Sign up with email

or

Already a member? Log in.

Trouble logging in?

Not a member? Sign up!

We’ve written about mole before, but it’s possible that there aren’t enough words to spill on such a complex dish – probably the most complex in all of Mexican cuisine. Mole has become part of the mainstream culinary scene in Mexico, and many restaurants now sell it every day of the year. However, very few places are mole-only eateries, and even fewer have a mole great enough to have sustained business for decades. One of our favorite eateries, Fonda Mi Lupita, a small fonda in the Centro Histórico that started making mole in 1957, holds that rare distinction.

Owner Rosendo Gutierrez and his wife are originally from Estado de México. After they got married, they decided to combine two mole recipes from their native towns and the result was the mole nupcial they have been serving for more than 60 years. Their mole recipe is top secret; Rosendo is zealous of keeping it that way, but we were told that it contains three different types of chilies, fruit and several spices, for a total of up to 30 ingredients. The result is a thick and smooth sauce that is mild with a touch of sweetness.

When we arrived we ordered the “Caldo Especial,” a chicken broth served with rice, pulled chicken breast, avocado slices and chipotle chile. It was the perfect prelude to what came next. Our main dish was “Enchiladas Especiales,” mole enchiladas served with pulled chicken breast, onion and two types of cheese. Bread is brought to the table so you can scoop up every last drop of mole on your plate. If the enchiladas get dry, the server can give you a mole top-up. You can also order a piece of chicken, such as legs or thighs, bathed in mole and served with rice.

Fonda Mi Lupita offers special dishes a few times a year. During Holy Week and the winter holiday season you can order romeritos, a dish made with the sprigs of a wild plant of the same name that resembles rosemary as well as the house mole, and bacalao a la vizcaina, a cod dish of Basque origin. In September and August, chiles en nogada are prepared to celebrate Mexican Independence Day.

Many well-known political, entertainment and social figures have passed through this small establishment, but the loyal clientele who have been coming for many years from all over the city are the ones who have made Fonda Mi Lupita into the culinary institution it is today.

  • Best Bites 2018December 19, 2018 Best Bites 2018 (0)
    The memory of 2017’s devastating earthquake still lingers in the minds of many in Mexico […] Posted in Mexico City
  • March 24, 2015 Gran Cocina Mi Fonda (0)
    In recent years, downtown Mexico City’s once grimy Centro Histórico has undergone a […] Posted in Mexico City
  • BeatricitaFebruary 23, 2023 Beatricita (0)
    In a town that runs on tacos, tacos de guisado may be the most ubiquitous version of the […] Posted in Mexico City
PJ Rountree

Published on August 13, 2015

Related stories

December 19, 2018

Best Bites 2018: Mexico City

Mexico City | By Martha Pskowski
Mexico CityThe memory of 2017’s devastating earthquake still lingers in the minds of many in Mexico City, but perhaps the biggest challenge the city faced in 2018 was gentrification. Ambitious development initiatives have resulted in safer neighborhoods; however, the cost of real estate has soared, leaving many long-term residents and business owners at risk for eviction,…
March 24, 2015

Gran Cocina Mi Fonda: Blessed Are the Paella Makers

Mexico City | By Ben Herrera
Mexico CityIn recent years, downtown Mexico City’s once grimy Centro Histórico has undergone a remarkable transformation. The government and private enterprises have invested in new infrastructure, pedestrian walkways, parks, hotels and high-end apartment buildings that give the area the look and feel of a district that is part of a modern, dynamic capital city. Yet no…
February 23, 2023

Beatricita: Taco Centenarian

Mexico City | By Ben Herrera
Mexico CityIn a town that runs on tacos, tacos de guisado may be the most ubiquitous version of the iconic dish in Mexico City. They can be found almost anywhere in the city, from specialty restaurants to markets, tianguis and street vendors selling them at stalls or even out of the trunk of a car. It…
Select your currency
USD United States (US) dollar
EUR Euro