September arrives with one of the most anticipated dishes of the season, and this year, Mexico City’s Historic Center once again becomes the setting for a celebration dedicated to one of the great protagonists of the country’s patriotic festivities: chiles en nogada. Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 Chiles en Nogada Festival in Mexico City’s Historic Center.
When and Where the Mexico City Historic Center Chiles en Nogada Festival Will Take Place
This initiative by the Historic Center Authority seeks to celebrate Mexican cuisine while also promoting economic activity among the establishments participating in the festival. The proposal is simple: take advantage of chile en nogada season, explore the Historic Center, and discover the different ways in which this dish and the flavors that accompany it make their way to the table.
- Date: September 3–26, 2026
- Location: participating restaurants, fondas, and markets
- Activities: gastronomic exhibition featuring chiles en nogada, desserts, and beverages inspired by nogada.
When the Festival Begins
- The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 3, at 12:45 p.m. in the courtyard of the Sor Juana Cloister (San Jerónimo 24), and admission will be free.
- During the event, there will be a press conference and opening ceremony, as well as a gastronomic exhibition dedicated to chile en nogada featuring proposals for desserts and beverages inspired by nogada and the different ways it is incorporated into Mexican cuisine. The idea opens the door to a broader interpretation of this flavor: not only as an accompaniment to chile en nogada, but also as an ingredient that can appear in other sweet and savory preparations.
Which Restaurants Will Participate in This Mexico City Chiles en Nogada Route?
Rather than concentrating on a single location, the festival seeks to involve different food establishments in the Historic Center. In this sense, chile en nogada will become a kind of common thread for exploring the culinary offerings of one of the areas with the richest history in Mexico City.
Although the list of restaurants, fondas, and markets participating in this year’s gastronomic celebration has not been officially published yet (it will be announced on the opening day), we can get an idea of which establishments could join, since they participated in the 2024 edition, when nearly 80 establishments took part. These are some possible candidates:
- Azul / Azulísimo
- Café de Tacuba
- El Cardenal
- Restaurante Mercaderes
- Terraza Domingo Santo
- Café La Blanca
- Pastelería Madrid
- El Mayor
- Chocolate Mayordomo
- La Nueva Don León
- Restaurante Miralto
- Sanborns Bamer
- Club de Banqueros de México
- Restaurante Testal
- El Taquito
So, if September also begins for you when the first chile en nogada appears on the menu, there will be a new gastronomic route to explore in the heart of Mexico City.
Source: grupoanimal
