In-the-know expats congregate for morning meals at Café de la Parroquia (11 Jesús; 52-415-152-3161) and El Correo (23 Correo; 52-415-152-4951). The former dishes up a wide range of Mexican standards like chilaquiles (fried tortilla strips with salsa, cheese, and eggs), while the latter offers everything from classic huevos rancheros to pastel tres leches aldaco (traditional Mexican cake). Breakfasters with a sweet tooth should pop into San Agustín Café for the city's tastiest churros and hot chocolate (21 San Francisco; 52-415-154-9102).

The jury's still out on star chef Eduardo Osuna's elegant San Miguel restaurant. It's certainly well dressed, with several dining rooms filled with linen-draped tables awaiting diners. The wine list is impressive, the service attentive, and the menu ambitious. But San Miguel's resident gourmands are slow to accept outsiders charging Mexico City prices. Still, Osuna's smoked marlin tacos, osso buco with chiles, and pork in beer sauce are well prepared and beautifully plated. Skip the grilled meats and go for Mexican specialties like charales (tiny fried fish), the salsas and guacamole prepared tableside, chicken in mole poblano served with plantains, and a fragrant, tasty pescado Veracruzano. Plan on a special night out and a pricey tab.—Maribeth Mellin

Open daily noon to 10 pm.

Chef Ana Lilia Galindo serves up a globe-spanning menu in Chamonix's hearth-warmed dining room and on the candlelit patio. There's a cozy, homey dining room feel here, but the food exceeds that of most family kitchens. The menu ranges afar, but regulars return for the Vietnamese spring rolls, free-range chicken, potato pancake with sour cream and caviar, and the Swiss fillet—medallions of beef wrapped in ham and cheese.—Maribeth Mellin

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 1:30 to 10 pm.

This high-end French eatery is popular with Continental types, who come for traditional Parisian dishes such as French onion soup, salmon à la provençale, braised sweetbreads, and châteaubriand in béarnaise sauce. Dinner is served in a splendid courtyard garden and the cluster of small dining rooms surrounding it. Come early to the always-packed wine bar for an aperitif; or, if you prefer, come late for postdinner tapas.—Maribeth Mellin

From hearty bacon and eggs with bracing coffee at noon to Caesar salads, grilled sea bass, and potent Margaritas at night, this quirky café serves a satisfying, far-ranging menu of American and Mexican specialties. Most waiters speak English, making it a go-to place for tourists. The meringue-topped fruit pies taste as great as they look. Check out the amusing and poignant nichos displaying skeletons in varying tableaus on the walls.—Maribeth Mellin

Open Mondays through Saturdays 8 am to 10 pm.

Formerly a vegetarian restaurant, El Tomato has switched dramatically to Argentine-Italian fusion cuisine, meaning quality grilled beef is the new highlight here, with entrées like a tender arrachera and juicy rib eye served with roasted potatoes, green beans, and an almost perfect chimichurri sauce. Loyal patrons from the old days still find vegetarian lasagna with tofu, veggie ravioli, and several meal-size salads. Large street-side windows brighten the small dining room; there's also a small patio in back.—Maribeth Mellin

Open daily noon to 9 pm.

Terrace tables fill up quickly just before sunset at this rooftop restaurant, as the Parroquia's ornate spires seem to glow against the rose-tinted sky. Don't blame the Margaritas—the setting is utterly romantic, even if you're only sipping agua mineral. Hearty posole with all the fixin's (oregano, onions, lime, avocado chunks) is a good choice on chilly evenings. In general, the Mexican specialties, including a savory cochinita pibil, are far better than the tourist-mandated pricey salmon and steak entrées. In winter, when the day ends early, plan on a late, late lunch and finish your meal with coffee, flan, and the dreamy sunset.—Maribeth Mellin

Open Tuesdays through Sundays 1 to 10 pm.

When you're visiting Mexico, there comes a time when you must devour nachos and enchiladas and sip giant margaritas as mariachis sing "Guadalajara," all without feeling totally touristy. You can do all that, plus dance to a salsa band or sing a Mexican ballad with your fellow diners, in the tchotchke-filled courtyard at this noisy, fun spot near the Jardín Principal. The molcajetes—stone mortar–type dishes filled with sizzling meats, grilled onions, and cheese—are juicy and flavorful.—Maribeth Mellin

Blood-orange walls, a well-stocked tequila bar, and a poster wall with Shepard Fairey artwork are all signs that this Asian-fusion noodle bar isn't your typical strip-mall dive. The location, at a major glorieta near the Mega grocery store, is perfect for commuters and explorers returning from excursions to Dolores Hidalgo. But the Thai peanut-sauce shrimp salad, pho bo, and chicken curry are worth a trip to the burbs anytime. Hang around after dark for a wasabi martini or cucumber fizz and random DJ sessions.—Maribeth Mellin

Open Mondays through Saturdays noon to 10 pm.

A Moorish-style archway marks the entry into a fabulous dining experience where chef Donnie Masterton uses local ingredients to create elegant, familiar dishes with delightful twists in a classy setting. Tables are scattered about a large, sparsely decorated courtyard, where the walls are a subdued cream color and a fountain trickles in the background. Servers move about efficiently, delivering crab and octopus lightly dressed with cilantro-caper mayonnaise stacked atop avocado slices, grilled calamari with house-cured bacon, melt-in-your-mouth short ribs with snow peas, and other comfort foods. Finish with the tangy-sweet panna cotta and mint tea, followed by a slow stroll to the nearby Jardín Principal for a perfect San Miguel evening.—Maribeth Mellin

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 6 to 10 pm.

Famous for its crisp, sugary churros and hand-whipped chocolate, this popular colonial-era restaurant also serves some mean enchiladas suizas, tortilla soup, and chile rellenos. Try the calabaza (squash flowers) crêpes and, in season, crepas con huitlacoche (similar to a dark truffle). Owner and Argentine actress Margarita Gralia, star of Mexican telenovelas and a past model for the Spanish-language Playboy, can often be spotted cleaning tables or chatting with distinguished men and sharing a bottle of vino tinto in the late afternoon. Lines are so long on weekends that bouncers literally drop the velvet rope when a table opens.—Maribeth Mellin

Open Sundays through Thursdays 8 am to 11 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 9 am to midnight.