Mexico City Cantinas: What They Are & 5 Classics to Visit
What is a cantina in Mexico? The history, the free botanas, how to order, and 5 classic cantinas in Mexico City, from La Peninsular to Salón París.
Culture | Sep 05, 2024
Half bar, half museum, Mexico City's cantinas have survived revolutions, earthquakes and every trend the city has thrown at them. Walk into one and you'll find wooden bars polished by a century of elbows, waiters in vests, old men playing dominoes and plates of food arriving at your table without anyone asking. They're one of the most honest ways to understand the city.
This guide was written by Ernesto, a chef and the founder of Bondabu, whose favorite place to drink mezcal in Mexico City is a classic cantina.
Key takeaways
- A cantina is a traditional Mexican bar where drinks come with food, music and a lot of history.
- Many cantinas serve botanas, small dishes that arrive with your drinks, sometimes at no extra cost.
- La Peninsular, founded in 1872, is considered the oldest cantina in Mexico City.
- Cantinas are great places to drink mezcal, tequila or a cold beer the way locals do.
What is a cantina in Mexico?
A cantina is a traditional Mexican bar, but calling it just a bar misses the point. Cantinas are social institutions: places where neighbors, office workers and old friends have met for generations to drink, eat, talk, play dominoes and sing along with live musicians.
For most of the twentieth century, cantinas were men-only spaces, and women were not allowed in Mexico City's cantinas until 1981. Today everyone is welcome, and the classic cantinas mix old regulars with young locals and curious travelers.
Cantina vs. bar vs. pulquería
- Cantina: a traditional bar with food, spirits, beer and often live music. The heart of old-school Mexico City nightlife.
- Bar: anything from a cocktail lounge to a hidden speakeasy.
- Pulquería: a bar that serves pulque, the ancient fermented agave drink. Read our guide to pulque.
How cantinas work: botanas, drinks and music
Botanas
The most famous cantina tradition: food that arrives with your drinks. Depending on the cantina, botanas can be a small plate of peanuts and chicharrón or a full parade of dishes, from soups to tacos to stews, that keeps coming as long as you keep ordering. Some cantinas include them with your drinks, others charge for them, so ask when you sit down.
What to drink
Beer, tequila, mezcal and highballs are the classics. Ernesto's move is a mezcal, sipped slowly between botanas. If you're not sure which to choose, read our guide to mezcal vs tequila.
Music
Many cantinas have live musicians who move from table to table: trios with guitars, mariachis or a lone singer. They play on request and charge per song, so agree on the price before they start.
Bondabu tip: go in the afternoon. The traditional cantina hours start after lunch, when offices empty out and the botanas are at their best.
5 classic cantinas in Mexico City
1. La Peninsular: the oldest cantina in the city
Founded in 1872, La Peninsular is considered the oldest cantina in Mexico City. It sits in La Merced, a few blocks from Mercado de La Merced, in one of the most traditional neighborhoods of the city. Order a tequila and soak in a century and a half of history. Pair it with a visit to the market using our guide to Mercado de La Merced.
2. Salón París: where José Alfredo Jiménez drank
In the historic neighborhood of Santa María la Ribera, Salón París is linked to José Alfredo Jiménez, the legendary songwriter behind many of Mexico's most famous rancheras. It's a cantina with deep roots in the music of the country.
3. El Atardecer Ranchero: the golden age of Mexican music
A living tribute to the golden age of ranchera music, this cantina is associated with Vicente Fernández. Go on a Friday evening, when the music and the crowd are at their best.
4. Las Nuevas Galias: before the lucha libre
In the Obrera neighborhood, Las Nuevas Galias has a long food menu and a truly local atmosphere. It's the perfect stop before a night of lucha libre. Plan the match with our guide to watching lucha libre in Mexico City.
5. Salón Oxford: a classic to start the night
Salón Oxford is known for the revolutionary legends attached to it, including stories about Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. It's a great place to start a night out in Mexico City.
Cantina etiquette: how to fit in
- Order a drink before anything else. It's what gets the botanas going.
- Ask how the botanas work. Included, charged per plate or only with certain drinks: every cantina is different.
- Agree on the price before musicians play. They charge per song.
- Tip your waiter. Around 10% to 15% is standard in Mexico City.
- Take your time. Cantinas are made for long afternoons, not quick drinks.
Experience Mexico City's drinking culture with a local
Cantinas are best enjoyed with someone who knows the regulars, the waiters and the stories behind the walls. Our Mexican Spirit experience takes you into the world of agave spirits in Mexico City, in a small group with a local guide.
About the author
Ernesto is a chef and the founder of Bondabu, where he designs food and culture experiences in Mexico City and Quito.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cantina in Mexico?
A traditional Mexican bar where drinks are served with food, often called botanas, and frequently with live music. Cantinas are social institutions with decades or even centuries of history.
What is the oldest cantina in Mexico City?
La Peninsular, founded in 1872 in the La Merced neighborhood, is considered the oldest cantina in Mexico City.
Is the food free in Mexican cantinas?
In some cantinas, botanas come with your drinks at no extra cost. Others charge for them. Ask when you arrive.
Can women go to cantinas in Mexico City?
Yes. Women were not allowed in Mexico City's cantinas until 1981, but today cantinas are open to everyone.
What should I drink in a Mexican cantina?
Beer, tequila or mezcal are the classics. Ernesto recommends sipping a mezcal slowly between botanas.
