A snapshot of Mexican coffee production

Mexican coffee production is widespread, with more than 300,000 mostly small growers dedicated to its cultivation across 15 of Mexico’s 32 states, and despite the country being the 10th largest coffee producer in the world, the crop makes up only a small fraction of the country’s agricultural output.

Most of the coffee grown in Mexico is of the arabica kind, and more than a third is grown at high elevation which yields the higher quality, and more expensive, varieties of beans.  Much of it is grown in the shade, which adds to the quality of the coffee.

Quality and yield improving after ‘leaf rust’ blight

Coffee yields have recovered in recent years after a blight of ‘leaf rust’ devastated crops and caused production to fall by half between 2012 and 2016.  However, as the recovery emerges, regions most affected by the blight appear now to be producing some exceptional coffee beans with improving yields. In the 2019-2020 season, producers harvested about 3.7 million 60-kilogram (132 pound) bags, and that is forecast to increase to 3.9 million bags in the 2020-2021 season.  Although less acreage is expected to be planted, efforts have been made to increase the number of plants per hectare and to plant with more disease resistant trees.

Mexico’s coffee-growing regions

Mexico has four principal growing regions, and the coffees that emanate from each one carry distinct flavors and aromas, influenced by the local terrain, rich volcanic soils, the climate, and elevation.

Chiapas: distinct, highly sought-after coffee

Mexico’s southernmost state of Chiapas is the country’s biggest coffee producer, accounting for more than 40% of the annual crop.  The high rainfall in this region keeps the volcanic soils moist which is ideal for coffee growers.  The best arabica coffees from Chiapas carry a smooth, medium-bodied taste, with bright yet moderated acidity, and hints of cacao.  The aroma from these coffees is strong, often chocolatey, but they tend to be smooth and creamy on the palate and often have hints of a caramel-like sweetness to them.  Some coffee connoisseurs consider Chiapas’s coffee to be the among the best of all Mexican coffees.

Veracruz: dark and bold volcanic influences

The state of Veracruz situated along the shores of Mexico’s Gulf coast produces about a quarter of the country’s coffee. Veracruz’s topography climbs steeply from the coastal plains into an elevated mountainous terrain that provides ideal growing conditions for arabica coffee beans.  The coffee from this region is known for its distinct combination of being smooth and full-bodied, with a balanced acidity that carries undertones of nut and chocolate in its flavors.  The nutrient-rich, dark volcanic soils of this region imbue their influence into the taste of this region’s coffee.

Oaxaca: noticeably milder, and refreshing

Mexico’s state of Oaxaca, bordering Chiapas on the south side, Veracruz to the east, Puebla on north side, and descending from its central highlands to the shores of the Pacific Ocean in the west is also a terrain permeated with volcanic nutrients and plenty of moisture.  The Pluma region is the most renowned for coffee growing in Oaxaca, and beans here are grown at lower elevations that produces a range of distinct flavors.  Milder than most other Mexican coffees, Oaxacan beans carry a sweeter caramel overtone, a light citrus acidity that gives them a refreshing taste, a creamy body and, like many Mexican coffees, they also carry base notes of cacao.

Puebla: the dark horse of Mexico’s coffee regions

The Sierra Norte region in the state of Puebla, southeast of Mexico City, produces around 15% of the country’s coffee.  This highland region is the least well-known of Mexico’s coffee growing regions and coffees produced here are strongly influenced by the elevation and diversity of nutrients from this terrain that is watched over by Popocatepetl, Mexico’s most famous —and active— volcano.  The beans harvested from this region create a complex coffee flavor that includes notes of vanilla, citrus, nutmeg, and cacao.

Imported coffees continue to thrive in Mexico

Notwithstanding the wide availability of fine home-grown coffees, around half of the coffee consumed in Mexico is imported.

This is partly because Mexican producers focus on growing the finer quality arabica varieties, instead of the lower grade robusta beans employed for making the instant coffee that remains popular here, and is likely also driven by demand for specialty beans and brands among coffee drinkers in Mexico’s urban areas who can afford to be choosy.

Imported coffee brands, which include erstwhile names like Lavazza and Illy, elaborated using arabica beans —whether from Colombia, Costa Rica or even parts of Africa— are invariably more expensive than similar quality Mexican coffee.  A touch of malinchismo might be at play, or simply a yen for variety.

But because it’s so impossibly huge and challenging to navigate, it’s intimidating for many visitors. David Lida —whose book First Stop in the New World is considered by many the definitive text on Mexico City— can take you inside in ways it would be impossible to find on your own.

David Lida knows the capital intimately and offers small group walking tours that will give you exceptional insights and glimpses into this magnificent and historical capital city.  His knowledge and personal approach to creating tours for between one and six people offer unique perspectives and value that commonly offered public tours cannot touch.

Delve into Mexico City’s charms on a tour formed around your interests

Mexico City has many attractions to offer, and visitors are often faced with a bewildering choice of options.  To get the most of your limited time, it’s helpful to have someone who understands your interests and offers you a tour that’s formed around them.

David’s tours focus on one or two neighborhoods or areas of interest per day, and give you and your party an intimate glimpse into the capital’s history and contemporary character.

David will meet you at your accommodations (or other agreed starting point) and you will travel together using Uber or Didi cabs to arrive at the start of your walking tour. Unless you want to end the tour elsewhere, he will also accompany you back to where you’re staying. Tours typically last between five to six hours.

Mexico City Tours by area

David offers unique insights into several areas of Mexico City.  The tours described below can be arranged on their own, or can be combined.  If you want something fully-customized, David that can help with that—use the request form below to indicate your choices and share further information about your interests.

Trendy neighborhoods of La Condesa and La Roma

These are Mexico City’s hippest neighborhoods, and have been gentrifying quickly. Sometimes you hear more English (or French) spoken on the streets than Spanish. Yet there are still echoes of the traditional atmosphere if you know where to look. David can help you explore the contrasts between the trendy and the traditional on a tour that reveals how the capital’s neighborhoods move through cycles influenced by time and fashion.

Discover new surprises in the Centro Histórico

David’s walking tour of the capital’s historic downtown will introduce you to the most famous sights in Mexico City’s most energetic neighborhood including the Zócalo, Bellas Artes, and the Plaza Santo Domingo.  The tour will also take you to fascinating places often overlooked by most visitors, such as a sexually ambiguous monument to bullfighters, a stained-glass ceiling you’d swear was Parisian, and the biggest bag of cheese doodles you will ever see in your life.

Quaint colonial enclaves of Coyoacán and San Angel

Once an enchanting village on the outskirts of the capital, today San Ángel is one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city, known for its colonial architecture, outdoor art markets, and dining within the walls of 17th-century mansions converted into fine restaurants.

Nearby Coyoacán is the de facto bohemian quarter of the capital, underpinned by Frida & Diego’s former home and Trotsky’s residence in exile.  These colonial enclaves offer visitors a distinctive shift away from the capital’s sprawl and a glimpse back to an era of quiet cobblestoned streets, unspoiled colonial architecture, vibrant traditional markets (and an ample selection of places to enjoy a delicious meal).

Mexico City markets and street food

Since ancient times, Mexico City has been a hotbed of trade and commerce and this is reflected in its diverse and atmospheric markets which continue to thrive and surprise. The profusion of stalls selling food along the streetscape are among the most alluring and varied you’ll find anywhere.

When Anthony Bourdain visited Mexico City, his team hired David to find the best street food stalls, holes-in-the-wall, and cantinas for his television show (and even put him on camera). David will introduce you to the glorious and lively markets, and the most reliable and delicious street food in the capital.

Discover the floating gardens of Xochimilco

About 500 years ago, most of the Valley of Mexico City was a vast system of lakes, canals, and islands. This bygone era can still be experienced in Xochimilco. David will take you to this southern enclave of the capital to spend an afternoon floating along these ancient canals in a barge, amidst a tranquil and pastoral setting that will make you wonder if you’re still within the limits of one of the world’s largest cities.

Tribute tour to Luis Barragán

Considered to be Mexico’s most important architect of the 20th century, and the country’s only Pritzker prizewinner, Luis Barragán’s spaces dramatically utilize light, shadow, and color to evoke an uncanny tranquility. This tour can include a visit to his former residence, a chapel he designed for Capuchin nuns, and various houses he conceived in the capital.

Explore Mexican Muralism in Mexico City

One of Mexico’s most important contributions to twentieth-century art was the muralist movement, led by its three most famous practitioners: Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros (as well as some lesser-known artists). This tour will reveal to you their stories, their rivalries, their contradictions, and their distinct techniques as you tour some of their most important murals, many of which are now timeless and iconic art statements.

Discover the unique personalities of Mexican cantinas

Mexico City’s cantinas have as much personality as London pubs, Paris cafés, or New York bars. At lunchtime most of them serve botanas—delicious food at no extra charge, for those who keep ordering drinks. David will take you on a tour of two, three (or more) hand-picked cantinas, depending on how much you and your party would like to drink around lunchtime.

Mexico City off the beaten path

Mexico City has so much to offer visitors with world-renowned sites, neighborhoods, and historical landmarks.  But if you want to discover some lovely neighborhoods where tourists seldom set foot, David will take you to three of them, all hand-picked near the center of the capital, all of which are gentrifying (although slowly and imperfectly).

Custom-designed tour

If you’re unsure of which places to visit first, or last, or together on the same tour day, David offers custom-designed tours that will be crafted around your party size, interests, and available time. The tours ensure you get the most from your visit to the capital without cramming so that you can truly experience and absorb what each place has to offer.  You can use the form below to request a custom-designed tour.

Custom-designed tour prices

Every tour is hand-crafted based on your interests, party size, and time available.  Tours typically last five to six hours.

• Custom tour prices typically range between US$165 and US$375 per person, based on a party of two to six people touring together.
• Single traveler tours can be arranged by request; however, party size cannot exceed six people in these purposely small, highly customized tours.
• Typical expenses for food, drinks and sundries are about US$30 per person, and will vary depending on the type of food establishment you choose to eat at, and how much you drink.

Your day tour price includes

The tour price includes:

• A personal consultation with David to create a carefully crafted walking tour of the capital, designed and formed around your party’s interests, party size, and available time;
• You will be met personally by David at your accommodations, or some other mutually-agreed meeting point;
• David will take you on the fully escorted and highly customized tour that is designed around your party’s interests and will accompany you back to where you are staying five to six hours later.

Your day tour price excludes

The following things are not included in your tour price

• Local transport and transfers (Uber/Didi)
• Entry fees to sites, museums, archaeology centers, etc.
• Food purchased at street stalls, markets, fondas, restaurants, etc.
• Drinks, including any alcoholic drinks, you may consume on the tour
• Tips for the waiting staff, drivers, and guide.

Make a request for your walking tour of Mexico City

Complete the tour info request form below and David will contact you to talk about the custom requirements for your party and create a custom quote based on your interests, party size and time available.

The water source matters

Water delivered to homes in Mexico is suitable for showering and washing-up the dishes, but most people don’t use unfiltered tap water for personal consumption.

Whether the water dispensed from your home’s tap in Mexico is fit for healthy consumption or not depends more about where, precisely, the tap is situated. Some cities and towns have excellent public water systems and local people especially are quite content drinking water from their tap; but not every place can be depended upon to have a reliable source of potable water. And therein lies the rub. Unless you know for sure that the water is potable, you do well to take bottled or filtered water instead.

Water delivery in Mexico

Water in Mexico is usually delivered to homes in one of four ways:

• via mains-feed system; or
• via a communal feed sourced from official local water springs and wells; or
• via a private well situated on the property or in the local neighborhood (although this is rare); or
• via a combination of rain collection (in season) and local water delivery by truck.

Properties situated in most urban towns and cities have their water provided by a mains-feed, whereas at properties situated in rural areas water is supplied from a communally-run system that obtains water from local wells, or else owners collect rain water (in season) and top this up with deliveries from trucks which dispense water into large underground cisterns situated at the property.

Water filtration systems

Some homeowners in Mexico use their own filtration systems to avoid the need to buy bottled water for personal consumption at home.  Water delivered by truck and/or collected from rainwater (in season) can be filtered and used in your home.

Plumbed-in water filters

Filtration systems that are plumbed-in to your home’s water pipes vary from single-stage active carbon filters, to multiple-stage filtration systems that include several different filter types and might also include passing the water through ultraviolet light. (The UV light stage must be situated near the dispensing tap for this to be effective.)  With this method, the system for drinking water runs in parallel to water used for showers, kitchen use, and toilets, and provides a separate tap(s) that dispenses filtered drinking water fed from the property’s main water supply and/or cistern.

Stand-alone water filter systems

There exists an entire industry of stand-alone water filtration systems; check online for details. They all rely on replacement filters of one type or another.  These systems work by pouring your local tap water into a jug or bowl that then filters the water, purifying it, and thus making it fit for personal consumption.  The more expensive versions of these filters offer multiple filtration layers and filter the water more quickly than less expensive versions.  Reviews online suggest that the efficacy of these systems in terms of their purification quality varies widely.

Buying bottled water in Mexico

Bottled water is widely available in Mexico, and can be purchased in sizes ranging from small hand-sized bottles to 20-liter containers. It’s sold by street traders, local convenience stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, and even specialist water delivery companies; the latter deal in the 20-liter bottles and deliver these to homes, offices and factories.

Buying bottled water for use in your home

The most common way that people purchase purified water for use in their homes is by means of the 20-liter (5.3 US gallons) bottles, known in Mexico as ‘garrafones.’

These water bottles usually have their contents emptied into a dispenser, or are turned upside-down to rest atop the dispenser, that comprises a tank holding some  water for immediate use.

Low-cost dispensers made of plastic can do the job well enough, but if you want something a little more elegant in your home, you can buy a colorfully painted dispenser made in Talavera—the strong, durable ceramic most often associated with the city of Puebla in south-central Mexico.

The dispenser taps are available inexpensively from all local hardware stores, and are made of plastic or aluminum so can be easily replaced when they (inevitably) wear out.  It’s a good idea to wash these out regularly (including the tap unit) between fills to avoid any bacteria or fungal build-up.

Big brand bottles: The big water companies sell these and offer home-delivery services.  Their brands are: Ciel (Coca-cola), Bonafont (Danone), EPura (Pepsi), and Santa María (Nestlé). You can also buy these at local tienditas and supermarkets, and carry them home yourself. (A full bottle weights about 20kg (44 pounds.)

Local purifiers: An alternative to the big brand bottlers is to use a local purifying company that has a license to use local (usually mains) water for purification and bottling. They use the 20 liter garrafón bottles and charge a reasonable deposit fee for these, but once you have the bottles, the price per refill is about one-third of the price that the big brand bottlers charge.  Check locally to ask for service details; most small towns and every city has at least one water purifying company selling water this way.  They too offer home delivery services, be sure to tip the people who carry-in your refilled bottles and take away the empties each time.

Buying water when you eat out: Restaurants offer bottled water at a premium; but you can ask for a complementary glass of water which might emanate from a bottle, or from a filtration system.

Buying water on your travels through Mexico

Since Aztec times, Mexicans have been avid traders, and their skill to spot a market and serve it on an impromptu basis is alive and well to-day.  Enterprising ambulant traders offer water and sodas at remote locations where there are no stores: for example, at archaeology parks, and areas of natural beauty where tourists are known to gather. You may also see these vendors offering bottled water at traffic lights on hot days, on local buses, as well the long lines of traffic which inevitably build up on the approach to major toll booths on highways at holiday weekends. So you’ll never be too far away from drink-able water in Mexico.

Most of the larger hotels in Mexico —and some of the up-scale smaller hotels— have water purification systems installed at their properties, so all water on-site is guaranteed as potable. All hotels tend to offer guests at least one bottle of purified water in the room, replenished by the maid each day at no extra charge, regardless of whether the water from the taps in the hotel’s room is drink-able.

Learn more about water supplies in Mexico

Mexperience publishes articles and guides to help you understand water supplies and the efficient use of water at your home in Mexico, including:

• Water supplies for residential homes in Mexico
• Understanding water pressure systems
• Latest articles related to use of water in Mexico
• Latest articles about Mexico’s rainy season and dry season

Distribution is essential

The market presence of the two big brewers is due in no small part to their vast distribution networks which get their brands to appear in front of buying customers at major supermarkets, tienditas, restaurants, and bars across the country.

Notwithstanding this reach, independent brewers have been making a noticeable comeback in recent times with small-batch craft beer and ale labels appearing regionally in local stores, restaurants and bars.

The artisan (sometimes called ‘craft’) beer market continues to experience robust growth as more discerning consumers, perhaps fatigued by the run of mass-produced beverages, seek out variety and subtlety in the flavor of their brews—and a higher quality beverage.

Mexico is one of the world’s top producers of beer, (and brands like Corona and Sol sell millions of bottles globally) so it’s not surprising that the current popular demand for artisan beer has engulfed Mexico, too.  Acermex, the Mexican brewers’ association, estimates that there are now over 600 independent breweries in Mexico.

Restaurants and bars offering more choice

Bars and restaurants —especially those in fashionable urban enclaves— keen to offer customers distinctive leisure experiences are taking notice of the small breweries and are making additional efforts to stock a range of artisan beers for the clientele to buy.  An indication of the popularity of these drinks can be seen by the number of articles regularly featured on various websites that write about food and culture with recommendations for places to try craft beers in Mexico City—and it’s interesting to note that more restaurants and bars outside the capital are are also stocking craft beers alongside the big brands.

Big breweries responding to the demand

The artisan beer market represents only a tiny fraction of the total beer market in Mexico, although the changing trends have not gone unnoticed by the two big breweries, who have begun to introduce new ‘premium’ beers to complement their existing marques.

For example, Grupo Modelo has introduced “Ambar,” a Vienna-style premium beer, and “Trigo,” a light wheat-based beer (sometimes referred to as ‘white beer’). They claim the large-scale processes used to create these beers produce a quality product as good as those crafted by the independent breweries in smaller batches.

An enterprising Mexican company is capitalizing on the renaissance of craft Mexican beers and ales, using online commerce to offer an enormous selection of independently-produced Mexican brands which can be ordered online, as well as being a distributor for the artisan breweries.  A comprehensive list of breweries and their beers is available on the website.

Ask your waiter about Mexican craft beers

The next time you’re visiting Mexico or taking refreshment out at your local bar or restaurant, take a second look at the beverages menu and browse the list of beers—you might be pleasantly surprised to discover that there’s something other than the usual assortment of beers and ales on offer.  If nothing new is listed on the menu, ask the waiter, or glance at the bottles in the fridge to see what might be available.

A bygone era of old-world coffee shops

In years past, the coffee shop/restaurants run by Chinese immigrants —of which there were several in and around the Chinese quarter of downtown Mexico City and more beyond that— were nearly always full.

The “café chino,” as these were only ever referred to, was typically a long thin hall moving back from the street front. Half of the façade would be taken up by a glass window filled with different kinds of sweet bread to eat in or take away (and the odd bluebottle).

Down one side of the entrance would be the coffee bar and the cash register, and the other side would be taken up by a row of tables or booths.  The specialty of the house would be café con leche: a small amount of concentrate would be poured from a metal coffee pot into the bottom of a glass mug, and hot milk from another poured on top, with the server lifting the spout farther and farther from the mug as it filled, creating, if done precisely, a frothy top.

Black coffee —café americano— was steam-pressed from the machine behind the bar, and each cup was charged at the same rate.  Hygiene was hardly of first importance to the café chino, and patrons did well not to be over-zealous inspecting the specks on the table or trying to steal a glance at the kitchen.

Perhaps the king of coffee shops was Café La Habana, on the corner of Bucareli and Morelos, a stone’s throw from the historical Chinese clock.  La Habana brewed the strongest coffee, served in thick white cups that were slightly wider at the base than at the brim (awkward for stirring).  It was popular among intellectuals and, being about a block from such erstwhile giants of the Mexican press as Excelsior and El Universal, a frequent meeting place for journalists of the old school: threadbare suits, beaten-up leather briefcases stuffed full with dog-eared press releases, political “tips” several times removed from reality.

The emergence of contemporary coffee houses

Against this, the chain restaurant/coffee shops such as VIPS, TOKS, and Sanborns provided free refills on drip-brewed coffee, competing in quality with “Golden Cup” plaques awarded by the Mexican Coffee Council, and in convenience with quick-service bars where the temporarily idle could while away several hours loading up on caffeine without having to keep paying.  This is still true today, although people are generally much more rushed.

In addition to these places, with the advent of the mall culture there sprung up a number of smart coffee shops —Coffee House, Coffee Station, and so on— which added snacks, coffee paraphernalia, and an assortment of home-grown and imported coffees, ground or whole, to the standard offerings while also increasing the number of derivative beverages to their range of refreshments on offer.

And then Starbucks came.  Agreeable to the modern business class, the tourist looking for something familiar, and the lover of things American, this comfortable hybrid of convenience and recreation proliferated and also became a favorite daytime hangout of the country’s middle-class youth.

Straddling this period from local shop to chain to franchise is Bisquets Obregon, which developed from La Perla de Oriente on Alvaro Obregón Avenue in the historical Colonia Roma.  Like the café chino, Los Bisquets is also a place to get café con leche, and the house specialty, scones.  Brighter and cleaner, with its characteristic green and yellow décor, the restaurant also sports a selection of freshly-baked sweet bread at the front counter.

Small independent coffee shops continue to thrive

Perhaps the most famous of the traditional Mexican cafés is El Jorocho, that serves quality coffee principally sourced from Veracruz; customers can also buy the beans and ground coffee in bags for home brew.  This family-run shop was set up in Mexico City during the early 1950s in the heart of the bohemian district of Coyoacán—a neighborhood that remains one of the capital’s most popular quarters for friends and families to meet and spend an afternoon or evening out together.

In towns and cities across Mexico, small independently-run coffee shops continue to trade, and thrive.  Like the local neighborhood tienditas, they have prevailed even in the presence and growth of franchise coffee shops.

The owners of these independent establishments often create comfortable nooks where patrons can meet, socialize, and take light refreshment amidst informal and often homely surroundings that are usually more intimate and feel less rushed than the cookie-cutter franchises.

Serendipitous discovery of independent coffee houses can happen by taking an exploratory walk down side streets of any towns you visit or asking locally.  Digital generations are likely to consult their map-app, or search on Instagram.

A 3,500-year history that begins in Mesoamerica

But even before then, cacao beans were being fermented and turned into drink by the Olmec, and the Maya who mixed it with vanilla and spices to create a beverage taken during important religious and social ceremonies.

The precise date when humans began consuming cocoa is unclear —recent archaeological evidence suggests that Mesoamericans may have been cultivating the cacao plant and using it to make beverages as far back as 1400 B.C.— but historians agree that cocoa was an important substance held in high regard by our ancestors.

A precious bean also used as a form of currency

Cacao beans were also used as a form of currency; Cortés’s men observed how precious the beans appeared to the native peoples, and ancient records show that livestock and other goods were traded in exchange for them.  The Aztecs also accepted cacao beans in payment of their taxes, or tributes as they were known.

The Spaniards did not take to the bitterness of the Aztec cacao, but discovered that blending it with cane sugar (from Europe) or honey (from Yucatán) made it more agreeable to their taste.  In its sweetened form, the beverage became popular across Spain from the seventeenth century although, like tea leaves in England during the same period, cocoa was expensive and taken almost exclusively by the social élite and well-heeled.

The emergence of chocolate confections

During the mid-nineteenth century Coenraad Johannes van Houten, a Dutch chemist, worked out a way of creating cocoa in a powder form by removing some of the natural fat and adding alkaline to create a mixture termed as “Dutch cocoa.”

A few years later, the Englishman Joseph Fry discovered that a mold-able paste could be produced by mixing melted cocoa butter back into the Dutch cocoa powder—he is thus widely credited with having created the first ‘chocolate bar’.

Chocolate became ubiquitous during the twentieth century, although most chocolate products being purveyed were blended with large quantities of sugar and other additives reducing the cocoa content (and cost) of the end product.

‘Artisan’ chocolate has long been purveyed by specialist chocolatiers across Europe, and this practice is making a comeback today in the U.S. in the form of independent chocolate makers offering hand-made pralines created with higher cocoa content and blending the more expensive cacao bean varieties instead of the hardier, less expensive and less flavorful beans often used by mass producers.

Cacao production in Mexico

Despite having been the ‘birthplace’ of chocolate, Mexico’s cacao production now makes up just a small fraction the world’s total. (Africa is the largest producer.) Mexico’s cacao trees grow primarily along the coastal plains in the Gulf-coast state of Tabasco, where the esteemed plant thrives in the sweltering humidity of that region.  The state of Chiapas, with its fertile sub-tropical climate, is the second largest region in Mexico where cacao trees grow well.

Even from its low baseline, cacao production in Mexico has fallen by half since the early part of this century, and the Mexican government has been backing some projects in an attempt to revive the country’s production of the crop, particularly in the area of organic cacao which holds great favor in current markets and commands a premium price.

Chocolate in its mystical form: as a beverage

Although chocolate confections are widely available in Mexico today (and artisan pralines are a form of luxury here) modern-day Mexicans, like their Aztec ancestors, still prefer to take their chocolate as a liquid beverage, albeit with a European twist: by far the most popular method is melting tablets of cocoa mixed with sugar and cinnamon into hot water or milk, and whipping the drink into a froth using a specially-turned wooden whisk called a molinillo, which aerates the mixture.  According to Mexican folklore, the “spirit” of this mystical drink resides in the foam.

Changing tastes in coffee consumption

With the rising popularity of coffee-drinking for entertainment, the casual expert who knows that the good stuff is called arabica and grows on mountains is in ever-greater company, and the value of that knowledge as a conversation opener has dwindled somewhat.

The purveyors of the best coffees tend to print that kind of information all over the packages, and some even include rather sophisticated stories about how the coffee comes to be in the bag at all, almost rivaling the verbosity of the cereal companies who provide enough literature on the box to see you through a week of breakfasts without having to pick up a newspaper or speak to anyone else at the table, except to waffle something that sounds like “I’m reading” through soggy flakes.

There are many, if not infinite, combinations of roasts and grinds for the different coffees to make it impossible to say which are the best; besides, there is no accounting for taste.

Coffees grown in Mexico

Possibly the best known Mexican coffees come from Chiapas, which is the state that produces the most. But there is plenty to be said for Oaxaca state’s Pluma region, as well as coffees grown in Veracruz state’s Córdoba region.

For home consumption, a fair selection can be found at most Mexican supermarkets, although for a wider choice, the coffee shops that grind the beans on the premises are are good place to go: they also tend to have more sizes of bags, so you can try out different kinds quite frequently, ordering quarter-kilos (about a half-pound), “un cuarto,” or find one you always want, and buy a big bag of it. The handful of high-end food shops, some with branch networks across the country, also stocks ample ranges of high quality Mexican and imported coffees.

It’s probably fair to say, without being too nationalistic, that Mexico produces enough of its own good quality coffee as to make paying extra for imported grains a waste of money. Of course there is the Malinchista factor to consider, for which Colombian and Costa Rican coffees are readily available as well as the top Italian coffee brands, although generally speaking malinchismo doesn’t apply to hot drinks. That may be just as well as a majority of the coffee drunk in Mexico is still of the instant kind, and there you definitely want to stick with the Swiss company’s brand.

Instant coffee is still popular in Mexico

Not everywhere has good coffee, and some restaurants that specialize in other areas definitely fail in this. A number of taco restaurants have cottoned-on to the trend in customers’ demands for a decent coffee after a meal and now serve proper Café Americano, Cappuccino, or even Espresso, but there remain others whose only offering is “agua para Nescafé,” (they bring a cup of  hot water, a spoon and the instant coffee jar), or “café de olla,” which is coffee made in a cooking pot, la olla, and sweetened with treacle, piloncillo, and cinnamon. Tastes fine, but isn’t what you might expect.

The British set a lot of store by the quality of their tea, hence George Orwell’s eleven golden rules for ensuring a nice cup of tea, or Monty Python’s “oh they don’t make it properly here, do they?”

The British are best known in Mexico for the Beatles, and after that for “la hora del té.” But being renowned for this four o’clock refreshment isn’t enough to fill local stores with PG Tips.

Mexican tea culture is known for its traditional herbal teas —some of which are reputed to carry medicinal properties— and so the tea shelves at even the best-stocked Mexican supermarkets tend to be loaded with herbal and fruit infusions that reflect this culture:

• manzanilla (chamomile);
• tila (linden flowers);
• azahar (orange blossom);
• yerbabuena (spearmint); and
• limón (lime, or lemongrass)…

…are just a few you’ll find in a colorful array of choices, but there will be only a limited supply of black tea—and that often at a higher price than you are used to paying.

The most common locally-packaged brand of black tea is Lagg’s. Imported Lipton tea is available at some places at times, and several supermarkets sell imported Twining’s English breakfast and Earl Grey teabags.  But none of these come close to delivering the experience that can be enjoyed from a freshly brewed pot of tea made using high quality whole-leaf loose tea.

Occasionally the section of fancy goods at your local supermarket will have one-off deliveries of quality whole-leaf teas, —Darjeeling or Assam, for example— which if you want you should snap up quickly as there are no guarantees of restocking. Stumbling upon surprises like that can make the enjoyment even greater, as things are very easily taken for granted.

Devotees who attempt to seek a regular supply of whole-leaf tea for their brewing pleasure in Mexico should repair to specialist food markets that tend to offer a selection of imported gourmet brands, although there’s nothing to be gained caviling about the price as these teas trade at a generous premium in Mexico.

Traditional wisdom says that a proper cup of tea needs to be prepared with water boiling at around 100 degrees centigrade which would pose a problem for those visiting, or living in, Mexico’s highlands, where water naturally boils at lower temperatures.

However, tea expert and founder of the Rare Tea Company in London, Henrietta Lovell, says that the 100-degree rule is a myth, and that only mass-produced tea bags require this treatment, whereas better quality whole-leaf teas benefit from being brewed in water at lower temperatures: white teas 70-degrees, and black teas 85-degrees centigrade.

If you can’t source the better quality teas locally and can’t get used to the taste of tea from teabags here, then it’s a good idea to stock-up on your next shopping trip overseas, or ask friends and family to pack some on their next visit. Otherwise, there is nothing to be done but switch to coffee, which Mexico has plenty of, and great variety.

Spanish concessions to brew beer

The first official concession to brew European-style beers was issued by the Spanish authorities in the middle of the 16th century; however, despite the brewers’ attempts to expand the business by growing more crops locally to increase the supply of barley at a lower price, heavy regulation and high taxation imposed by Spain on locally-produced beers and wines stymied the industry’s growth.

Beer production following independence

After Mexico’s war of independence, beer production began to flourish in Mexico, and during the latter part of the 19th century an influx of German immigrants brought additional knowledge and expertise to the field which caused the local market to diversify and improve its products.

By the turn of the 20th century, beer had become big business in Mexico, helped also by prohibition in the United States at that time, which gave rise to a brisk and profitable trade of beer and other alcoholic beverages along Mexico’s border towns and cities.

Revolution and consolidation

By the end of the Mexican Revolution, there were more than thirty-five breweries operating in Mexico, and a period of consolidation that began in the 1920s brought about the beer market we see here today: independent breweries were absorbed into one of the “big-two” breweries, Grupo Modelo and Cerveceria Cuautehmoc-Moctezuma, which emerged as the dominant players of the Mexican beer market.

Successful beers produced by the acquired regional breweries were mass-produced and distributed nationally, and less successful beers disappeared from the market altogether.  Smaller breweries that were not bought-out were forced to close as they could not compete with the economies-of-scale brought about through consolidation.

Two breweries dominate the market

The two big Mexican breweries, which by the turn of the 21st century controlled over 90% of the Mexican beer market, were subsequently acquired by international conglomerates.  Cerveceria Cuautehmoc-Moctezuma, whose brands include Sol, Bohemia, Tecate, and Carta Blanca, was sold to Heineken in 2010; Grupo Modelo, which sells Corona, Modelo, and Pacifico brands among others, was acquired by Anheuser-Busch in 2013.

Mexican Corona beer is a light lager sold world-wide and has become an iconic brand.  Other, darker and craft Mexican beers can sometimes be found in the premium brews section of higher-end supermarkets and trendy restaurants across the US, Canada and Europe.

The colossal marketing budgets and the extensive distribution networks controlled by these two breweries ensure that their big-brand names are placed at the forefront of buyers’ choices across the country.

A re-emergence of independent craft beer breweries

However, changing consumer habits are fueling a boom in artisanal beer across Mexico, and independent brewers have been making a noticeable comeback recently with small-batch craft beer and ale labels appearing regionally in local stores, restaurants, and bars.

Contemporary beer culture in Mexico

The majority of beers sold in Mexico today are lagers, pilsners, Vienna-style light and dark beers, as well as Munich dark beers.  Beer in Mexico is served cold, or taken as a Michelada: beer with lime juice, or lime juice mixed with a variety of spicy sauces like Worcester, Tabasco, and soy.

The beverage is still regularly supplied using returnable bottles, although recyclable cans and bottles are becoming increasingly common.  If you are visiting Mexico and purchase beer from a local store, choose the cans or recyclable bottles with the words “No Retornable” printed on the label, which don’t require a deposit and can be recycled after use.

When you’re living in Mexico, it’s worth building up a small stock of returnable bottles which you can take back to the store when you want refills.  Over time, if you build-up a good rapport with your local independent shopkeeper, they might waive the deposit if you’re passing-by or forget to take your returnable bottles on that occasion.

Most Mexican beer bottle sizes are 325ml, although some brands of beer are also available in larger 925ml, 940ml, and full 1-liter sizes.

In Mexican slang Spanish, the larger bottles are called caguamas (sea turtles) or if you’re in north-eastern Mexico you might hear them referred to as ballenas (whales); in Mazatlán, ballenas refer specifically to the Pacifico brand of beer sold in the larger-sized bottles.

Tequila

Tequila is Mexico’s national drink and one of the icons synonymous with the country.  The ‘Tequila’ marque is now protected world-wide and production of the drink is tightly regulated: only a handful of Mexican states have production rights, and the best Tequilas emanate from Blue Agave grown in the rich volcanic soils situated in the state of Jalisco.  Tequila is made by harvesting the hearts (known in Spanish as piñas) of the Blue Agave (ah-gah-veh) plant, slowly baking them in large ovens, and then pressing the pulp into a sweet liquid that is passed through a prescribed distillation process.  Afterwards, the Tequila is transferred into specially-prepared wood barrels and left to age.  The precise process, barrel type and aging time determines the Tequila’s classification, and strict labeling regulations enable buyers to know what type they are paying for.  The highest quality Tequilas are made from 100% agave, whereas less expensive varieties use a mixture of agave and sugar cane.  Tequila can be enjoyed straight or mixed into a variety of cocktails, the most of popular of which is the Margarita.   You can find tequila cocktail recipes on the Mexican Bar here on Mexperience.

Mezcal

Mezcal is distilled using a similar production process to tequila but the tastes and nuances of the final blend are distinct.  Mezcal, once a semi-obscure cousin to tequila, has recently gained widespread popularity and so the Mexican government acted to regulate its production, helping to improve the quality of mass-produced varieties and thus giving confidence to the wider market.  As with Tequila, Mezcal is produced by baking the hearts (piñas) of the agave; but unlike Tequila, which is made exclusively from Blue Agave, Mezcal may be produced from nearly 30 different varieties of agave.  Most Mezcal is produced using the espadín agave, although distillers also blend different varieties of the plant with the intention of creating unique flavors.  The drink undergoes an aging process and, like Tequila, an aged Mezcal feels more robust and often smoother on the palate than the younger alternatives.  The best Mezcal —like the best Tequila— is made from 100% agave; and like Tequila, less expensive varieties use cane sugars and contain other flavorings.  Mezcal has a distinctively smoky flavor which for many is an acquired taste.  Purists assert that Mezcal doesn’t lend itself to being mixed in cocktails, although there are plenty of Mezcal cocktail recipes to try out.  Traditionally, Mezcal is taken straight with a pinch of sal de gusano: a condiment made by grinding together dried larvae, chiles, and salt.  Mezcal may also contain a ‘worm’ (larvae) at the base of the bottle—this is a ploy concerned only with the product’s marketing and does not alter the taste.  Tequila never has a ‘worm’ in the bottle.

Pulque

Pulque is an ancient beverage dating back to Mesoamerican times.  Like chocolate in that era it was an élite beverage employed in ritualistic ceremonies and was later used by indigenous tribes as a form of medicinal tonic.  While Pulque is also made from the agave succulent (distinct agave and maguey varieties exist), in any case the plant is not baked and distilled; instead, the plant’s sap is fermented.  The sap is extracted by cutting a cavity into the heart of the agave, and the sweet liquid that comes out is called aguamiel (honey water).  Once extracted, the sap is fermented to create a milky-colored and viscous beverage which creates a slight foam when it’s poured.  Its taste is often likened to fermented oatmeal with a yeast undertone.  Pulque can be taken straight, but is more often served as a long drink —termed ‘curado‘ in Spanish— prepared by blending the fermented sap with any combination of fruit pulps, nuts and spices, or sweeteners.  Connoisseurs assert that the blend should only be taken fresh and that you should ask the vendor whether the batch you are being served was prepared today.  Pulque is a low-alcohol beverage (typically 2-6%), whereas Tequila and Mezcal distillations typically contain around 40% alcohol.  Beware: notwithstanding its low alcohol content, Pulque can creep-up on you, and a long afternoon whiled away taking this ancient beverage with your companions can leave your head clear and your legs confused when you eventually stand-up to walk.

People visiting Mexico on vacation might stop-by at one of the diners to take a quick meal out, and foreign residents living in Mexico can often be seen taking a meal there, or using the diners as venue for a working breakfast or lunch.

The principal restaurant diners in Mexico are Sanborns, Toks, Vips, Wings and Bisquets de Obregón. They have outlets in most major towns and cities, and Wings is also present at several of Mexico’s airports.

Diners are a good place to grab a square meal in Mexico.  You won’t find haute cuisine at these diners, but you can get a good tasty meal for a reasonable price accompanied by fully-serviced tables in an agreeable atmosphere.  Menus include traditional breakfast favorites like cereals, granola, eggs, hotcakes, as well as popular Mexican dishes like molletes, tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, flautas, sopes, chiles rellenos and pozole among others.  You can also select from a range of “international” foods including burgers, steaks, chicken and fish, sandwiches, french-fries, salads and soups.  A small selection of vegetarian and vegan options are available on the menus and most of the diners also offer a ‘light’ menu featuring specials for customers on a low-calorie diet.

As eating out at diners is so popular here, the chains compete against each other for custom by offering ample menus with a wide assortment of dishes, promotional discounts, and monthly a-la-carte specials.

Mexican diners are open extended hours, seven days a week, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner in addition to a range of all-day meals and light snacks.  In years past, these diners were often frequented by patrons seeking coffee and sweet roll, and although specialty coffee houses are now the preferred venue for quick refreshment, you can still call-in to a diner for a coffee if you’re passing-by.

During festive periods the diners usually offer Mexican specialties related to the season and festivity.  Theme-based promotions have been popular of late, for example, spot-lighting a specific Mexican state or region and offering a range of traditional dishes served there.  On occasions when foreign countries are spot-lighted in this way, the dishes usually have a Mexican twist applied to them, adding to the variety and novelty of flavors on offer.

All of the dining establishments offer an ample range of beverages including freshly-pressed juices from locally-produced seasonal fruits and vegetables; sodas, coffees, teas, beers, and some also offer a range of cocktails in the evening.  Some have an adjoining bar where, on selected evenings or weekends, a live cabaret act may perform.

Summary of Mexico’s principal Diner Chains

All diners are particularly busy in the early mornings —between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m.— as people in Mexico are big on eating “breakfast out” and many business meetings held at restaurants commonly take place over breakfast.

Lunch (in Spanish la comida) is the main meal of the day and is traditionally taken between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.; supper in Mexico, la cena, starts from 8 p.m.

Although it is a liqueur, it is extremely versatile and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways and thus lends itself to a wide choice of occasions.

About Kahlua

Pronounced “Kah-loo-aah”, the beverage is a dark, but soft and semi-sweet liqueur with a coffee base. Kahlua is blended in Mexico and exported world-wide. You can buy Kahlua in most supermarkets and liquor stores in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australasia. Look for the product’s signature dark colored bottle with the bright yellow and red label.

Kahlua Cocktail Recipes – Different Ways to Enjoy Kahlua

Black Russian

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 2 Parts Vodka

Method: Pour ingredients into a short glass, stir gently and serve immediately.

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White Russian

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 1 Part Vodka, 1 Part Cream or Milk, ice cubes

Method: Pour the Kahlua and Vodka over ice, into short glass. Top with cream or full cream milk. Serve.

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Kahlua Mudslide

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 1 Part Irish Cream Liqueur, 2 Parts Vodka, 2 Parts Milk or Cream, ice cubes.

Method: Pour the Kahlua, Irish Cream and Vodka over a short glass with ice. Top with Cream or full-cream milk. Serve.

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Sombrero

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 2 or 3 Parts Cream or Milk

Method: Pour the Kahlua and Cream or full cream milk into a short glass (ice optional) and stir.

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Kahlua Cognac

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 1 Part Cognac

Method: Pour the two ingredients into a brandy or cognac glass and enjoy. Great as an after dinner liqueur.

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Kahlua Cream Soda

Ingredients: 2 Parts Kahlua, 1.5 Parts whipping cream, 4 Parts Soda Water

Method: Pour Kahlua and whipping cream into a cocktail mixer and shake thoroughly. Strain mixture into a tall glass and then add soda water. Best consumed with a straw!

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Kahlua Hot Chocolate

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 5 Parts Hot Chocolate, 1 TbSp of whipped cream

Method: Pour hot chocolate drink (made with milk or water) onto the Kahlua in a glass or mug. Top with whipped cream and serve.

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Kahlua Coffee

Ingredients: Kahlua, Coffee

Method: Liven up your after dinner coffee with Kahlua! Prepare your coffee to taste (with or without milk). If you normally take sugar, leave it out, and pour some Kahlua in the cup or mug to taste. Enjoy!

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Kahlua on the Rocks

Ingredients: Kahlua, ice cubes

Method: Pour the Kahlua into a short glass filled with ice. Drink straight, enjoy!

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Kahlua Cockroach

Ingredients: 1 Part of Kahlua, 1.5 Parts Tequila.

Method: This drink combines the two great Mexican classics of Tequila and Kahlua. Pour the Tequila and Kahlua into a glass, and (optionally) set on fire with a lighter. If you light it, pop a straw in the glass and drink! Otherwise this can be enjoyed slowly, on its own or as an after dinner liqueur. The Tequila thins the texture of the Kahlua and gives it a little “bite” – excellent!

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