Drinks & Mezcalerías
Which mezcalerías in Mexico City are worth going to?
A good mezcalería is not just a bar with a lot of bottles. It is a room where someone behind the counter can tell you which family made the espadín you are drinking, what year they roasted the piñas, and whether the still was copper or clay.
La Clandestina (Condesa)
The one to send anyone new to mezcal to. Small, unpretentious, staff who will taste with you. Their selection leans toward small palenques in Oaxaca that they buy from directly.
Bósforo (Centro)
A tiny, unmarked room near Alameda. Standing-room only most nights. The list is deeper than the space suggests, with rare bottles from Michoacán, Durango, and San Luis Potosí — not just Oaxaca.
Expendio Tradición (Roma)
The most educational of the three. Everything is served in the traditional copita with sal de gusano and orange, and the staff will walk you through varietals if you ask.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
What is the difference between mezcal and tequila?
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Tequila is a legally protected type of mezcal made only from blue agave in specific Mexican states. Mezcal can be made from over thirty agave varieties across a much wider region. In practice: all tequila is technically mezcal; almost no mezcal is tequila.
How do you drink mezcal properly?
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Neat, at room temperature, in a small clay or glass copita. Sip slowly — the phrase locals use is 'besos, no tragos' (kisses, not shots). Salt (often sal de gusano) and orange are traditional accompaniments but optional.
What is a good mezcal to try first?
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An unaged (joven) espadín from a small producer. Ask for one under 45% ABV. Recommended houses: Real Minero, Del Maguey Vida, La Venenosa, or anything the mezcalería sources directly.