Quintonil

Quintonil, at Newton 55 in Polanco, Mexico City, is chef Jorge Vallejo's flagship restaurant and one of the highest-rated dining experiences in Mexico. The name comes from a wild green — quintonil — that grows throughout the country and is integral to pre-Hispanic cooking, encapsulating the restaurant's central philosophy: celebrating the extraordinary biodiversity of Mexican ingredients through rigorous technique and seasonal restraint. Vallejo and his partner Alejandra Flores oversee a kitchen that sources much of its produce from their own organic farm on the outskirts of Mexico City, supplemented by direct relationships with small-scale producers, farmers, and fishermen across the country. The tasting menus, which rotate seasonally, are structured as a journey through Mexico's landscapes: fermented, smoked, aged, and pickled preparations sit alongside delicate crudo preparations and precisely cooked proteins. Signature presentations have included an aguachile made entirely with farm greens, braised lamb dressed with dried chiles and served with a consommé of extraordinary clarity, and heirloom corn tortillas paired with luxurious toppings at a dedicated taco course. The dining room is elegant without being intimidating — a converted house with warm wooden surfaces, considered lighting, and well-spaced tables that allow proper conversation. The wine programme is one of Mexico City's most thoughtful, with particular depth in natural and biodynamic producers from both Mexico and Europe. Reservations are typically required three to four weeks in advance and are manageable through the restaurant's website or by phone; the restaurant is closed on Sundays.