If you’ve been following along, you know we spent a good chunk of this summer in Guadalajara. First in Colonia Americana, then in Providencia. And somewhere between the coffee runs, the anniversary dinner, and the “should we try one more place?” nights, we ate our way through a lot of this city. Consider this my Guadalajara food guide, straight from our table to yours.
It covers every spot we actually tried, what I’d order again, and the ones I’d fly back for. Some are fancy, some are grab-and-go, and a few became our regulars (hi, The Coffee).
Planning a Mexico trip? My Mexico City food guide and what I wore in Tlaquepaque are good next reads.
The Quick Picks
Short on time? Start hereKnow Before You Go
- Book ahead for Bruna, Napoles, Cristina, and NERIUM Cocina Singular. Cristina especially. The wait for brunch is long without a reservation.
- Where to stay: We stayed in Colonia Americana and then Providencia. Both are full of great cafés and restaurants, and a lot of this list is a short walk or Uber away.
- Getting around: Uber is easy and inexpensive between neighborhoods. Tlaquepaque is about 20 minutes from the city center, and Tequila is roughly an hour away, so we hired a driver for that day.
- Tipping: 10–15% is standard at sit-down restaurants.
Where to Eat in Guadalajara for Dinner
Bruna
Bruna is where we celebrated our nine-year wedding anniversary, and it’s in my top three from this entire trip. It’s completely different from every other restaurant we tried. It breaks away from what’s traditional in Mexico with a little art, a little whimsy, and something straight out of Alice in Wonderland. That’s truly the best way to describe it. There’s an art gallery up front, a lush garden dining room out back, black-and-white checkers everywhere, and string lights over everything.
I had the filete mignon al estilo Bruna, finished in their gravy with three purées: roasted garlic potato, parsnip and carrot, and beet with pink peppercorn. Jose had the Wagyu barbacoa (short rib and brisket), wrapped in maguey leaves and slow-cooked underground, served with raw tomatillo-cilantro salsa, avocado purée, and fresh tortillas. For dessert, their take on arroz con leche with a chocolate-coffee sponge and cream cheese.
And then there was the appetizer. Something baked inside a bread crust and carved open right at the table, with a spread of salsas on the side. It was so special and so delicious, and for the life of me, I can’t find it on the menu. Ask your server. They should know if you show them the photo below.
What to order The filete mignon al estilo Bruna, the Wagyu barbacoa, and whatever gets carved tableside
Napoles
Between Napoles and Bruna, I honestly can’t pick a winner. So I won’t. Bruna wins for Mexican, and Napoles wins for Italian. Out of every Italian spot we tried (and we tried a few), Napoles had the best pizza and the best pasta.
The pizza is the real deal. Napoles is certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), the Naples-based organization that sets the rules for authentic Neapolitan pizza. To earn it, a pizzeria has to follow the traditional method: specific flour, hand-stretched dough, simple quality toppings, and a blistering-hot oven that bakes each pizza in about a minute and a half. That’s why the crust comes out soft and chewy with those charred, puffy edges. It’s not a label a restaurant can just slap on the menu, so when you see it, order the pizza.
The truffle pasta is divine. The restaurant itself is beautiful, the patio is gorgeous, and the service was incredible. This is one we’ll always come back to whenever we’re in GDL.
What to order A Neapolitan pizza + the truffle pasta
Moma Sushi
Okay, hear me out. Sushi in Guadalajara. With over 1,000 positive Google reviews, Moma Sushi had my attention before we even sat down. We grabbed a table on the patio (striped umbrellas, black-and-white tile, the whole moment) and it turned into one of the most relaxed dinners of the trip.
I started with the tuna tostada, which is fresh tuna and avocado piled onto a crispy wonton tostada. Then the Cilantro roll, with tempura shrimp, spicy kanikama, and tuna, finished with a touch of cilantro and a serranito sauce. It’s sushi with a little Mexican kick, and that’s exactly why you order it here.
What to order The tuna tostada + the Cilantro roll
Ragazzi
Another must for pizza, wine, and vibes. Think fringed umbrellas, candlelight, and a really good pepperoni pizza.
What to order A pizza and a bottle of red
La Pastería López Cotilla
A cozy, candlelit Italian spot for when you want a big plate of pasta and zero fuss. We split a pizza and two pastas (I had the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe, and it was so good), and saved room for the affogato. Honestly, I loved the pasta and pizza here even more than at Funicula.
What to order The pomodoro pasta, the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe, and a pizza to share
Funicula
The pizza was phenomenal, and the service was wonderful too.
What to order The margherita-style pizza + a pasta to share
Porfirio’s
Porfirio’s is a scene, in the best way, with moody lighting, a big dining room, and a menu of elevated Mexican classics. We went the steak-and-grilled-veggies route with a margarita on the side.
What to order A steak cut for the table + a margarita
Santo Coyote
If you want a restaurant that feels like Mexico, this is it. Think palapa ceilings, hundreds of woven lanterns, and a jungle of a courtyard. It’s one of the most popular spots in the city for traditional food, and it’s worth going for the setting alone. One skip, though. I wouldn’t order the margarita de guanábana again. It’s full of little black seeds, and I spent the whole drink spitting them out.
What to order The tacos and the molcajete salsa
La Docena
This place stayed busy every weekend and evening. It seemed like the place to go for locals, so we checked it out and understood why. So good. Order oysters, and don’t skip the burger. The cocktails are delicious too, so it’s a great pick for a happy hour vibe or a pregame.
What to order Grilled oysters, the burger, fries, and a cocktail
Hato
Ramen!!! I’ve been on a ramen kick for the last few years, and Hato didn’t disappoint. I loved my bowl (and look at that egg).
What to order Any ramen with the egg
Casual Lunch Spots in Guadalajara
Kimono
The sushi burrito and the chicken sandoooooo. We also came back for breakfast, and it was bomb. Loved their breakfast burrito and bowls too.
What to order The chicken sando + a sushi burrito
Let’s Pho
Shrimp spring rolls and the chicken noodle soup. DELISH. It’s authentic Vietnamese, and the chef is originally from Saigon.
What to order Shrimp spring rolls + the chicken noodle soup
The Best Brunch and Breakfast in Guadalajara
Cristina
Yes, yes, yes. Cristina is brunch done beautifully, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, fringed umbrellas indoors, and a giant globe glowing over the dining room. I had the best breakfast of our whole trip here, and I’d go back in a heartbeat. I got the chorizo with eggs, a side of refried beans, queso fresco, and avocado, and that’s exactly what I recommend. (Jose’s chilaquiles were also fantastic, for the record.)
It is popular, and the wait can be long. Book a reservation so you’re not standing around hungry.
What to order Chorizo with eggs, refried beans, queso fresco, and avocado
Paralelo
Best coffee pick! We loved coming here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu is on the lighter side but always filling and full of flavor. And the patio? Cute. It reminded me of LA.
What to order A latte + an omelette or their breakfast sandwich
Damiana
We came here a lot. I loved working from here. The outdoor patio flows right into the covered restaurant, so you get the plants and fresh air without the sun on your laptop screen. The food is delicious, and my favorite dish was the enchiladas.
What to order The enchiladas verdes
Almaena
A great pick for breakfast (rattan lights, bistro chairs, the prettiest green menus). And plot twist, we came back for dinner and discovered their steak wraps are incredibly yummy.
What to order The eggs on toast for breakfast, the steak wrap for dinner
NERIUM Cocina Singular
A sunny corner spot (look for the hot-pink wall) with generous breakfast plates. The chilaquiles came piled high with eggs and cheese, exactly how a weekend breakfast should look. And the quesadilla? A must. Heads up, it gets insanely packed on weekends. We saw the wait on a Saturday morning and totally got why, so we came back during the week and walked right in. If a weekend is your only option, call (or message) ahead at +52 33 2471 3310 to reserve a table.
What to order The chilaquiles + the quesadilla
Masa Madre
Great for breakfast, lots of sourdough options, and the best sourdough chocolate conchas. Coffee was just okay, so come for the bread.
What to order The chocolate sourdough concha
Sinónimo
I loved coming here to work on the patio under the striped umbrellas and dappled shade. The coffee was delish, and they have the best breakfast burritos.
What to order A breakfast burrito + an oat milk latte
Banetto
A boutique panadería with a pastry case you’ll want to stare at for a while. Grab a concha, an almond croissant, and a coffee, then take it to their sidewalk tables.
What to order A concha + an almond croissant
Coffee Shops in Guadalajara We Loved
No Guadalajara food guide is complete without coffee. The café culture here is strong, and these were our favorite stops.
Casa Cortés · A leafy, tree-shaded patio that’s perfect for slow mornings with a latte.
Zenguele · A lovely outdoor patio and great service. The fig toast is as pretty as it is good.
Patio Bonobo · Another cute patio, with warm clay-like architecture. We loved their coffee.
The Coffee · Best coffee run. So conveniently close to us that we came pretty much every day.
Urban Flowers & Café · A cute grab-and-go flower shop and coffee stand. Buy yourself a bouquet.
Where to Get Drinks in Guadalajara
Mecenas
We love a chic, vibey cocktail bar, and this one is IT. If you’re from Houston, think Clarkwood, with a great DJ, delicious craft cocktails, and moody lighting.
What to order Anything the bartender recommends
Where to Eat in Tlaquepaque
Tlaquepaque is about 20 minutes from central Guadalajara, and it’s worth a full afternoon of cobblestone streets, artisan shops, and papel picado strung overhead.
Casa Luna
Our favorite restaurant in Tlaquepaque, hands down. The dining room is built around a huge tree covered in lanterns and ornaments, and it’s magical.
The cazuelas are an absolute must. (It’s the classic Jalisco cocktail, made with tequila and fresh citrus and served in a clay pot.) For food, you can’t go wrong with the picaña, the molcajete with filet tips, or the chicken in cinnamon mole.
What to order A cazuela, then the molcajete de puntas de filete or the pollo en mole de canela
Indulgente Helados
We make a point to stop here every time. Taro is my personal go-to, and the mezcal flavor is a must-try.
What to order Taro, or the mezcal flavor
Worth the Day Trip: Tequila
Tequila is tequila. It’s fun, festive, colorful, and cultural, all the things. We hired a driver for the day (about an hour each way from Guadalajara), stopped at the castle first (pretty, but honestly not a must), then spent the afternoon walking around town before a late lunch.
La Antigua Casona
A colonial courtyard with stone arches and a fountain in the middle, which is exactly where you want to land after a day in Tequila. I had the Angus flap beef tacos (tacos de vacío de res Angus) on red tortillas with traditional Mexican salsas. The guys had the arrachera, and it was delish. And the maracuyá margaritas were on point. Highly recommend.
What to order The Angus tacos + a maracuyá margarita
Guadalajara Food Guide faq
What food is Guadalajara known for?
Guadalajara is the home of the torta ahogada (a crusty sandwich “drowned” in spicy tomato sauce), birria, carne en su jugo, and jericalla, a custard dessert. It’s also home to the cazuela cocktail, a Jalisco classic, and it’s just an hour from the town of Tequila.
What’s the best neighborhood to eat in Guadalajara?
We stayed in Colonia Americana and Providencia, and both are packed with great restaurants, cafés, and bars within walking distance or a short Uber.
Do you need reservations in Guadalajara?
For popular spots, yes. Book Bruna, Napoles, and Cristina ahead. Most cafés and casual spots are walk-in.
Final Thoughts
Guadalajara surprised me in the best way. It has the energy of a big city, the charm of Tlaquepaque and Tequila just a drive away, and a food scene that goes way beyond tacos. If I had to pick just two, it’s Bruna for Mexican and Napoles for Italian. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything in this Guadalajara food guide.
Have you been? Tell me in the comments where I should eat next time.
xoxo,
Sonia
Inspired? Pin me for later!
