vázquez Lugo family.

Nicos is worth the time you might spend in traffic to get there. With over 65 years of family history, their dishes, with a distinct homemade hearthy style, will make you want to become a regular. Part of that is thanks to their five-star (and historically accurate) chiles en nogada, available in August and September.

Muñoz, who is 26, worked with Gerardo Vázquez Lugo of Restaurante Nicos, which more than one traveler rightly told me had the best breakfast in Mexico City. Together, they developed Maizajo, which is as much an incubator for the tortilla revolution as it is a masa and tortilla business.

Located in the north of the city, Nicos is without doubt one of the bastions of Mexican cuisine, where tradition and Mexican ingredients have been respected and praised since its opening 60 years ago. Founded by Elenita Lugo and now run by her son Gerardo Vázquez Lugo, in this place you’ll find, with no pretensions, the real flavors of Mexico such as mole verde, sopa seca de natas, and cerdo en adobo de antaño—tender pork cooked with a sauce made of dry chilies and spices. For breakfast I recommend their chilaquiles parranderos, made with guajillo chile, or huevos rancheros and a mandatory cup of hot chocolate with a soft, fluffy concha.

It’s a family affair at this Mexico City treasure, where Chef Gerardo Vázquez Lugo and his mother, Elena Lugo, have built and maintained a legacy of heartfelt service and traditional cuisine for more than six decades. As ambassadors of the ‘slow food’ movement and firm believers in supporting Mexico’s farmers and purveyors, the duo’s kitchen pays tribute to the country’s ingredients, history and incomparable love for spending time around the table. Lunch at Nicos means sharing a no-frills, relaxed space with an always-lively crowd of families, friends, colleagues and couples.

Attracting the city’s discerning foodie crowd, Nicos delivers deeply flavoursome, authentic Mexican cuisine by one of Mexico’s favourite slow food chefs, Gerardo Vazquez Lugo. As a bowl of guacamole is freshly prepared at your table, peruse a menu of historic recipes ingeniously reinterpreted by Lugo using only the freshest, organic, locally sourced ingredients. We love the inspired savoury mille feuille with tomato, cream and chicken, but don’t miss Nicos’ expert mezcal pairings for the complete Mexican dining experience.

Take cult institution Nicos (no bookings, you take a seat in line) so fiercely loved by the locals, it earned a spot on the Latin America’s 50 Best List. Here, the time-honoured principles of cooking in-season, and taking time with a dish, like we did at Casa Jacaranda, and as is done in abuelas’ (grandmothers’) kitchens around the country, is what patrons queue for, some for up to two hours. Craving the simplicity and generosity of a home-cooked meal on my last day in Mexico City, I join the queue at Nicos.

Make a reservation for 3pm, preferably on a Thursday or Friday when they have live music, and go for a superbly long meal. It’s far, yes, probably a 30min Uber from your Airbnb or hotel, and its in the middle of nowhere, and its only open for lunch - but it’s one of most soulful meals in CDMX. Its traditional Mexican dining at its absolute best, showcasing much of the diversity of the food of different regions of Mexico, as well as interesting Mexican ingredients and ancient Mexican recipes.

In the less touristy Azcapotzalco is Nicos, a longstanding institution that's been around since 1957. Traditional Mexican food is gussied up with creative twists that make dishes feel refreshingly new, and keep us proudly carrying an “I’m a regular here” card. Their menu is a celebration of Mexican ingredients, like a super decadent bone marrow sope with the perfect green salsa, their famous Tijuana-style caesar salad prepared tableside, and arguably the best chiles en nogada in town.

Tableside guacamole, live mariachi music, and some of the best margaritas we had in CDM – Nicos is a place where traditional, authentic Mexico comes to life. The must-order dish here is the “Sopa Seca de Natas” (a.ka. “dry soup”) which is like a Mexican lasagna made with layers of crepes, chicken, cheese, tomatoes, and poblano peppers, with a sauce of unpasteurized cream. Save room for the arroz con leche, with café de olla on the side, of course!

Hours: 08:00 AM – 06:00 PM Monday to Wednesday, 08:00 AM – 09:00 PM Thursday to Saturday, 08:00 AM – 05:00 PM Sunday. Chef Gerardo Vazquez Lugo is very proud of his Mexican culture, heritage, roots, and influences so you will see a lot of these traditions depicted on the menus they create for Nicos. Like many other top Mexico City fine dining restaurants, Nicos sources its ingredients from local producers all over the country.

Nicos, run by the chef who started the Mexico chapter of the Slow Food movement, is one of the most casually elegant meals you can have in the capital. Go for comida (late lunch) and don’t miss the sopa seca de nata (layers of paper-thin crepes filled with tomato and cream), guacamole made at your table with the chewiest, richest tortillas made from corn nixtamalized in-house, and a cafe de olla. Image credit @nicosmexico

La Chef María Elena Lugo, que acudió recientemente al episodio número 11 de MasterChef Celebrity 2022, colocó a Nicos, su restaurante ubicado en la Av. Cuitláhuac 3102, Claveria, Azcapotzalco, CDMX en el lugar número 58 de la prestigiosa lista por lo que sobra decir que su pan de muerto es un hit, pero sus platillos vegetarianos, son lo máximo. Aunque cuando le entra a las carnes, como el róbalo, te lleva al cielo.

Restaurante Nicos started out nearly 70 years ago as a simple stand selling snacks and drinks. It grew into a popular restaurant which is now run by the son of the original owner, María Elena Lugo Zermeño. Visit Restaurante Nicos for delicious, classic Mexican cuisine like duck mole, tacos stuffed with crispy beef jerky, or enchiladas filled with tasajo and covered in Oaxacan pixtle sauce.

The Nicos restaurant boasts of using all the authentic ingredients to prepare its original Mexican fare, the recipes of which has been passed on for generations. This restaurant was established in the year 1957 and is a family run business. The interiors are warm and inviting and the soft music playing in the background, guarantees of a great time ahead with friends and family.

Although it’s located a bit away from Mexico City’s main tourist attractions, it’s worth venturing to Claveria to eat lunch at Restaurante Nicos. At 60 years old, Restaurante Nicos is still loved by many and considered the best restaurant in Mexico City by Eater. Visit the mezcal cart and enjoy the local ingredients and age-old meals at Restaurant Nicos.

For some of the best Mexican dishes like enchiladas and duck mole, try family-owned Restaurante Nicos. This mother-and-son team has made its mark for consistently delivering excellent service, using only locally-sourced ingredients, and for cooking up delectable traditional food. Nicos’ owners have kept the restaurant in business for over 60 years.

For more than six decades, this family-run restaurant has been celebrating Mexico’s traditional dishes. Led by chef Elena Lugo and her son, Gerardo Vázquez Lugo, Nicos is all about preserving the country’s flavors and making diners feel like part of the family. Nicos’ warm, casual atmosphere is equally delightful at breakfast and lunch.

While quaffing some fine chilled Siete Leguas tequila at his pad, Diego and I make plans to have breakfast the next day. We choose Nicos, a beloved restaurant run by mother-and-son chefs far north of the Condesa-Roma Norte axis. We start with succulent chicken enchiladas de mole, with a green salsa that, as Diego says, “just pops”.

Nicos is an institution with more than 60 years in the business, created by a mother and son, this is one of the most traditional spots for Mexican Food in the City. It is also one of the 50Best Restaurants in Latin America and famous for its chile en nogada. Here you must try de Sopa de Natas, the mole, and the ceviche del día.

A perfect place for Mexican cuisine is Nicos in Mexico City. With the help of local produce and traditional Mexican cooking methods, Nicos is a must-visit. Started way back in 1957, the restaurant has become popular for its breakfast and fruit juices, combining simplicity with sophistication in the interiors.

Elevated home cooking” is what Bon Appetit calls Nicos, a mainstay since 1957. Chef Gerardo Vázquez Lugo turned his family restaurant into a Mexican Slow Food pioneer. When you’re searching for where to eat in Mexico City, consider this traditional neighborhood café with excellent service.

Concept: A much-loved institution, Nicos has been satisfying Mexicans’ stomachs for more than 60 years. Architect-turned-chef Gerardo Vázquez Lugo creates dishes that take diners on an odyssey through the country’s rich culinary heritage.

Cuitláhuac 3102, Claveria, Azcapotzalco, 02080 | Website | @nicosmexico. I nominate Nicos for breakfast in Mexico City. The staff put out a whole spread of sweet pan, Mexican coffee and breakfast for us.

Nicos is famous for its breakfast, all-Mexican wine list and traditional dishes, including sopa seca de natas served at lunch. This is the place to try the family recipes that make Mexican food unique.