I’m not a vegetarian myself, but a lot of my friends are, and I know how difficult it can be to find vegetarian food in Mexico City. So I asked my good friend Laura Pollard from Go Go Brownie Mission for her take on how to survive Mexico city as a vegetarian. She lived here for four months, and sought out the best tips and restaurants if you’re vegan & vegetarian in Mexico City!
Mexican cuisine is world renowned for its flavours, but it’s not exactly known for its veggie-friendly options. I had some mixed reactions when people here found out that I don’t eat meat. I eat fish from time to time, but try to keep my fish consumption to a minimum. Some people thought that I was doomed, and that without meat tacos my trip to Mexico would not be complete! Thankfully I’ve had no problems finding meat-free options here in Mexico City. In this post I will share some tips on where to go and what to eat, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, pescatarian, or just looking for some veggie options for a change.
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Mexico City Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants
I’m going to start with this: yes, you can find vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Mexico City. If you are vegan, these will often be your best option for dining, as you can rest assured that everything you eat will adhere to your diet.
Two of the best areas for vegans and vegetarians in Mexico City are La Roma and Condesa. The hipster zones of the city, you can find plenty of veggie and vegan restaurants here. The added bonus is that these are good places to base yourself before a night out as you’re spoiled for choice with excellent, quirky and fun bars in these areas.
Arguably the best restaurant here is Forever Vegano, which has vegan versions of traditional Mexican dishes as well as a range of international dishes. I would highly recommend the chilaquiles and chilango if you’re after Mexican food. The vegan desserts are pretty damn good too!
Pan Comido in La Roma is another pretty awesome option, serving vegetarian sandwiches, falafel and Mexican dishes. Also important for those with a sweet tooth – it’s got a wide range of cakes and cookies as well, and right next door is Chomp Chomp which offers brownies, cookies and vegan milk shakes.
In Roma Norte you will also find a tiny, super cheap vegetarian restaurant inside the yoga studio & wellness centre Aurobindo Excelencia which has a daily vegetarian/vegan set menu during the week for $58 pesos including a salad, soup, main course, dessert & drink. And on weekends they have vegetarian & vegan tacos for $10 each. Definitely no frills, but delicious food!
If you’re in Roma, it’s also worth heading to a small complex called Casa Quimera between calles Orizaba and Guanajuato. Here you’ll find a pretty little vegan area with a variety of small establishments: a bakery selling organic and vegan cookies, a vegan Japanese place, a juice stand and a delicious vegan taqueria – La Pitahaya Vegana.
What to Eat as a Vegan or Vegetarian in Mexico City
Vegetarian Street food in Mexico City
Street food is a big part of the Mexican culture and cuisine. Unfortunately, tacos for the most part are the domain of the carnivorous. On street stands you can sometimes find (or request) cheese (queso) or potatoes (papas) as a filling instead, but you might get some raised eyebrows unless you are in a specifically vegetarian place.
The good news is that you don’t have to miss out on this important part of Mexican life completely, you can find Mexico City vegetarian tacos too! Por Siempre is an awesome vegan taco stand that will satisfy any cravings, and is open till midnight too from Monday – Saturday.
Elsewhere though, meat is king, and as far as tacos go, most places will be meat, meat & more meat.
Luckily, quesadillas are another story, and are much more veggie friendly! Aside from the obvious cheese filling, there are two particular vegetarian options which are popular and delicious. While in Mexico City, be sure to check out (1) huitlacoche and (2) flor de calabaza.
The former, huitlacoche, is actually a fungus that grows on corn, and is also known as corn mushroom. Unpleasant as it sounds (and looks), this is quite a delicacy in Mexico City and is definitely worth a try. Flor de calabaza on the other hand are squash blossoms – the flowers that grow on courgettes (zucchini for you Americans) and other squashes, and are a great, filling option for veggies.
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If you want to take it to the next level, check out the food market in Coyoacán (Mercado de Comida Coyoacán) and grab some deliciously unhealthy deep-fried quesadillas from one of the food stools there.
If you’re vegan, you’ll need to specify that you want your quesadillas without cheese (sin queso), as despite the name, you can have a quesadilla without queso!
Esquites are another great street food for vegetarians and vegans (without the cheese & mayo!), where corn is sautéed and served up in a polystyrene cup with cheese, chilli powder, mayonnaise and lime.
Similar but slightly messier are the elotes. This is corn on the cob which you can slather in mayo, cheese and chilli powder and eat straight up.
You will find tamales (corn based dough steamed in a banana leaf) with various fillings – often meat, but also with mushrooms (champiñones), hiutlacoche and cheese (queso). **Bear in mind that tamales are made with manteca (lard or animal fat), so although they might not contain actual meat it is still made with animal products**
READ MORE: Ten Best Things to do in Mexico City
Salads (Ensaladas)
I find it pretty irksome when non-vegetarians ask, with a sense of wonder, “But what do you eat then? Just salad?”
No. We do not just eat salads.
So, it is with some slight reservations that I begin to talk about the availability of salads for vegetarians. But in all honesty, they can be a good option. Frutos Prohibidos is a particularly solid healthy-eating chain, with a range of salads, wraps and yummy fruit juices. It has a bunch of restaurants dotted around the city, including in Condesa, Narvarte, Roma and the historic centre. If you arrive before 1pm and don’t fancy salad, its breakfast and brunch range is impressive too, especially the yummy vegetarian chilaquiles, which are tortilla chips in a spicy sauce topped with cheese & drizzled with cream.
Fruit (Frutas)
While we’re being virtuous (kind of), it’s worth mentioning the fruit in Mexico.
I fell in love with papaya the first time I came to Mexico. In England, it always seemed bland and boring. Here, it is fresh, juicy and delicious.
Aside from the tropical fruit we already know, like mango, pineapple and papaya, there’s a host of other fruits to try, some of which you may not have heard of or seen before. Some examples are saramuyo (sugar apple), prickly pear fruit, guayaba (guava) and pitahaya (dragon fruit).
It’s easy to pick up local and in-season fruits from street vendors or markets. Juices and smoothies are popular here too, and available at street stalls all over the city.
Chocolate and pastries
Now that we’ve got passed the healthy stuff, let’s talk about chocolate!
If you’re not vegan and thus have a little more flexibility with chocolate and what baking ingredients go into your morning croissant, you are in luck. In every supermarket and bakery you’ll find a huge selection of tasty (and cheap!) pastries and cakes.
If you’re vegan, Condesa and La Roma are probably the best places to indulge your sweet tooth. Milkella, in the Casa Quimera complex mentioned above, is a particularly good place for yummy vegan cookies. Make an afternoon of it by grabbing an inventive fruit juice from the Naat juice stand, some tacos from the vegan taqueria and then top it off with a cookie (or two or three!).
I always advise travelling solo, but if you’d like a tour of Mexico City, check out these options from GetYourGuide:
If you’re not so strict…
For flexitarians, pescatarians or people who are just trying to reduce their meat intake, you should definitely check out the fish tacos in Mexico City. One of the best choices by far is El Pescadito, a chain originally from Sonora, in the north of the country. Here you can try any combo of shrimp, fried fish tacos and marlin tacos (which are a must-try). There are branches across the city, including Coyoacan, Condesa and Centro Histórico. Expect queues at peak times; these places are popular and rightly so!
Sure, you have to be a little more careful if you’re a vegetarian in Mexico City, but it’s far from impossible.
There really is something for everyone in Mexico city, including vegans and vegetarians. If you’re looking for healthy options you’ll find plenty of fresh fruit, fruit juices and salads. Looking to indulge? Enjoy some deep-fried vegetable quesadillas followed by some vegan cookies!
Buen provecho!
Want more? Find other restaurants in Mexico City on Tripadvisor
Where to Stay in Mexico City
I stayed in Hostel Home, and loved it! Hostel Home is in the Roma Norte (North Roma) area of Mexico City, and is close to tons of restaurants and bars, but on a quiet safe street.
If you prefer to stay in a hotel, I highly recommend Chaya B & B Boutique hotel, which has lovely comfy beds and a beautiful rooftop terrace with hammocks. It is in the Centro Historico, close to the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
Or check the options on Airbnb. If you have never used Airbnb before, use this link to sign up & get up to $40 credit to use on your first trip! Read more about the Airbnb first time discount code or click below for your Airbnb coupon.
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Last updated: January 9, 2020
I’m not a vegetarian but this is great advice for my next trip to DF. Thanks 🙂
Thank you so much for this article! I’ve heard that I should avoid all raw fruits, vegetables, salsas, guacamole, and fresh herbs (all of which I love) because of possibility of food borne illnesses. Glad to know that I can drop my paranoia and enjoy myself while I’m there! Any tips for food safety would be greatly appreciated.
You´re welcome! 😀 Actually I found the food quality in Mexico City to be very good. Of course there is always a risk of getting a dodgy tummy, but as a general rule go to places that are busy. Try & time your meals to when the locals eat, so any food will have a quick turnaround & not be sitting out too long – and usually the best places are the busiest! Guacamole is awesome, you have to at least try some in Mexico!! I think sometimes paranoia does get the best of us, it would be a shame to miss out on all the delicious food 🙂
Very helpful post. Thanks for sharing Laura and Claire! I’ve been a veggie for most if my life. I really like Avocado, black beans and Nachos, so hopefully I should be fine. I know it’s not the real thing, but I’ve had some great “Mexican” food in California and New Mexico. If Mexico City is anything like that, I’ll be in heaven. I’m planning to visit in August. Is that a good time weather-wise or would you recommend a different time of the year?
Even I am not vegan, your story and food pictures look so tempting so I would be happy to try. Great post! Thanks for sharing!
I had a good time in Mexico as a vegan. I didn’t find any vegan restaurants though, would love to have visited those. I ate enough frijoles con arroz to last me a lifetime but it’s not even a problem as they make it taste so good!
Thanks for the insight on trying to stay vegan in a different country, I’m paleo and I really struggled in Japan and Korea and paid the price for it, gut health wise. I hope one day to head to Mexico for the food.
This all looks absolutely delicious! A friend of mine recently moved to China and after being a veggie since she was 5 years old, had to give it up becasue there was just not a lot of options for her. Nice to know in Latin America cuisine it’s possible 🙂
Like Laura, I don’t consider myself vegetarian because I do eat fish once in a while but it’s great to know there are so many options for vegan/vegetarian eating in Mexico City – I’m actually very surprised!
Wow, great place for vegetarians too 🙂 All are yummy dishes, specially Vegan Tacos. Thanks for sharing.
I’m definitely not a vegetarian and I’m not sure I could ever give up meat completely but the dishes in these images look so tasty that I know I would be completely satisfied with all of them 🙂 A very useful post for vegetarians traveling to Mexico!
I am also not a vegetarian but I find that when I eat Mexican food it tends to not have meat in it. Holy guacamole on everything and cheese lol.
My husband and I have been to Mexico several times and both have the same feelings that it is easy to not eat meat there and find food.
While I’ve never been to Mexico City, I did spend about 9 years of my life as a vegetarian. I’ve eaten at plenty of Mexican restaurants and have always found things to eat. I’m glad you can find stuff in Mexico City!
I am not a vegetarian but I cannot remember how many elotes I have been eating during my day in Mexico DF. With chilli powder they are just too delicious! Fish tacos is also one of my favorite food in Mexico but I have not had it in El Pescadito (I had it in Tulum), and the best part is that you do not have to worry about break a bank to eat all the delicious food. If I return there I would not hesitate to try. This post just makes me miss the food their too much!
What a beautiful post full of tasty treats! I am actually 4 days in on a vegetarian diet! So, what a perfect time to see this post, right?! Everything looks so yummy! I think, especially starting out I’ll be a bit of a flexitarian, but as of this moment I’m doing well! I am always all about the fruit, but the tamales and vegan tacos will be high on my Mexican must-eat list! Yum!
I did notice, the last time we visited Mexico, that as a vegetarian there was a lot more available. It is something we have to consider before travelling and we have decided against locations in the past due to lack of veggie food options. Brazil several years ago was a place we really wanted to visit but after researching it, vegetarian food was extremely lacking.
Living outside the Americas I miss Mexican (and all Latin American) food so much. I guess I never really thought about how much meat is in their cuisine, but I’m a huge carnivore. My fiancée is mostly vegetarian though and this is great for when we plan on visiting MXC soon! Thanks for pointing out the great street food items because it’s one of our passions.
Great post! I’ve traveled in Mexico as a vegan myself, and I loved the food there! You can just ask vegetarian tacos without cheese, and they are delicious 🙂
I’m not a vegetarian or vegan, but my sister is! She will love this. Saving it to send it to her!
I can imagine having dietary restrictions would make travels a lot trickier! Way to navigate the Mexican cuisine and find some good eats anyways!
This is AWESOME! Although I’m not vegetarian, I don’t eat pork which I know is quite prevalent in Mexico. Plus it’s nice to eat veggie meals every once in awhile. Glad to see there are so many delicious options!
I’m not vegetarian but I don’t eat much meat and much prefer vegetable dishes. When travelling though I’ve found it can be really difficult to find nice vegetable dishes.
Agreed, when travelling it can be really difficult, but luckily in Mexico City there are a lot of options to choose from!
Wow! It looks like there are amazing vegan options in Mexico. I’m not a vegan myself, but I definitely would eat all the suggested dishes. Everything looks so yummy!
It really is a great place for vegans – and you’re right, even though I eat meat I still love all these because they’re so tasty!!
Great and useful tips for the people who’re vegetarian! I’ve heard many times around me that it can be very difficult to find a nice restaurant for vegetarians when you’re abroad. Personally I’m not a vegetarian, but this article gives me the wander to go to Mexico immediately and try all the yummie food! Thank you for sharing.
I actually tend to eat more vegetarian food here than usual because its so good! Mind you, you really can’t go wrong for food in Mexico!!