Santiago Muñoz Moctezuma, Mexico City is my home
Only by understanding a city’s roots can you find the space to deconstruct it — and rebuild it. Santiago Muñoz Moctezuma is a native of Mexico City; moving through it at his side is to see it through the eyes of someone who knows its depth and understands how to move across its surface.
By emphasizing origin, Santiago has shaped his own gastronomic language. It is in the beginning — in raw ingredients, in tradition, in memory — where he finds the tools to reimagine Mexican cuisine.
He has lived in many corners of this vast metropolis: growing up in AColonia Álamos, spending much of his life in ASan Ángel and now settling into the rhythm of AColonia Tabacalera, just to the North East of Colonia Juarez.
A guardian of Mexican roots, Santiago sees in his city an openness to those who arrive. The city gives to those who come, and those who come give back to the city — a reciprocal exchange that nourishes and reshapes it constantly, even as it remains faithful to itself.
01. Morning ritual:
Santiago’s “ritualito matutino,” as he calls it, can change with his mood — but always begins with good coffee. AChiquitito, ACucurucho or AHule are reliable starting points.
The best flat white, however, is enjoyed standing up at ACafé Tormenta.
On the corner of Puebla and Mérida, an old newspaper stand has been restored into a specialty coffee bar: meticulously prepared drinks, a Rocket espresso machine, and vinyl spinning softly in the background.
“After a slow morning, that’s when the day truly begins,” Santiago says — as midday approaches and it’s almost time to open the doors of AMAIZAJO.
In a city of this scale, Santiago prefers covering long distances in his electric car, finding a parking spot, and spending the rest of the day on foot. Walking is where he finds space — for reflection, for observation, for creation.
PLACES MENTIONED:
- AMaizajo
02. maizajo, my playground
Every neighborhood — and the city as a whole — shares a common gastronomic stage that inspired Santiago to found AMaizajo:
the neighborhood tortillería.
MAIZAJO is an ode to corn, expressed across three dimensions:
First, the maize shop that greets you on Fernando Montes de Oca. Step further in and you’ll reach the iconic taco counter, alive with the hum and energy of an open kitchen taquería. Upstairs, in total contrast, calm and considered, a restaurant space where carefully composed dishes continue to elevate corn and Mexican roots as the tentpoles of the menu.
Santiago champions respect — for ingredients and their origin, and for traditional techniques.
“This is my playground,” he says. “It’s where I turn emotions into dishes, ideas into cooking, inspiration into pairings.”
He moves fluidly between suadero tacos and garnishes for singular creations, like a seafood tlayuda finished with octopus longaniza. This is where he spends many of his later evenings, attending to his guests, and reveling in the community he’s built at Maizajo.
03. Moving through the city
If you wake early enough, you might find Santiago watching the sunrise in AXochimilco, “It’s beautiful — the chinampas, the colors, the vegetation, the morning breeze.”
The endless palette of hues reflecting off flowers and water is a feast in itself — a perfect way to begin the day in the city.
Santiago recognizes art in its broadest sense — from gastronomy to the visual arts. Near Xochimilco, he often visits the AMuseo Anahuacalli in contrast, both geographically and conceptually, Agalería Kurimanzutto offers daily sparks of inspiration.
04. Classic, comforting, casual
In ASan Miguel Chapultepec sits ACantina del Bosque,
— one of Santiago’s favorite places when he’s craving good food, history, and honest hospitality. Salt-crusted fish is his go-to, paired with a beer or a martini.
In Mexico, cantinas are classic spaces of ritual: private rooms, strong drinks, long conversations, and generous food. As night falls, it’s time for AMauro — a fantastic small cocktail bar headed by the Nava brothers Yayo and Ricardo, where they combine the classic, comforting, and informal through curated cocktails and small bites. . Named after their grandfather, it has recently been named #14 in North America’s 50 Best Bars for 2025.
Santiago reveals a city of shifting contrasts and constant return to origin. He guides us through places that, though renewed, remain anchored to their vital essence. This is his gastronomy, and his way of moving through Mexico City.
Quickfire favorites
FAVORITE SPOT FOR A CONDESA GIN:
AMAURO Oscuro, íntimo y preciso. Un bar para beber despacio, escuchar mejor y dejar que la noche marque el ritmo.
ATicuchi Más luminoso y abierto. Cocina viva, buen vino y tragos pensados para conversaciones largas y sin prisa.
FAVORITE RESTAURANTS:
ANicos Comida mexicana: Un clásico vivo. Tradición mexicana bien pensada, de temporada y con memoria.
AGaba Cenita date: Luz baja, energía tranquila. Lugares donde la comida hace su parte y el resto fluye solo.
ALa Docena Para crudear: Mariscos como remedio. Ostras frías, cerveza fría y una cura confiable.
BEST LATE NIGHT CHILL SPOT:
ALibrería Valladolid Un lugar secreto entre libros y cócteles clásicos. Más refugio que librería: silencio, tiempo lento y la ciudad en pausa.
BEST SPOT TO DANCE:
ASalón San Luis Cumbia, sudor y cero poses. Bailar como se debe, sin pensar demasiado.
FAVORITE STREET FOOD SPOT:
AMercado de Obrero Mundial (mixiotes de domingo) Humo en el aire, grasa en los dedos. Solo pasa un día a la semana—y por eso vale más.
FAVORITE GALERIES:
AMuseo Anahuacalli Piedra, lava y mito. Un museo que se siente más como ritual que como sala.
ACasa Wabi Arte que respira con el paisaje. Crudo, abierto y generoso.
AFernando Laposse Studio Proceso y materia. Donde las ideas aún están en construcción.
DON’T ASK JUST GO:
ATlecan Guiado por el mezcal y la intuición. Confía en el menú. Confía en la noche.
Favorite shops / markets:
ASEUM Concept Store Objetos con intención. Diseño que se siente encontrado, no forzado.
PLACES MENTIONED:
AMAURO
ATICUCHI
ANICOS
AGABA
ALA DOCENA
ALIBRERÍA VALLADOLID
ASALÓN SAN LUIS
AMERCADO OBRERO MUNDIAL
AMUSEO ANAHUACALLI
ACASA WABI
AFERNANDO LAPOSSE STUDIO
ATLECAN
ASEUM CONCEPT STORE
