Fodor's Expert Review El Cardenal

An institution known for its classic Mexican cooking, today El Cardenal has locations all over the city, but the branch to try is on Calle Palma, in a three-story building in the florid style of the late 19th century. Inside, the atmosphere (think beige walls and white tablecloths) and food are old school; the best time to come is breakfast, when trays of pan dulces make for a pleasant prelude to eggs or chilaquiles. Other locations include the ground floor of the Hilton Alameda in San Angel (Avenida de la Paz 32) and Lomas de Chapultepec (Avenida Paseo de Las Palmas 215, near Colonia Polanco).