Best Restaurants in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico + TOP Rooftops

Discover the best restaurants in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico! This colorful city is a foodies paradise with a long list of "must-visit" restaurants. In fact, the sheer number of choices can be overwhelming. Skip the headache of sorting through all the options and stick to these spots for a 10/10 experience.

San Miguel de Allende really shines when it comes to the restaurant scene. I wasn't expecting such an extensive selection of places to dine. The choices really are endless and more than enough reason to extend your trip.

Rooftops with stunning views, cozy Moroccan courtyards, tiny coffee shops, and taco carts with a constant line of locals...there's something for every taste and vibe. 

This post will focus on the absolute best restaurants in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. These are my favorite places and the spots I make a point to revisit every time I'm in the city.

This map shows the best restaurants in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, included in this post. Click the icon on the top left to see a list view of each pinned location. Select the top right button to enlarge the map (which will automatically save it to YOUR Google Maps). To access this map once saved, open Google Maps (on your phone/computer/tablet), tap the "You" icon at the bottom, scroll to the bottom, and select "Maps". Your newly saved map should be listed at the top.

• Blue - rooftop restaurants in San Miguel de Allende
• Purple - general restaurants
• Black - casual restaurants
• Yellow - cafes and coffee shops

Best rooftops in San Miguel de Allende 

The rooftop scene in San Miguel de Allende (SMA) is where it's at. Once Jake and I arrived in SMA and had our first rooftop dinner, we canceled all dinner reservations that were not on a rooftop.

Perfect evening weather combined with spectacular sunsets and views, it just didn't make sense to dine inside.

The places below are my favorite by far. These are the absolute best rooftops in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for dinner and drinks.

Quince - voted the #1 rooftop in the world by Robb Report in 2020, this is a great place to share an assortment of appetizers and sushi rolls. The drinks are delicious, most notably the Black Forest made with activated charcoal, mezcal, lime, and rosemary syrup.

Ask to sit on the side facing the mountains to watch the sunset. The other side overlooks the cathedral and is a good option if it's cloudy or you'd prefer to see the cathedral lit up once the sun goes down.

Atrio - the food and drinks really stand out, and the atmosphere is perfect for a romantic evening. Our favorite items included: mezcal cocktail with kiwi and pineapple, tuna ceviche, softshell crab tacos, asparagus coated in sliced almonds and orange honey, and the orange duck.

Consider joining a food tour like this Tacos and Tequila tour or this Downtown Food tour.

La Posadita - located right next to Quince, and by right next to I mean you could throw a lime on their patio, La Posadita is perfect if you want a casual vibe. The guacamole is one of my favorites and their frozen pina coladas are wildly popular. 

La Unica - beautiful views overlooking the city center and cathedral paired with an extensive drink menu, eight different types of tacos to choose from, and other classic Mexican dishes. The chocolate bomb dessert is pretty darn good.

La Unica has a lively, party atmosphere without being too over the top.

SEE ALSO

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE + THINGS TO DO

IS SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE SAFE FOR TOURISTS AND VISITORS?

Luna Rooftop (at Rosewood San Miguel)- offers a different view from the rest of the rooftops listed. Instead of being in the center of the city and nestled right next to the cathedral...Luna rooftop is just outside Centro and offers views of the city center and cathedral from afar.

I will admit, this is the most expensive place for drinks and appetizers (think $18 to $23 vs. $11 to $17), but I still think it's worth at least one visit for a different view/perspective. 

I would stick to drinks and skip the food. Not only are prices higher here, but the food is also better at the other places listed.

La Azotea - a great rooftop spot for lunch or a casual dinner/happy hour. The jicama tacos are SO good. It's more like a sushi roll taco than a true taco with fried leeks, crispy shrimp, and spicy mayo.

Best restaurants in San Miguel de Allende that aren't rooftops

The Restaurant - if you're not feeling a rooftop, The Restaurant is a lovely spot with a gorgeous Moroccan courtyard. The menu is an assortment of "global comfort" food. Several locals/expats raved about their Thursday burger night.

Bovine - this restaurant is gorgeous! The design is eclectic and sophisticated. Rich green velvets, mirrored ceilings, gold tables, black and white tiled floors...interior designers will be in heaven here. While this wasn't my favorite food-wise, I still recommend it for those who love design and a stunning atmosphere.

Bastardo - a must for foodies. Enjoy sublime farm-to-table dishes served in a casual, beer garden atmosphere.

Chef Jorge Arendano worked at Noma in Denmark, which has made the list of "best restaurants in the world" more times than I can count. 

The menu changes with the seasons. Order the burger if it's on the menu, and be sure to save room for dessert.

Zibu - offers a fusion of Mexican and Asian flavors and is located on the ground floor of Live Aqua hotel. Try the bone marrow and ribeye tacos, soft-shell crab tacos, Oriental seafood rice, and the coconut ice cream.

Casual restaurants in San Miguel de Allende 

Hecho en Mexico - a great option for a casual meal with an extensive menu, including vegan options. 

If you're feeling adventurous, try the fondue de huitlacoche (think queso). Huitlacoche is considered a delicacy in Mexico. It's basically a mushroom that grows on corn cobs.

Inside Cafe - touts itself as a meeting point for entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and open, like-minded people in a space that promotes art, music, culture, and hospitality.

Visit Inside Cafe for brunch/lunch. There are several filling breakfast bowls to choose from with both vegan and gluten-free options. Or go all out and order one of their insane grilled cheese combinations.

The coffee is also great, and the prices are low. $11 for a breakfast bowl, $3.50 for a flat white, and $11 for a pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich. 

La Parada - seafood is king at this affordable Peruvian restaurant. The ceviche and octopus dishes are by far the most popular. 

Best brunch in San Miguel de Allende

1826 (at Rosewood San Miguel) - Sunday brunch at 1826 is an experience. Though, the price has tripled between our first stay in 2021 ($26) and 2025 ($65).

This is a good example of how prices across the board have soared in San Miguel. While the increase wasn't quite as substantial elsewhere, we did notice quite a jump in everything from hotel rates to coffee shop prices.

1826's Sunday brunch includes an assortment of live food stations with Mexican classics, unlimited coffee, tea, juice, and an à la carte item of your choice.

This was one of the best meals during both our trips. The courtyard is gorgeous, and the service is outstanding.

Eat light the night before so you can enjoy all the stations!

Cafes and coffee shops

Lavanda Cafe - one of the most well-known and popular coffee shops in San Miguel de Allende. Lavanda Cafe ticks all the boxes: a spacious layout with multiple levels of seating, quality espresso, and a varied menu.

Try the lavender latte, or my personal favorite, the mareado lavanda. This drink took me back to my espresso freddo days in Greece. Frothed espresso, poured over ice, with lavender and a touch of brown sugar.

Panio Relox - located in the heart of the historic center, Panio is a great choice for coffee and pastries. The coconut eclairs are scrumptious and the breakfast migas are wonderful. 

El Cafe de la Mancha, Café de Especialidad - while this coffee shop is located just outside the heart of the city center, the few extra minutes it takes to walk there are worth it. El Cafe de la Mancha is consistently my favorite flat white in SMA. They also offer Chemex, Aeropress, pourover, siphon, and other unique brewing methods alongside your traditional americano, flat white, cold brew, etc. 

Ki'bok Coffee SMA - after gaining quite the following in Tulum (Ki'bok's first location), a second cafe was soon opened in San Miguel de Allende. The cold brew is especially good. This is a great spot to hang out for a while as there's plenty of seating and a sunny rooftop patio.

Zenteno - solid iced Americanos, insanely good mini-pies and tarts, and a charming little atmosphere.

Street food/taco carts

Andy's Taco Cart - I can't not include Andy's taco cart when discussing San Miguel de Allende restaurants...even if it's not technically a restaurant. Andy's was, by far, Jake's favorite taco cart. I say Jake because it was Jake's mission on our first trip to try all the top taco carts.

Not only is Andy beyond friendly, but his el pastor tacos truly are the best. The cart opens up at 7:00 pm and can be found on the corner of Hidalgo and Insurgentes. In fact, these tacos were so delicious, Jake would often get an "after-dinner" snack on our way back to the hotel.

In summary

I hope this helps plan your dining excursions around the city. These are, without a doubt, the best restaurants in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

You'll be spoiled for choices when it comes to rooftops, trendy restaurants, and tiny cafes. My goal with this post was to narrow down your options and list the best of the best so you can focus your time on enjoying the city!

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Best Restaurants in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico + TOP Rooftops

See my other Central America blog posts!

Come back after your trip! Share your top picks for the best restaurants in San Miguel de Allende in the comments below!