Best Dining Bets

Fonda El Refugio, for Traditional Mexican Food (Mexico City): This elegantly casual place prepares specialties from all over the country, including manchamanteles ("tablecloth stainers") on Tuesday and albóndigas en chile chipotle (meatballs in chipotle sauce) on Saturday.

El Nivel, to Experience a True Cantina (Mexico City): What a bar . . . this cantina has the honor of holding Mexico City liquor license #1, dating back 3 centuries. Once only the domain of men, cantinas in Mexico serve small plates of complimentary snacks as you continue to order rounds of drinks. El Nivel, located across from the Palacio de Gobierno, draws a crowd of politicians and journalists.

Adobe Fonda, for Inventive Nueva Cocina (Tlaquepaque): Delicious Mexican food served inside one of those gorgeous decorative arts stores that line Tlaquepaque's Calle Independencia. The point of departure for the food is some uncommon Mexican recipes, which are then given sparkling Italian and Argentine accents.

El Sacromonte, for Artful Alta Cocina (Guadalajara): Various dishes delight the senses with novel tastes and textures and skillful presentation. The menu describes each dish in Spanish couplets -- a fun topic for conversation over an aperitif.

Arrayán, for Tacos Like You've Never Before Tasted (Puerto Vallarta): The colorful atmosphere may be casual, funky, and fun, but the food is seriously and authentically Mexican. Prime beef filet tacos are just one specialty -- others include Mexican duck confit, shrimp pozole, and homemade ice creams from indigenous fruits.

El Mirador, for Margaritas (Acapulco, in the Hotel Plaza Las Glorias): You can enjoy a great margarita at many places in Mexico, but this is the only one that serves them with a view of the spectacular La Quebrada cliff divers.

El Naranjo, for Oaxacan Cuisine (Oaxaca): Oaxaca has an elaborate regional cuisine, and I am delighted by what El Naranjo does with it. Each day offers a different mole in addition to several uncommon dishes. This is a wonderful place for throwing caution to the wind -- the owner is meticulous about cleaning and sterilizing foods.

Mariscos Villa Rica Mocambo, for Fresh Seafood, Veracruz Style (Veracruz): Nobody else does seafood the way Veracruz does seafood, and this restaurant is the showcase for the region's cuisine.

100% Natural, for Licuados: Licuados, drinks made from fresh fruit mixed with water or milk, are much more popular than soft drinks. This restaurant chain offers the widest selection, including innovative mixtures like the Cozumel (spinach, pineapple, and orange) and the Caligula (orange, pineapple, beet, celery, parsley, carrot, and lime juices) -- a healthy indulgence. Branches in Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, and Cancún.

• Acapulco
• Cancun
• Cozumel
• Ixtapa
• Los Cabos
• Mazatlan
• Mexico City
• Playa Del Carmen
• Puerto Vallarta
• Riviera Maya