Where is the best place for traditional Sunday morning barbacoa in Roma or Condesa?
Sunday mornings in Roma Sur belong to El Hidalguense. This family-run institution on Campeche street serves slow-roasted mutton cooked over oak coals in underground pits, brought in weekly from Hidalgo. The meat arrives wrapped in charred maguey leaves, incredibly tender and rich. Order it by weight—a quarter-kilo is perfect for two—alongside a bowl of consommé steeped with chickpeas and rice. It is only open Friday through Sunday, making it the ultimate neighborhood weekend ritual.
What locals actually do
Chilangos take barbacoa seriously as a weekend morning recovery ritual. While you can find street stalls shaving meat on every third corner, El Hidalguense is where families gather for a sit-down affair. Locals always start with a steaming bowl of consommé to wake up the palate before the main event. They skip the flour tortillas and use the fresh, hand-pressed blue corn tortillas to roll tacos, dressing them simply with chopped onion, cilantro, and a spoonful of deeply smoky salsa borracha made with pulque. If you want to drink like a local, order a jarro of fresh pulque sourced from small Hidalgo producers.
If you only have one Sunday morning, order 250 grams of barbacoa espaldilla, a bowl of consommé, and a fresh pulque at El Hidalguense around 10:30.
Practical notes
- 01El Hidalguense is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 7:00 to 18:00, so plan your weekend itinerary accordingly.
- 02A quarter-kilo of meat easily feeds two people when paired with consommé and side dishes like nopales or tlacoyos.
- 03They accept credit cards, but keeping some cash on hand is always useful for tipping the musicians who occasionally play downstairs.
Good to know
- ✗Arrive before 11:30 on Sunday to avoid the peak family lunch rush and long sidewalk waits.
- ✗Skip the standard salsa and request the house salsa borracha, which features traditional fermented pulque.
- ✗Specify if you prefer lean meat or a juicier cut with a bit of flavorful fat.