The traditional cuisine of Hidalgo is featured in several restaurants, markets and stands throughout Pachuca, offering travelers different and sometimes bizarre options to eat during their stay. Spicy pre-Hispanic flavors are combined with elements of Spanish and even English cooking, to bring unique dishes to your table.
A good example of Pachuca's culinary tradition is the maguey worm tacos; these are fried in butter and served with spicy salsas. Escamoles are another type of taco, these are black ants, with a similar size and shape to grains of rice, cooked with different spices and served in corn tortillas.
Pachuca has a completely different kind of Barbecue to the one prepared in the U.S. This regional option consists of digging a hole in the ground then setting a fire at the bottom, the hole is then lined with maguey leaves. Finally add lamb, which has previously been seasoned and cover the hole, then let it cook for over 4 hours. The result is the most mouthwatering, succulent lamb you have ever tasted.
Mixiote is another traditional specialty of Pachuca and it's prepared with spiced lamb, poultry or rabbit, packed in a thin layer of a maguey leaves and steamed. Its usually eaten in tacos and tastes even better with some lemon juice and hot sauce.
As a result of the influence of the mining workers and proprietors who inhabited the city during the silver boom of the region, Pachuca offers a wheat pasty, called a "Paste", the contents have been modified according to traditional Mexican cooking. Pachuca's pasties are filled with different kinds of meat, sauces, ham, cheese and even sweet fillings.
La Blanca
This restaurant faces the main square of the city and it is right in front of the Monumental Clock. Founded in 1953, which makes it the longest running restaurant in Pachuca, La Blanca offers delicious traditional specialties of the region, like Cazuelitas de Escamoles and tasty pumpkin flower soup.
Real de Plateros
Whenever you visit Pachuca and want to taste the best pasties, a visit to Real de Plateros is a must. Several kinds of fillings are on offer, from spicy and hot, to sweet. Real de Plateros is widely recommended by the locals for its quality. Dont forget to try the Mole Verde (poultry in green sauce) and one filled with Rajas con Crema (poblano chilli cut into strips and served with sour cream).
El Lugar del Bife
This exclusive restaurant offers an exquisite blend of Argentinean and Italian cuisine and features an intimate atmosphere, great for a romantic dinner. Taste a glass of excellent domestic wine and tender juicy cuts of meat. El Lugar del Bife also has different vegetarian options, including salads and fruit cocktails.