San Miguel de Allende Named a Top International City for Food

  • August 26, 2016
San Miguel de Allende Named a Top International City for Food
Located in the Bajio region of central Mexico, San Miguel enjoys spring-like temperatures year-round, which allows for great farm-to-table offerings.

A foodie's haven, San Miguel de Allende provides the best of both the colonial and the contemporary worlds. The city takes special pride in the fact it has retained some of Mexico's most traditional celebrations, along with the many colonial-era dishes that can still be enjoyed during them.

At the same time, San Miguel de Allende's worldwide renown has drawn many expats to the city. Today, the city is home to more than 63 nationalities, each modifying the city's gastronomy scene on a daily basis and tying San Miguel de Allende's gastronomical inheritance to trend-setting global movements and international culinary festivals.

The city boasts more than 76 eateries – from 5-star restaurants to mom-and-pop cafes, some with generations of history – with one of the latest trends being rooftop bars and restaurants that provide unique angles to the city's panorama.

Another big attraction of late has been the 27-vendor gourmet market of Mercado Centro San Miguel and the Dining Room of the Dôce 18 Concept House, which houses the Jacinto 1930 restaurant by Chef Matteo Salas. And recently, the city has gained a lot of attention for its wineries, which can now be visited as part of the San Miguel Wine Route, which features delicious red and white varietals.

The city also hosts a number of culinary festivals, including Sabores (Flavors) San Miguel fair each June (www.saboressanmiguel.com) and the San Miguel Food Festival in July (www.smafoodfestival.com), both of which attract international chefs and culinary fans and experts to the destination.

Last month, Travel + Leisure announced that San Miguel de Allende had also taken other top honors at magazine's World's Best Awards 2016, where it was named “No. 1 City in Mexico and Central and South America.” The awards were determined by readers of the publication, who were surveyed from Nov. 2, 2015 to Feb. 29, 2016.

In related news, San Miguel de Allende received nine nominations in Mexico's Food and Travel Magazine Readers Awards for Best Gourmet Destination in Mexico and Best Destination in Mexico. In addition, Dos Casas Hotel Spa, Hotel Matilda and Rosewood San Miguel de Allende are also nominated for Best Hotel in a Colonial City. Jacinto 1830, Aperi and Chef Matteo Salas were also nominated in food categories.Votes can be entered at https://foodandtravel.mx/awards.

Photo Credit: SMAFF - San Miguel de Allende Food Festival