Eat Where the Locals Eat in Old Town

Visit three local, family-owned and operated neighborhood restaurants and enjoy two courses at each location. Experience one delicious 3.5 hour, 7-course culinary journey through the heart and soul of the historic and romantic Emiliano Zapata neighborhood.

Eat Where the Locals Eat showcases signature dishes from traditional, local, family owned and operated restaurants in historic “Old Town.” Each course features a unique riff on traditional Mexican dishes from family recipes handed down through the years. Seafood is the focal ingredient in all but two dishes. It is a culinary adventure that dives into the heart and soul of the famed “Old Town” / Emiliano Zapata neighborhood where you dine at restaurants whose cuisine remains untouched by “what the tourists expect.” Experience these historic Old Town favorites through seven courses from three restaurants and one street food stand.

This dinner progressive tour begins at the Emiliano Zapata market where you will meet your guide. Throughout the tour your guide will charm you with stories and facts about the history of Emiliano Zapata. Your first stop is Restaurant Parajitos, a hidden gem just off the Rio Cuale that you have to know is there to be able to find. And once you experience it, you’ll want to go back on your own, time and time again. Stop two, Mariscos Cisneros, is the quintessential neighborhood go-to. Pass by the street stand, roam through the main dining area right past the kitchen and settle into the quaint courtyard to dine al fresco (weather permitting). Stop number three finds us a traditional Mexican Cenaduria. "Celia" is another hidden gem that defines traditional homemade Mexican cuisine.