Where is the best place for traditional Michoacán-style carnitas in Escandón?
Escandón has resisted the sleek gentrification of neighboring Condesa, and Carnitas Rinconcito Tarasco is the perfect example why. Order by the taco or get a quarter-kilo of surtida to share, which arrives with warm corn tortillas, fresh cilantro, chopped onions, and a deeply smoky salsa verde. The meat is slow-cooked in copper pots until it collapses under a fork. Every bite tastes rich but clean, never greasy.
What locals actually do
Chilangos know that real carnitas are a weekend morning ritual, usually peaking around 11:30 or 12:00. While the lunch crowd arrives later for a heavy meal, locals queue up early on Saturdays to buy carnitas by the kilo to take home for family gatherings. If you eat at the counter, do what regular clients do: ask for cuerito (crispy skin) mixed with maciza (lean shoulder) for the ultimate texture contrast. Don't overlook their complimentary pickled chilies and nopales on the side; the acidity cuts right through the rich pork.
One taco of maciza and one of costilla on double corn tortillas, topped with plenty of pickled nopales and salsa verde around noon.
Practical notes
- 01Bring physical cash, as this neighborhood spot does not accept cards for any orders, big or small.
- 02Go before 14:00 if you want specific pork cuts like costilla or chamorro before they sell out.
- 03Seating is limited to a few stools along the counter and two small sidewalk tables on José Martí.
Good to know
- ✗The kitchen closes early on Sundays, usually by 15:00, or whenever the morning's batch of pork runs out.
- ✗Carnitas are naturally heavy; pair your meal with a cold Sidral Mundet or Mexican Coke to cut the fat.
- ✗Always tip the master taquero directly in his jar on the counter rather than leaving it on the table.