Whether in the heart of the city or in a bucolic setting on the grounds of a vineyard or orchard, these new Stars prove that Mexico is an exciting and diverse culinary destination. Last year, Taquería El Califa in León made headlines as the first taqueria with a Star, but 2025 is also full of firsts. Prioritizing food over complications, Expendio de Maíz is a cash-only sidewalk establishment with no menu or sign, and only a few communal tables. However, that didn’t stop the Inspectors from being impressed. Masala y Maíz dazzles with an inimitable blend of Mexican, Indian, and African flavors, while Máximo shines with its Mexican cuisine with international influences.
Learn more about what makes each new Star shine and check out the full list of all the award-winning restaurants below.
Lunario, open seasonally only, occupies a greenhouse-like building on the grounds of the Lomita winery. The winding path you’ll have to take to reach it contrasts with the elegance and contemporary aesthetic of its interior, dominated by an open kitchen and a bar with limited seating for those lucky enough to be able to attend the show from the front row. Here, chef Sheyla Alvarado creates two multi-course tasting menus with a seasonal, contemporary, and plant-based approach, featuring numerous ingredients from her own production. The creativity and boldness of her cuisine are reflected in dishes such as the Baja oyster duo—where sweetness and spice intertwine—or the blue corn sope with a memorable combination of carrot puree, smoked shrimp, and bougainvillea. The chamomile flan with vinaigrette and honey ice cream is a dessert as brilliant as it is unexpected.
Located inside a boutique hotel dotted with olive trees, this charming, recently opened establishment is a promising newcomer to the local culinary scene. Despite changing frequently, its seasonal menu always stands out for its simplicity and purity of flavors, a reflection of the “garden to table” principle it puts into practice thanks to the excellent produce supplied daily by local farmers. Whether you choose between the vegetarian or seasonal menu (mainly seafood) or opt for an à la carte dish, main courses such as the catch of the day with celeriac purée or grilled octopus with white mole are sure to delight. Desserts such as caramelized plums with purple basil sorbet or the pumpkin eclair with swede ice cream are especially tempting.
Expendio de Maíz, tucked between two other establishments and with no visible sign, invites diners to sit at one of the four long tables arranged under the sidewalk awning. Reservations are not accepted, but there are several seating arrangements: diners write down their name and wait for theirs to arrive. And just as there are no reservations, there’s no menu: the waiters will serve you dish after dish until you’re satisfied. Native varieties of corn, homemade nixtamalization, are the basis of their tasty dishes (tortillas, huaraches, etc.), and although the dishes change, you’ll always enjoy delicious offerings like huitlacoche sope served with refried beans. To top it off, the sweet bread shell with cream and honey, accompanied by a pot of coffee, has the power to transport many back to their childhood.
The Masala y Maíz, always overflowing, is a magnet for anyone looking to try a different kind of cuisine. Chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval showcase an impeccable culinary style, the result of a harmonious blend of flavors from Africa, India, and Mexico. The result is a truly memorable experience: the samosa filled with suadero or the potato and pumpkin seed samosa, covered in rich sauces, are a must-have. The spectacular “peel-your-own shrimp” (caught in Veracruz) are roasted over a high flame and accompanied by melted butter infused with vanilla. Chilpachole, a traditional Veracruz broth, is reinterpreted here in the form of a strained tamale with crab, while among the desserts, the delicious chocolate tamale with orange supreme, avocado mousse, and pistachio and rose powder rounds out the meal.
Despite its industrial past, this elegant restaurant in Roma Norte exudes a pleasant and bright atmosphere that will make you want to stay there. Although it opened relatively recently, Máximo is generating a lot of buzz thanks to chef Eduardo García’s Mexican cuisine with French and international influences, offered both à la carte and as a tasting menu. The latter kicks off with a trio of starters consisting of a beet tartar tartlet covered in caviar; a infladita filled with Comté cheese foam and caramelized onion; and a tempura-fried shiso leaf with kampachi. From abalone toast with pumpkin seed sauce to octopus ceviche with tiger’s milk, each dish is a riot of flavor and creativity. Finally, indulge in a dessert with savory nuances such as black truffle ice cream or flan with caviar.
Source: guide.michelin
