One of the fondest memories I have from my childhood is of my parents taking my sister and me — both of us under 10 — to Coyoacán for churros. At the time, my father was very strict sugar-wise, so he didn’t have to insist we join. It was just glorious. The borough’s Zzócalo is usually hazy in autumn, and mornings start below 5 ºC. It’s just Mexico City native common sense to go for churros when the weather’s like that. Yes, cozy!
So off we went, covered in heavy jackets like little marshmallows, to our favorite churro stand in the corner of Calle Higuera and Calle Caballocalco, right behind the Parroquia de San Juan Bautista, a wonderful 16th-century monastery, made entirely of quarry stone. If someone had asked me what the heart of Coyoacán was made of back then, my answer would undoubtedly have been “churros.” Even though it’s been almost 20 years, I’d give a similar answer today.
Back then, I did not know that churros are not originally from Mexico. This “golden, crispy, chewy thing of deliciousness,” as BBC correspondent Mike Randolph describes them, has an intricate history that dates back to a breakfast fritter from ancient China. With the intense commerce between Asia the East and the Iberian Peninsula, it appears that the Portuguese introduced churros to Spain somewhere in the 16th century.
During the colonial period in Mexico, however, these sugary treats mingled wonderfully with local desserts and, of course, chocolate. What else could the vicereine of New Spain wish for, after a long day of strolling in Mexico City, than a crunchy churro with hot cocoa? After centuries of churro-making tradition, here’s my insider’s digest of how to order churros in Mexico City and enjoy them like a true native.
Where to eat the most delicious churro you’ll ever have in Mexico
If you’re staying anywhere around the Roma-Condesa area, the easiest and safest choice is to head straight up to Parque México and look for Churrería El Moro. My suggestion would be for you to buy your churros around noon, so that you can enjoy the sugar rush at Parque México. This particular store gets quite busy for dessert on weekdays. Be sure to find a long line of people around 4 p.m. On the weekends, avoid going to ‘El Moro’ at all costs: you won’t be able to get your churros unless you’re willing to stand a 40-minute wait in the April sun.
If you’re not in the area, don’t worry: El Moro has nine tourist-friendly locations in Mexico City, the centerpieces being the Historic Center and Polanco branches. All of these are perfectly fine if it’s your first time trying churros. If you’re lucky, you can even order their seasonal specials, like the red velvet edition they launched for Valentine’s Day.
If you’re looking for a high-end experience, do not miss the chance to book a table at Churrería Porfirio, and try their unmissable creamy hot chocolate. However, if you’re ready to immerse yourself in the authentic churro experience, ignore my previous suggestions and head straight to downtown Coyoacán.
How to order the perfect churro in Mexico, step by step
Coyoacán has always been — and probably always will be — very close to my heart. That’s where I grew up, went to school and had my first dates in my teens. And yes, you guessed it: it’s where a high school sweetheart once asked me out for churros.
It is a quintessential Mexico City experience to drive your way to the borough’s historic center, park in the Estacionamiento Tres Cruces and go get your churros at your favorite street stand. Try not to park in the street — it’s pretty busy all the time, and franeleros will try to force you to pay them a tip you can spend on churro toppings instead.
After many years of walking the cobblestone streets, trying local cafes and discovering picturesque corners of the colonial area, I figured there is no better way to enjoy a day in Coyoacán than by foot. If you want the full boheme experience, bring an analog camera with you and snap some pics of the graffiti on the walls— you can even have a full circle moment and bring your rolls to develop at Laboratorio Mexicano de Imágenes.
What does this have to do with churros, you may ask? Well, everything. In order to enjoy the full Coyoacán experience, one must fully immerse oneself in one’s quirkiest bohemian persona. That is exactly how I learned that ordering a churro in Mexico City is an art to be honed.
- Arrive at Coyoacán’s Historic Center
Here starts your authentic churro experience. Walk through the colonial gates on Calle Tres Cruces and find the legendary Coyote Fountain at the heart of Jardín Centenario. This spot gets crowded easily on the weekends, so my personal suggestion would be to visit on a weekday morning, around 10 a.m. Once you dodge tarot readers, copal merchants and shamanas insisting you need a limpia (cleansing) right this minute, you’ll find the Parroquia de San Juan Bautista across the street.
As you might have guessed by now, I take pride in being a churro connoisseur. Not every stand is a guarantee of deliciousness, that’s for sure. And what’s more: not everyone knows what the perfect churro looks like for them, depending on their sugar preferences and how much of a sweet tooth they have.
- How to choose your churro stand
This one’s hard. Especially because not every person enjoys the same textures or sugar concentration. I can tell you one thing, though: truly Mexican churros are not chewy. We like them crunchy! More mainstream churrerías, given the heavy demand they get on a daily basis, tend to industrialize the frying process. And yes, their churros tend to get chewy and soggy. Run! That’s not the churro you want. At all.
That’s why Coyoacán is kind of a flavor and texture guarantee. Families running churro stands have devoted decades to perfecting their recipes and skills. And honestly, it shows. If you’re in the mood for a café experience, Churrería General de la República is your choice. You can find the original store right on the corner of Calle Francisco Sosa — one of the colonial jewels of Coyoacán — and Tres Cruces. Sugary churros with tons of cinnamon await, with a great assortment of options to sopear. This means dipping your churro in coffee or hot chocolate. Just delicious.
However, if you’re ready to take in the full Coyoacán experience, go straight to the Mercado de Antojitos.
- Toppings? Yes, please!
If you cross the street from Jardín Centenario, you’ll see the Mercado de Antojitos straight ahead. On Calle Higuera, churro stands traditionally serve their goodies all day long. These are my all-time favorites, especially the one I mentioned earlier: in the corner of Calle Caballocalco.
An order usually includes three to five churros, which you can stuff with chocolate, almond butter or the almighty lechera: sweetened condensed milk. This is my personal favorite. However, you won’t be able to get past two bites— even I get cloyed. Most stands will also suggest adding cajeta caramel sauce, too, which will make your churro an absolute sugar bomb. Some churreros have sprinkles available as well, which children love.
Mexican friends of mine, with whom I’ve shared Coyoacán churros for years, find all these toppings excessive. And honestly, I understand. It’s too much. Still, I think it’s worth it: nothing compares to sitting in the church atrium, no matter the time of year, watching people go by while eating an authentic Coyoacán churro.
Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.
