Welcome to chef Jesús Tornés’s transported version of a rural kitchen in the state of Guerrero, where he grew up: fresh ingredients, including fruit from his own back yard, sits in baskets and the clay pots are stacked on the stone wall behind the wide comal. There’s no menu, just a staff member asking you after each plate if you’d like another, while the cooks create a symphony of corn-based dishes. Recipes inspired by traditional rural Mexican cuisine, heirloom ingredients, and colorful fruits and vegetables will come at you (slowly—nobody’s in a hurry here) until you cry "Uncle." Bring your most easygoing and food-loving friends, so you can just dig into anything the kitchen serves.

All of these values that are considered basic for new restaurants were barely present in Mexico 30 years ago. (My theory is that the 1990s saw the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas, which swept the entire population with renewed revolutionary fervor, and the signing of free trade agreements, which also made everyone in Mexico worry about what native foods they might lose.). I try to keep this recent history in mind when I ponder: In 2023, the most globally and locally admired Mexican kitchens in the city are those that treat maíz with near-religious reverence — in the land where corn was born — and employ ingredients grown at the highest standards of sustainable production.

Preserving nixtamalization – an ancient and important method of processing corn birthed by Mesoamerica – among other traditional methods and heritage ingredients, has become particularly important to Jesús Tornes, managing partner of Expendio de Maiz. An expendio is a little corner store or stand, making this the “corn stand,” and working here has turned its staff into tortilla snobs, Jesús says. “They know how to make tortillas, to nixtamal the corn, to grind it into dough.

You can drop in for only one taco if you want, but the best way to experience Expendio de Maiz is to keep going and watch them come up with creative toppings round after round. It’s basically a corn tasting menu – all tortillas are made fresh to order and serve as the base of each course. The cooks bring you tacos and picaditas (little tortilla bowls) topped with different flavor combinations like cheese, honey, baby corn, and pepitas, or mole, candied nuts, and squash.

A hidden gem in Roma Norte, Expendio de Maíz delivers a raw, unfiltered celebration of Mexican corn with no menu, no sign, and no reservations. What it lacks in polish, it makes up for in soul and flavor. Inside, chefs work continuously behind the scenes, churning out waves of dishes until guests say “enough.” Every creation begins with house-nixtamalized heirloom corn shaped into fresh tortillas, huaraches, or sopes and layered with market-fresh toppings.

I like to call this spot “A Mexican version of an Omakase”. No menu here, you just sit down and let them know about food restrictions (if there’s any) and let yourself be surprised by the parade of corn-based delicious dishes that roll out of their beautiful open kitchen. The head chef works directly with produce from Guerrero and cooks each dish thinking of seasonalities and taking influences from traditional foods from different regions of the country.

Expendio De Maiz Sin Nombre —An open kitchen with just a few communal tables out front, they’re only open until about 5 pm and this was one of the most fun dining experiences of my trip. They serve rural Mexican dishes all based around thick tortillas and there is no menu — they just bring you dishes until you tell them you’re full. Go with a friend or significant other (if that’s your thing) so you can split each course.

Think of a Mexican version of an omakase: you sit down and let them know about any food restriction and get ready to see a parade of amazing corn-based dishes made with fresh & seasonal ingredients. Always amazing and surprising dishes and always a traditional mexican beverage makes an appearance (think mezcal, tepache or pulque). I love it so much it always makes its way to my list of favorites.

Best for: A Mexico City must-visit; casual lunchLocation: Avenida Yucatan 84, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, 06700Price: ££. Expendio de Maiz has gained global attention for its unique approach to dining, which manages to be both casual and reverent. Food arrives when it’s ready and is served on the street, yet with a heightened respect for traditional, rural ways of cooking.

No menu, ever-changing food courses and desserts with corn at their core, served from a rustic open kitchen. Chef and owner Jesus Tornés sources many of the ingredients he cooks with from his own farm or the surrounding land in his native Guerrero. It’s a dining experience unlike any other, and a true love letter to the heirloom corn they source, nixtamalize and grind in-house.

EXPENDIO DE MAIZ: My favorite taco experience has now been revealed as on my second trip to Mexico City, this place now has a line down the street!. Here you just tell them what you’re in the mood for and they whip it up right in front of you and you can keep going until you are full. Each table has different dishes and it feels like you are in someone’s home.

Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre in Mexico City is a unique spot where the chef brings his rural kitchen to the city, serving up flavorful dishes based on heirloom corn. There's no menu - just tell them if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions and they'll whip up some tasty dishes. They'll keep serving you plate after plate until you say stop.

Yucatan 84, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico. At Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre, the culinary experience is an immersive journey into Mexico's rich food culture. The open kitchen allows you to watch as the chefs expertly prepare a variety of corn-based dishes, from tacos and tamales to innovative soups and stews.

Give Mexican-style omakase a go at Expendio de Maíz, where you put your faith fully in the cook’s hands and let them serve you whatever’s on offer that day (omakase works without a menu). And if you love birria, don’t leave the city without trying the quesabirrias from El Compita Taquería. They’re as juicy and as flavorful as they look.

Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre - Hands-down my favorite place we ate at in Mexico City. It’s a small restaurant that cooks prehispanic food over a wood fire. There is no menu - you tell the chef what your dietary restrictions are, and they prepare you food one plate at a time right in front of you.

This was the most interesting restaurant we visited on our whole trip. It was delicious, unexpected, and amazing quality, and it’s not that expensive either–the best bang for buck meal we had. I was most excited about this restaurant and even woke up early to ensure I got a spot in the morning.

: This top-rated restaurant in Roma Norte has built its reputation and its cuisine around the simple idea of using the best heirloom corn from across the country. From there they turn to the. and adapt the ever-changing menu to what is good and in season that day.

Their menu changes daily based on what is fresh and in season. You order however many plates as you have room for, each one delicious and interesting. The flavors and combinations are incredible and I’ve loved everything I have eaten here.

Seasonally determined vegetable-leaning dishes with a downhome gourmet presentation. Ambiance – family-style seating, hipster, traditional open-air kitchen, very buzzy since opening a few years back, expect to wait. Price – Cheap to Mid

Expendio de Maiz offers one of the most unique food experiences in the city. Think of this spot as a Mexican version of an omakase. Delicious corn-based dishes will keep emerging from the stunning open kitchen until you say stop!

Our favorite vegetarian options are the creations at Expendio de Maíz Sin Nombre, the salads and desserts at Rosetta, the hummus and sides at Merkavá, and the mushroom tacos (vegan!) at El Greco. See below for links.

Have “the best comal breakfast” at Expendio de Maíz Sin Nombre, and indulge in some classic Italian at the new Polpo, co-owned by the Massimo Botttura-trained chef Marco Carboni.