El Cardenal Tacuba — Restaurant in Mexico City

El Cardenal has the best breakfasts in the city by far and they are less than $200 MXN. They are definitely worth it. It's a must if you come to this city.

You should get here before 9 am during the weekends unless you want to wait 45 min-2 hours to get in. My perfect Sunday begins with an early bike ride from Reforma to El Cardenal, which is the best way to come here since Reforma and Juarez are closed for cars and buses on Sundays. There is an Ecobici station right outside El Cardenal or if you bring your own bike they will store it in their garage free of charge.

Breakfast is amazing. I recommend you to start with a delicious hot chocolate and 'pan dulce'. Chocolatin and Conchas are my favorites! Make sure you dip your bread into the hot chocolate for the best combination.

Then order any of their delicious dishes. They have many combinations of eggs, enchiladas, chilaquiles rojos (these are great for people who don't eat chilly), etc. It's a lot of food but you'll end up super happy and you probably won't be hungry for the next 6 hours, which will give you enough energy to walk around El Centro or to bike in Reforma.

The service is really nice. Even the hostess who is really busy greets you with a smile and offers you coffee or a glass of water. The best thing is that they bring you your food really quickly.

This is definitely a MUST for breakfast in Mexico City! Just choose the Cardenal that is closet to you. Lunches are ok, but I...

This place is superb. It's a high class joint, so expect to pay a little bit more for the experience, but it's well worth it. The service is so good, the waiter put my napkin back on my lap when I returned from the restroom.

The breakfast is amazing, the coffee is perfect, the juice is fresh, and the food is absolutely delicious. I tried a special they had, and it absolutely blew me away. If you want a fancy Mexican breakfast right by the city center, this is where you should go.

Expect to pay somewhere between 200-400 pesos per person for coffee and an entree. Depending on how fancy you want to get, it can go much higher, but you will definitely get your money's worth. It's a popular place, so show up early and expect a smaller wait. Breakfast and lunch is the focus, though it's...

¿Quién dijo que los desayunos no pueden ser épicos?

Hay lugares que no solo sirven comida, sino que custodian tradiciones. El Cardenal es uno de ellos: un santuario matutino donde los huevos se convierten en poesía, el queso fundido es una caricia, las tortillas y los bolillitos…ahhh-- huelen a mañana de campo. Hoy, dos omelettes se disputaron el paladar, y aunque uno se alzó como favorito, ambos fueron un recordatorio de que la sencillez bien ejecutada es el summum de la elegancia.

Omelette de Flor de Calabaza: Un Jardín en el Plato

Puntuación: ★★★★★ Si existiera un concurso de omelettes, este llevaría la corona. La flor de calabaza —frágil, dulce y colorida— se integra con maestría y delicadeza. El relleno: una sinfonía. Los huevos, sedosos, hacen de cómplices sin opacar al protagonista. Sabor campestre, de hacienda, de rancho pues, como esos desayunos que pides después de una noche de lluvia. ¿El detalle sublime? Las flores nada mustias: ¡frescas! como cosechadas al amanecer. Se nota que fueron tratadas con respeto. Este plato es un abrazo de cocina tradicional sin pretensiones… pero con alma. (¡¡¡por no decir con madre!!!)

Omelette de Rajas con Queso: El Clásico que Nunca Falla Puntuación: ★★★★☆ Las rajas de chile poblano, carnudas, con ese dulzor que las define, tesoro de la cocina mexicana. Aquí, envueltas en huevo y fundidas con un queso… bueno son un himno al comfort food. Es un plato robusto, reconfortante.

¿Por qué no cinco estrellas? Porque junto al omelette de flor —etéreo, casi pictórico—, este se siente más terrenal. Pero ojo: "terrenal" en El Cardenal sigue siendo sublime.

El Servicio: Atención con Sazón Más allá de los platillos, el trato es cálido pero profesional. Los meseros conocen el menú. El café, igualmente bueno, y el pan dulce es un guiño perfecto a la glotoneria. (ojalá hubiera tenido estómago, ya no llegue al pan)

Veredicto Final El Cardenal no prepara desayunos, sino memorias, de desayunos largos bajo enjambres de pájaros, de pan sabroso y tortillas. El Cardenal -Un clásico que no envejece, sino que se afina.

Por cierto, todo a coste MUY...