Is There Still a Michelin Star Taco Stand in Mexico City?
Updated October 9, 2026 · Star counts and prices checked October 2026
Not the famous one. El Califa de León, the San Rafael taco stand that won a Michelin star in May 2024, lost it in the MICHELIN Guide Mexico 2026, announced on May 20, 2026. Mexico City still has a starred taquería: La Once Mil, new to the guide this year, where tacos cost MX$70 to MX$335.
The cheapest Michelin star meal in Mexico City is now MX$500 (about $25) at Expendio de Maíz. Below: what changed, where to find a Michelin star taco in Mexico City today, the cheapest starred meals in the city, and five Bib Gourmand taquerías that cost far less.
What changed in 2026
El Califa de León was the first taquería to win a Michelin star, in the first MICHELIN Guide Mexico in May 2024, for its taco de gaonera, thin-cut beef fillet seared on the griddle and served on a corn tortilla. It kept the star in 2025. In the 2026 guide it was the only restaurant in Mexico to lose a star, and the guide gave no reason; Michelin’s inspectors judge consistency from visit to visit, and it has never said more than that. The stand is still open on Ribera de San Cosme and still in the guide as a recommended restaurant, so you can still order the gaonera.
The same ceremony gave a star to La Once Mil, a taquería in Lomas de Chapultepec, so Mexico City still has a starred taco. It is a very different place: a polished room with no bookings, where tacos run from MX$70 to MX$335 each and a meal typically comes to about MX$600 (about $35).
The cheapest Michelin star meals in Mexico City
Mexico City has 11 starred restaurants. Ranked by the cheapest meal each serves, the cheapest have no tasting menu: you order à la carte, or there is no menu at all.
| Restaurant | Stars | Area | What you get | From, per person | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Expendio de Maíz ↗ | ★ | Roma Norte | Typical spend No menu: dishes keep coming until you're full; about MX$500 a head, cash only · daytime only | MX$500 about $25 | Tue–Sun |
| 2 Rosetta ↗ | ★ | Roma Norte | À la carte Mains MX$315–585 | MX$585 about $30 | Mon–Sat |
| 3 La Once Mil ↗ | ★ | Lomas de Chapultepec | Typical spend Taquería, no bookings; tacos MX$70–335, typical spend MX$400–800 | MX$600 about $35 | Mon–Fri 12:00–23:30; Sat–Sun 11:00–23:30 |
| 4 Masala y Maíz ↗ | ★ | Centro | Typical spend À la carte; about MX$700 a head · daytime only | MX$700 about $40 | Mon; Wed–Sun |
| 5 Gaba ↗ | ★ | Condesa | Typical spend À la carte, dishes to share; about MX$1,000–1,800 a head | MX$1,400 about $75 | Mon–Sat |
| 6 Sud 777 ↗ | ★ | Jardines del Pedregal | Set menu Tasting menu, 12 courses (à la carte about MX$1,200 a head) | MX$2,500 about $135 | Mon–Wed; Sun |
| 7 Máximo ↗ | ★ | Roma Norte | Set menu Tasting menu, 4 courses (also à la carte, mains about MX$645–790) | MX$3,200 about $175 | Mon–Fri 13:00–22:00; Sat 13:00–23:00 |
| 8 Pujol ↗ | ★★ | Polanco | Set menu Tasting menu, about (omakase at the bar about MX$3,995) | MX$3,495 about $190 | Mon–Sat 14:00–21:30 |
Stars from the current MICHELIN Guide editions (2026 or the latest before it). Each price is the cheapest meal we list for the restaurant, lunch or dinner, per person in local currency before service and drinks, ranked by its value in US dollars at recent exchange rates. “À la carte” is the price of a main course or a typical dish, “typical spend” what a meal usually comes to. Mainland China’s typical spends are left out. Opening days and times from the MICHELIN Guide, which sometimes lists only a day’s first sitting. Last checked October 2026.
Expendio de Maíz, Roma Norte: there’s no menu. Dishes built on fresh masa keep coming until you say stop, and the bill comes to about MX$500 (about $25) a head. It opens in the daytime only, takes no bookings and is cash only, so expect a wait at weekends.
La Once Mil, Lomas de Chapultepec: order tacos one or two at a time. It takes no bookings, so arrive early.
Five Bib Gourmand taquerías
The Bib Gourmand is the MICHELIN Guide’s award for good food at a moderate price. It isn’t a star (see Bib Gourmand vs Michelin star), but in Mexico City it goes to many of the taquerías locals queue for. Five in the current guide:
- Taquería Los Cocuyos, Centro Histórico: open since 1980, with meats simmering in one big pot and chopped to order.
- Taquería El Jarocho, Roma Norte: run by the same family for three generations, for breakfast, lunch or an early dinner.
- La 89, Roma Norte: carne asada tacos, birria and tortas, grilled to order.
- Tacos del Valle: pork and beef from the spinning trompo, in a little retro diner.
- Tacos Charly, Tlalpan: suadero cooked slowly until tender. Arrive early and bring cash.
The cheapest starred meal at a table
For a starred meal with a tablecloth and a booking, Rosetta in Roma Norte serves its à la carte menu at lunch and dinner, with main courses from about MX$315 to MX$585 (about $30). Pujol in Polanco, the city’s best-known two-star restaurant, serves its tasting menu at lunch as well as dinner, for MX$3,495 (about $190). Our Mexico City page lists every starred restaurant with its price, and the cheapest Michelin star meals in the world ranks them against the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Does El Califa de León still have a Michelin star?
No. It won one star in May 2024 and lost it in the MICHELIN Guide Mexico 2026, announced on May 20, 2026. It is still open and still in the guide as a recommended restaurant.
Why did El Califa de León lose its Michelin star?
The MICHELIN Guide didn’t say. It doesn’t explain individual decisions, beyond saying that stars depend on cooking being consistent across inspectors’ visits.
Is there still a Michelin star taco in Mexico City?
Yes. La Once Mil, a taquería in Lomas de Chapultepec, won a star in 2026. Tacos cost MX$70 to MX$335 each, and a meal typically comes to about MX$600 (about $35).
Do you need to book?
Not at the taquerías: El Califa de León, La Once Mil and the Bib Gourmand stands don’t take bookings. Expendio de Maíz doesn’t either. The tasting-menu restaurants do, often weeks ahead.
How much should I bring?
A taco lunch at El Califa de León or a Bib Gourmand taquería costs a small fraction of a starred tasting menu. For La Once Mil, allow about MX$600 (about $35) a person. Several of the smaller places are cash only.