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Follow in Christopher Kimball’s footsteps during a weeklong immersion into the culinary traditions of Mexico City. This trip brings together the best of Milk Street and Culinary Backstreets networks and offers guests a one-of-a-kind introduction to a vibrant metropolis where pre- and post-colonial foods and culture collide and combine. Our guides will be Paco de Santiago, the head of the Culinary Backstreets Mexico team, and Emilio Pérez, resident chef at a cooking school Milk Street has relied on repeatedly for its depth of knowledge about Mexican cooking and excellent recipes.
Together we’ll explore neighborhood food stands no other tourists visit and busy central markets that everyone must experience. We’ll make culturally important dishes like birria and cochinita pibil and old family recipes, like black beans, that are the foundation of every meal in Beto’s family. We’ll gain a rich understanding of the importance of corn to Mexican culture through hands-on learning and by eating at the city’s best taco stands. We’ll travel outside the city to a family farm in Milpa Alta where we’ll learn about pulque and make mole from scratch. With Paco, Beto and Jorge, our days will be full of quiet, local moments and bustling urban experiences, contemporary innovations and traditional rituals.
COOK
VISIT
TOUR
LEARN
EAT
Your itinerary
Day 1
Arrive and meet your fellow travelers and guide
After settling into our boutique hotel, we’ll set out for a welcome dinner at the perfect first stop in Mexico City, Nicos. A favorite for generations of locals, Nicos is that rare institution that has adapted to changes in the city without losing its identity. In business for 70 years, the place feels contemporary yet maintains an old school edge. The food of chef Gerardo Lugo – also the founder of Mexico City’s Slow Food chapter – is at once homey and artful. This is where we set the stage for our week as a group and get a taste of all that we will discover together.
Day 2
Tour the Centro Histórico, sample agave spirits
Day 3
Shop, taste and cook with Casa Jacaranda
Day 4
Eat a sunrise breakfast on a floating farm
We’ll head out in the morning by private van to get aboard a small boat on the canals of Xochimilco, the UNESCO heritage site of pre-Hispanic farmlands and canals. Once the vegetable garden of the city, today Xochimilco is home to a small group of passionate farmers and environmentalists who are revitalizing the area and are supported by the city’s top restaurants. We’ll watch the sun come up behind a volcanic skyline with a mug of hot café de olla – a beloved local coffee – in hand. Then we’ll visit a local farm, to learn about indigenous agricultural traditions that are being revived here. Breakfast will be made in an open-air kitchen using ingredients that you harvest from the field just minutes before. Back in the city, we’ll have some free time midday; anyone interested can be dropped off near Frida Kahlo’s house for a visit. In the evening, we’ll visit Licorería Limantour, where we can get behind the bar with professional bartenders. J.M. Hirsch, Milk Street’s Editorial Director and author of several cocktail books, earmarked this one for us; it’s his go-to Mexico City bar. Margarita al pastor? J.M. says: Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!
Day 5
Dive deep into corn and take a taco tour
Corn is the cornerstone of the Mexican diet, so today is dedicated to in-depth, hands-on learning about this essential ingredient. In the morning we’ll visit Maizajo, an educational project started by a group of chefs dedicated to preserving and promoting the use of heirloom corn varieties in making tortillas. We’ll learn about the process from corn stalk to nixtamalization to milling to masa to tortilla and beyond. We’ll cement your respect for this process by sampling some fresh snacks from their griddle. Armed with our appreciation for all things corn, we’ll stop by the colorful Jamaica market for an early lunch at a few of our favorite stalls, including one specializing in the local delicacy, huitlacoche – corn fungus – and another dishing up esquites, cups of tender corn kernels with herbs. Plus, we will be introduced to some favorite local sweets, like tamarind coated in chili powder, tequila-flavored coconut rolls and what Paco calls the “pre-Hispanic power bar.” We’ll rest and digest in the afternoon in preparation for one of the week’s highlights and a Mexico City ritual: cruising for tacos. Our guide, Paco, featured in Netflix’s Taco Chronicles, is an expert on the subject and will take us to a few of his favorite places including an essential spot for tacos al pastor.
Day 6
Make mole and sample pulque in Milpa Alta
Day 7
Breakfast workshop at Casa Jacaranda and farewell dinner
Day 8
Pack Up and Depart
Meet the Crew
We are firm believers in the power of local knowledge. Our guides and the culinary masters and other artisans who are part of our trips all deeply reflect that. Meet some of our local heroes:
Paco de Santiago
Emilio Pėrez
Mayra
Santiago Muñoz
Noe Coquis
María Elena Lugo Zermeño
Where you'll stay
Historico Central
This week’s focus on deeply local experiences and places is also well reflected in our choice of accommodation. We always select boutique and independent places, ones inspired by international standards while staying loyal to the area’s local heritage – that’s the balance we seek for more than a good night’s rest.
Our group will be staying at the Historico Central Hotel, a boutique hotel housed in a restored, 300-year-old building. Located in the heart of Mexico City, the Centro Historico, we’ll be a stone’s throw from many of the city’s most historic buildings and museums as well as its vibrant lifestyle. The hotel also features a 24-hour cafe, and drinks and snacks are included in your stay.
Hear what travelers are saying
Paco was really terrific. His knowledge is incredible and he is so passionate about his city and food. We had experiences that you absolutely could not have on your own. I quickly learned to skip breakfast at the hotel.
Tom S.
An amazing trip to Mexico. From vibrant markets to ancient ruins, it was a perfect mix of culinary and cultural discovery. Our host and guide were incredible, making the experience even more memorable!
Rhonna C.
On this trip, you'll truly come to appreciate the culinary heritage of Mexico. You'll see and taste! - the profound pride that people have in pre-Hispanic ingredients. Each of these has a completely new meaning to me now.
April D.
Know before you go
PRICING AND ACCOMMODATION
The total cost of this trip is $5,000 in 2026 and $4,500 for the last remaining spots in 2025. For travelers wishing to have single accommodations during the trip, an additional $1,000 supplement will be due at the time of the final payment. A $500 non-refundable deposit per traveler is required to secure space on the trip. The balance is due 90 days prior to the start of the trip.
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Travelers should feel comfortable walking two to four miles each day and remaining on their feet for periods of time. There are a couple of hikes on uneven ground. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get hands-on during a couple cooking workshops.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
For flights in and out of Mexico City International airport, we suggest you arrive anytime arrive by 3 p.m. on Day 1 and depart anytime on Day 8. We’ll provide the option of booking additional nights at our group hotel before and/or after the tour, and are more than happy to provide suggestions for things to do and see in the city on your own.
INCLUSIONS
• All accommodation throughout the trip in stylish, boutique hotels • Professional guides throughout the entire experience • All meals and drinks included in the above activities • Admission to all proposed activities, locations, and events • Private coach for visits inside and outside the center city • A hungry group of Culinary Backstreets and Milk Street travelers, excited to explore all that Mexico has to offer!
EXCLUSIONS
• Private individual arrival & departure airport transfers • Airfare and transportation to/from the start and end destination • Meals beyond those specified in the itinerary above • Alcoholic beverages other than those served at the table • Accommodations outside those noted, including pre- or post-trip hotel nights • Activities, tours & entry fees not included above • Personal purchases and incidentals at hotels
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
We encourage an adventurous palate! We try our best to accommodate dietary restrictions, though ingredients cannot always be substituted or omitted from particular dishes. This trip can easily feature plentiful vegetarian options and can accommodate gluten free diets among others. If you have other food allergies or intolerances, please contact us to find out if this is the right trip for you.
NOTES ON ITINERARY
We have reinforced our commitment to sustainability and safety with new guidelines to assure maximum safety of our guests on our trips while maintaining the quality of the experience. All of our experiences are designed to have minimal impact on the community and environment. For more details on our precautions, read here.
CANCELLATION POLICY
<p>You may cancel 90 days before the start of the trip and receive a full refund minus a $500 per-person service fee. If you cancel on or after 60 days before the start of the trip there is a 50% cancellation fee. On or after 45 days there is a 75% cancellation and fee and on or after 30 days there is a 100% cancellation fee. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance as we are not able to make exceptions to this policy in cases of family/medical emergency or cases of the trip being canceled (see our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="text-[#781e2a] underline" href="https://foxlabs-development.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/foxlabs-development/images_imported/For+CB+Trips_+Terms+%26+Conditions_updated2022.pdf">Terms and Conditions</a> for full details).</p>
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