Welcome to the Polanco Dining District, a vibrant area in Mexico City known for its upscale restaurants and culinary excellence. This district serves as a hub for food enthusiasts, making it a must-visit during the Feria del Mole.
Polanco is home to a diverse array of dining options, featuring both traditional and contemporary Mexican cuisine. Visitors can indulge in exquisite dishes crafted by renowned chefs who celebrate the rich flavors of mole.
As part of the Feria del Mole, the Polanco Dining District offers a unique opportunity to experience tastings from various vendors, each showcasing their interpretation of mole. Attendees can explore tasting maps to guide them through this flavorful journey.
Whether you're a local or a traveler, Polanco is a perfect stop to enjoy the culinary delights of Feria del Mole. Don’t miss the chance to savor the best mole dishes in this upscale neighborhood.
Getting the Most from a Mole Day in Polanco
Polanco sits in the Miguel Hidalgo borough, just north of Bosque de Chapultepec, and its grid of tree-lined streets makes it one of the easiest parts of Mexico City to explore on foot. Avenida Presidente Masaryk is the best-known spine of the neighbourhood, while the quieter side streets around Parque Lincoln hold many smaller cafés and restaurants. Planning a route before you set out helps you pace your tasting rather than filling up at the first stop. The festival tasting map is a good starting point for sketching that route.
Understanding what you are tasting
Mole is not a single sauce but a family of them. Mole poblano, associated with Puebla, is the dark, glossy version that blends several dried chiles, nuts, seeds, spices and a touch of chocolate. Oaxaca is famous for its many moles, including negro, coloradito, amarillo and verde, each with a distinct balance of chiles and herbs. Closer to the capital, the town of San Pedro Atocpan in Milpa Alta is renowned for producing mole pastes, which is why its name comes up so often among mole lovers. Polanco kitchens tend to draw on all of these traditions, sometimes faithfully and sometimes with a modern twist, so asking a cook which regional style inspired a dish adds a lot to the experience.
Practical tips
- Share plates with friends so you can sample more styles without overeating.
- Keep plain tortillas or bread nearby to reset your palate between rich sauces.
- Popular restaurants in the area often fill up, especially on weekend evenings, so book ahead where reservations are accepted.
- Public transport is convenient: Metro Line 7 has a Polanco station, and taxis or ride-hailing services are widely used.
- Check the schedule for current dates and times rather than relying on past years.
If a particular mole wins you over, browse the recipes section for ideas on recreating it at home.
Also on this site: Blogs · All coverage · Blogs