Hercules Garden
About 15 minutes by car from the city center, the Hercules Brewery is located in a huge, old English-style textile factory, with arches, cellars and brick corridors, where 19 styles of craft beer are produced.
It has its own boutique hotel in the factory building, a commercial corridor with local producers, an art gallery and a biergarten-style garden with wooden benches and tables.
The atmosphere, surrounded by old walls, is casual and relaxed, ideal for tasting patatas bravas, cecina ceviche, cochinita de setas, chamorro de cerdo al horno, as well as several types of German sausages.
Bárbaro Grill
Behind the Wameru Zoo and about 25 minutes by car from downtown Querétaro, you will find Bárbaro, a project that seeks to boost the local economy and an agroecosystem through a vineyard where Barrigón Wines (totally natural) are produced.
In addition to a tasting, you can visit their organic garden, the distillery and the charming restaurant in an open-air garden.
The atmosphere is very relaxed, totally familiar and country, although they also have an indoor part in a kind of metal warehouse.
Don’t leave without trying the roasted cauliflower with flour tortillas and refried beans, the fresh mackerel toast and the lacquered ribs with passion fruit, mashed potatoes and fried rice. To drink, order a Creole corn whiskey or one of their wines.
You can also tour the vineyard, the cellar, the production area and have a wine tasting, maguey spirits, cider, beer or Mexican whiskeys. From $400 pesos per person.
Website: barbaro.mx
Cava Bocanegra
Almost reaching the magical town of Tequisquiapan, right on the wine route and about 45 minutes from the city of Querétaro, is the first artisanal cheese cellar in the state: Bocanegra, with more than 42 varieties.
Its Gastronómica restaurant has a terrace and outdoor tables in a huge garden. For a snack, order a board with their cheeses (we recommend the natural missionary) or the pasta with cheese sauce, the pizza with pear and Serrano ham and, to finish, the rice pudding, which has white chocolate, hazelnut and ganache. These are just some of the delicacies on their menu.
Guided tours are organized to the underground cellar, equipped with wooden tables, barrels and dim lighting that contrasts with the glass wall where you can see hundreds of cheeses maturing. It includes cheese tasting, either with beer, wine or mezcal. From $310 pesos per person.
Website: cavabocanegra.com
Brasanta Campestre
This restaurant is about 25 minutes from the center of Querétaro, in an area known as the Secret Garden, because it is surrounded by trees, right on a natural terrace and on the banks of a small river.
The concept is totally country with a touch of northern cuisine, especially from Durango. They prepare generous cuts of meat, long-cooked ribs, black chile chamorro, mascarpone steak, chilaca or purslane cream with cacahuazintle, scorpion tacos and a must-try in season: chile en nogada with a touch of Oporto wine.
There is often live music and at night, lights are turned on that cross between the branches of the trees.
Facebook: ‘Brasanta Campestre’.
Casa Concheros
We end this gastronomic tour at Casa Concheros, a restaurant located on one of the most beautiful streets in the historic center of Querétaro: 5 de Mayo, a few blocks from attractions such as the Guerrero Garden, the Sacred Art and Querétaro Art museums or the San Felipe Neri Cathedral.
Run by chef Israel Soriano, it only opened in March of this year and, surprisingly, it is the first restaurant specializing in traditional Querétaro cuisine in the city.
Small and cozy, it occupies a colonial house where there is also a canteen area and a bar with mixology. As part of its decoration, there is a huge mural that shows an indigenous woman in the cornfield. This is the work of artist Miguel Valiñas.
As a recommendation, try the arriero tostada with blue criollo corn from Amealco; its nopales, beans and goat cheese; the sweet potato stuffed with rabbit barbacoa in pasilla sauce with pulque, with xoconostle compote, and the cottage cheese cake with goat cheese and xoconostle… A true delight.
Source: eluniversal
