Lardo, a sister restaurant to chef Elena Reygadas’s Rosetta and her bakery, is especially warm and buzzy on sunny days, when the Condesa restaurant’s full facade of French doors is thrown open and its handsome crowd spills out. The kitchen applies all the chef’s singular refinements to a winning mix of Tuscan recipes that put special focus on fine charcuterie. Menu items are (perhaps deceptively) simple: poached eggs, seasoned variously; a nice selection of pizzas; fresh, vinegary salads that don’t go overboard; grilled shellfish. The complexity arises from their delicacy on the palate, where each crisp taste is savored separately—and as a part of the whole. A nice wine list encourages sobremesa, the delightful Mexican custom of lingering over the table. Breads—either the ones that come with your meal or the ones you take home from the on-site bakery—might be the best in the city.
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Restaurante Lardo
Elena Reygadas has been celebrated as one of Mexico City‘s best chefs. Her first restaurant, Rosetta, earned a spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Lardo is her newest project, and it’s garnering rave reviews just like Rosetta. Quality ingredients and simple preparations are the main elements of Reygadas’s winning formula. The fare at Lardo, as at Rosetta, is inspired by Italy and the Mediterranean. An ample bar and an open kitchen also help diners feel comfortable here.
