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Carnitas at El Venadito in Mexico City

Published: May 16, 2014 by Maura Wall Hernandez · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

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Basically every carnitas joint in Mexico claims they have the best carnitas. Who can blame them? To somebody, each place DOES have the best carnitas. One of my favorite places in Mexico City, El Venadito, is no exception. This restaurant, which is a neighborhood staple and has no other locations, has been open since 1950. Like many other places, they have a sign that says "super carnitas, las mejores de México." I will say: They are pretty spectacular, and among my top choices when I'm craving carnitas in Mexico City. After all, what place could stay open for more than six decades with signs saying they have the best carnitas if they didn't?

Although there's a restaurant where you can actually sit down in the back, I prefer the charming, tiny curbside taco stand. The only thing separating me from Tomás—the taquero who has been there as long as anyone I know can remember—is a window that's about five feet high with a counter on top, so I can watch my carnitas go from being chopped to tortilla, salivating while I watch.

I always order them the same way: Surtido, which is a mix of white meat, dark meat, other parts, skin and some crunchy bits of chicharron. Top it with fresh, raw salsa verde and it's truly a heavenly taco. If you're squeamish about eating certain parts of the pig, you can always ask for maciza, which is white meat only.

Mexico City eats: El Venadito carnitas, Av. Universidad 1701, Col.Agrícola Chimalistac (Coyoacán) | More recommendations on theothersideofthetortilla.com

Sitting on stools, eating from humble plastic plates that are washed after each use and drinking a soda straight from the glass bottles, you'll still feel as if you're eating a five-star meal with the grace and care taken making each taco. To ensure availability, it's best to go earlier in the day before they run out. Also avoid the rush on Sundays around 11 a.m., as there's a church across the street and it can get crowded when Mass lets out. If you're not familiar with the area, it's in the South of the city, located just up the street from the glorieta where Universidad and Miguel Ángel de Quevedo intersect, and near Coyoacán.

TO VISIT:

EL VENADITO

Avenida Universidad 1701
Agrícola, Álvaro Obregón
01050 Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico
+52 55 5661 9786
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (the counter closes when they run out of carnitas)

More recommendations for tacos in Mexico City:
Carnitas at Rincon Tarasco
Tacos de longaniza and tacos de suadero at El Borrego Viudo

  • Do you have a favorite place to eat tacos in Mexico City? Please leave a comment to let me know where!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marcella says

    May 16, 2014 at 2:50 pm

    salivating!! These sound sooo yummy. I was in DF a few weeks ago and can't wait to go back to get my taco on 🙂

    Reply
  2. Lauren says

    April 16, 2015 at 8:33 am

    My in-laws live in Tultitlan, so we visit Mexico City pretty frequently. There are a few places that make some amazing tacos, but they seem to be in the back of people's houses in residential neighborhoods, if there is such a thing in Mexico. There's this one place that makes amazing barbacoa on the weekends, but disappears during the week. It literally pops up under a tent on the sidewalk on the weekend. There's a place in Tultitlan/Coacalco that we always go to - I think it's called Los Primos. My favorite part of carnitas is the sticky, yellowish cueritos. YUM. By far my favorite taco in Mexico City is a taco de tripa, crispy. Delicious. The best place for them is this place in the city center near Tepito...i *think* it's called Yeshua Tacos.

    I love to go around Christmas or Los Reyes when all the little bazaars pop up in the evenings, selling a little bit of everything, most of it delicious.

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Maura Hernández, an award-winning food and travel writer, recipe developer, and former journalist sharing my passion for all things Mexico. I've traveled Mexico extensively over the last 18 years and Mexico City is my home away from home. Here, you'll find a mix of traditional and modern Mexican cooking, along with my advice on where to eat, stay and play on your visit to Mexico!

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