By Frank "Sugar" Hudson. On a cloudy afternoon in San Miguel de Allende, three old friends rallied after a long week of running errands and navigating the gentle rhythm of retirement. The car was filled with the quiet anticipation of adventure as we set out for Puente Josefa. Located in Candelaria, just seven minutes from Centro, the winery is cradled by rolling hills of blooming mesquite trees swaying in the breeze. Puente Josefa is a boutique vineyard spanning 7.5 acres, pr

By Jonathan Lockwood A year and a half of these columns, and I've sent you to every mezcalería, tasting room and copita hangout I could talk my way into. This month I'm sending you somewhere different: my own backyard. Sometimes I'm asked by those who've been to tastings in centro just what Cecilia and I do differently. I respect every one of the people I've profiled in this column—most of them are friends, and I'll keep showing up to their tastings as long as I'm upright. Bu

By Lisa Babincsak It still surprises me how many people live in San Miguel for years and never go to the vineyards. They'll rave about the coffee at City Market, have strong opinions about croissant quality, and know every art opening on Aldama—but ask if they've been to Tres Raíces or San Lucas and you'll get a blank stare. "Wait, there are vineyards here?" Yes. There are. A lot, actually. Dozens of them, stretching out like quiet jewels just beyond the edges of town. Rollin

By Catherine Marenghi In México it is a delicacy, as ancient as corn, consumed by native peoples for thousands of years. It’s called huitlacoche (pronounced wheat-la-COACH-ay). In the U.S., it has the inelegant name “corn smut.” For newcomers to San Miguel, it inspires curiosity in some, revulsion in others. Huitlacoche is typically a gray and black fungus that grows naturally on ears of corn, resembling swollen and misshapen kernels. Sometimes the color varies according to t

By Jonathan Lockwood Why do Cecilia and I enjoy Mineral de Pozos so much? The truth lies in what I heard her tell a friend several years ago. They commented that it was pretty small and there wasn’t much to do there. Cesy’s reply? “Exacto!” But this time we were honored with an invite to a 4th of July gathering at the home of friends Don and Marilyn Sibley, who are longtime residents there. So we turned it into a weekend, and an opportunity for a return trip to Casa Cuan

By Staff Writer In 2016, when Chef Erick and Carmen opened the doors to Pork Belly for the first time, San Miguel's food scene was at an inflection point. The town was beginning to attract serious culinary talent tired of the grind elsewhere, looking for a place where tradition and innovation could dance together. What Erick brought to that moment was something the city was hungering for, though it didn't quite know it yet: a philosophy rooted in fire, smoke, and the belief t

By Frankie Cruz-Aedo Three years ago, Jo Davis decided to create a social media page where foodies could write about and share their passion for all things San Miguel gastronomy. On Tuesday, July 14, Cent'anni Live Eatertainment and Crazy Horse Promotions will host the three-year anniversary celebration of SMA Food Porn. The event will feature two DJs alongside guest chefs Max from 3.6.9. pop kitchen, Chuy from Agavia, Andrés from Amatte/Hacintto, and Toño from Garnache, alon

By Randolph Rogers To arrive at Dos Búhos is to find a bucolic setting with the much sought, tranquilo. This beautiful white hacienda setting, flowering bougainvillea, succulents, and sweeping Peruvian Pepper Trees - Los Pirules, provide ample shade. This is a place where the afternoon slips by without a hint of regret. I’ll let others rave about the wonderful food at Dos Búhos, as I will obsess about their wines. Both are best enjoyed in the marvelous outdoor setting which t

By Amy G. Rothlin The energy was unmistakable. Walking into Parque Benito Juárez on Sunday during the 5th edition of San Miguel y sus Sabores, it was immediately clear why this festival has become one of the city's most anticipated culinary events. Over three days (June 12–14), more than 35 restaurants, local producers, traditional cooks, and artisans transformed the park into a vibrant celebration of what makes San Miguel's food scene so special. Organized by the Municipal G

By Catherine Marenghi Indigenous peoples of Mexico have treasured mushrooms for millennia, integrating them into spiritual life, healing practices, and daily sustenance. Their traditions are preserved in códices, ancient iconography, and later colonial-era accounts. Carved “mushroom stones” found in Maya regions date as early as 1,000 BCE. Some include supernatural figures on the stems, suggesting ritual significance. Early Spanish chroniclers also documented ritual mushroom

By Jonathan Lockwood I've interviewed a lot of mezcal folks for these articles by now: producers, bar owners, bartenders, restaurateurs. But I'm not sure I've ever sat across from anyone as thoroughly credentialed in anything as Alex Galina, 43, founder of the Cultural Institute of Agave & Wine, or ICAVI. You’ve certainly walked by it at Recreo 10A, near the jardín. Alex didn't start out with an agave focus. He studied Marketing and Mass Communications, and his first real job

By Frank "Sugar" Hudson It was Friday morning and the four old friends had settled into their usual rhythm. At their age, routines mattered. The same arguments about who was to drive, and the same hope that this week they would discover a hidden vineyard among the rolling hills outside of San Miguel. Fridays were meant to be peaceful. A small winery under the pepper trees with a light breeze blowing. A young lady pouring tastings of a new vintage while a sommelier explains t

By Randolph Rogers Just below the Rosewood Hotel and at the corner of Ancha de San Antonio and Nemesio Díaz is perhaps the best liquor store in the state of Guanajuato. The supermarkets have impressive wine sections, but I choose Cava Sautto for the good selection of vinos locales. When talking to local winemakers and winery owners, the question of distribution comes up. Local wineries depend on the retail sales at their locations. Only a few large wineries like Tres Raíces a

By Natalie Taylor You can find the taco just about anywhere in the world, and it screams out “México!” The origins of this humble food are pre-Hispanic, going back almost three thousand years. The indigenous peoples of México used freshly made corn tortillas as vessels or utensils to hold food. There are various stories about its name, but most likely it comes from “tlahco” a Nahuatl (Aztec) word meaning “in the middle.” This perfectly describes the action of placing a fillin

By Catherine Marenghi Among the sacred foods of México, chocolate stands out. Cacao trees were first domesticated in present-day Ecuador and later in Mesoamerica, where cacao became an elite elixir some 4,000 years ago. The Maya and Aztecs, possibly even the Olmecs, considered cacao a gift from the gods and used it as currency, medicine, and in ceremonies. Spanish conquistadors encountered cacao in 1519 and brought it to Spain, where it was used in medicine. Cacao spread acro

By Jonathan Lockwood You may already know Alejandro Vasconcelos. If you've been around San Miguel long enough, you probably visited Mezcal-Art, his place near centro, before it closed. Beautiful outdoor courtyard, serious mezcal selection, food that kept getting better. While plenty of local spots were content to coast, Alex kept building — literally. He put a roof over the main seating area, perfected the menu and pumped up the mezcal list even further. I was always impresse

By Susan Knight York There are many reasons why Chef Donnie Masterton is at the top of his game, leading San Miguel de Allende into the ranks of one of México’s favorite food cities. Eighteen years ago, nobody was booking flights to San Miguel just to eat, but a funny thing finally happened when artists arrived, writers, weekenders from México City and others travelers who were captivated by San Miguel’s mix of visual beauty and creative energy that felt somewhat inseparable

By Amy G. Rothlin Tucked away just beyond the familiar rhythms of San Miguel de Allende, there is a place where time slows, flavors deepen, and every detail feels infused with intention. Sikelia Gastronomy Club & Garden is not just a restaurant, it is a story of love, nature, and authentic Italian cooking, brought to life in one of the most unexpected corners of town. At the heart of Sikelia are Chef Laura and her husband Justino, an Italian couple whose journey feels almost

By Frank "Sugar" Hudson It’s Friday morning and my phone begins to ring. Sure enough, it’s one of the guys wanting to know if the group is going to be visiting a winery that afternoon. The question alerts me that they have something in mind. Is thirty miles too far to travel? How about a small winery, quaint and out of the way? Have you ever heard of Viñedos Los Arcángeles vineyard? The plan develops: a visit to a local vineyard, a glass of wine, and a few unhurried hours t

By Randolph Rogers From this semi-arid plain in the shadow of Las Picachos is the San Francisco and San Lucas development off Salida a Querétaro, just 15 minutes from Centro. The trinity of this oasis is lavender, olive trees, and vineyards. It was our destination for a delightful spring afternoon. Specifically, we landed at the rustic brick production facilities, tasting room, gift shop, and restaurant at San Lucas. It was my third time here, and it always delivers a movabl