Food

What to eat

San Miguel eats above its weight. There is serious restaurant cooking, a strong café culture, and, if you look past the plaza, honest Mexican street food. Guanajuato state specialties to try include enchiladas mineras, carnitas, and gorditas stuffed and griddled to order. This is also cactus and mezcal country, so ask for nopal dishes and sip mezcal from nearby regions.

Where to eat

The markets. Mercado Ignacio Ramírez and the stalls around it are the best-value meals in town, think comida corrida (a set lunch), tacos, tortas and fresh juice for pocket change. The craft-market food area is fine but pricier.

Street carts. In the evenings, taco, gordita and elote carts appear around the residential streets. Cheap, fresh, and where locals actually eat.

Rooftops and restaurants. The center has a genuinely good higher-end scene, from modern Mexican tasting menus to wood-fired everything, plus the sunset rooftop spots. Quality is real; prices are set with dollars in mind.

Approximate prices

• Street tacos or a gordita: a few dollars will fill you up.
• Market comida corrida (set lunch): roughly 5 to 9 USD.
• A mid-range sit-down dinner: around 15 to 30 USD a head.
• Upscale tasting menus and rooftops: 40 USD and well up.

Honest note: coffee and brunch culture here is priced like a US city, not a Mexican town. For value, eat where the pesos-only crowd eats and save the splurge for one memorable dinner.