American School Foundation of Monterrey, A.C.

Dining out in Monterrey is a pleasure. You can find a wide variety of international cuisine as well as traditional Mexican food.

Since northern Mexico is arid cattle country, beef is more prominent in its cuisine than in other parts of Mexico. One of the region's recommended beef specialties is "carne asada" (charcoal grilled meat). Meat dishes are usually accompanied by "guacamole" (mashed avocado), refried beans, and tortillas.

"Machacado con Huevo" is another traditional dish in this area. It consists of dried beef that is fried, added to scrambled eggs, and then eaten with "tortillas de harina" (flour tortillas). This Specialty is usually eaten for breakfast or supper.

"Cabrito al Pastor" ( kid goat cooked on a grill) is especially typical of Monterrey. "Menudo" is tripe cut into small pieces and cooked in a very spicy red chile broth. This dish is usually savored at late hours of the night after a big celebration like a wedding or a New Year's Eve party. Others prefer to eat it on Sunday morning for brunch.

"Quesadillas" are tacos made of tortillas with melted cheese. "Tostadas" are fried tortillas spread with beans and dressed with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and sauces. "Enchiladas" are fried red tortillas filled with cheese and onion.

Argentinean

Las Pampas	International fool. Specialty: excellent "carne asada" (steaks) Between $100-$150 pesos/person.	Ave. Garza Sada 2401 Col. Roma 8358-2127
El Gaucho	Specialty: "carne asada" (steaks). Between $100-$150 pesos/person	Arroyo Seco # 100. Fracc. Arroyo Seco. 8358-4218

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Italian

Iannilli Alfonso	An Italian restaurant. Specialty: fetuccini nordiche.
La Nona	Pasta, salads, tortas. Specialty: lasagna. Less than $100 pesos/person	Missouri 1500 East. 878-0152 Across the street from the Missouri Campus
La Parola	Italian food. Specialty: fetuchine Rubota. $100-$150pesos/person	Ave. San Jeronimo 1102 Col. San Jeronimo 8333-5490
Don Pasquale	Good food, oven pizzas.Specialties: Don Pasquale salad and Don Pasquale steak. Between $100-$150 pesos/person	Rio Orinoco 175-5, 8356-0032
La Scalla Trattoria	Small place. Home made style. Between $150-$200 pesos/person	Mirador 203-A Col Mirador 8340-3337
Il Cappriccio	Great food. Specialties: pastas, steaks and shrimp. Between $150-$200 pesos/person	Enrique C. Livas 315 Col. Vista Hermosa 8348-7374
La Strada	Great ambiance. Specialties: pasta and meat. Between $100-$150 pesos/person.	Paseo de los Leones 2043. Col Leones 8311-0912
Messa Rica	Excellent sandwiches, vegetarian choices.	Plaza Fiesta an Agustin 8368-4613

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Japanese

Koto	Sushi restaurant. Specialties: sushi and tepanyaki.Less than $100 pesos/person	Vasconcelos 202 8356-8166
Kampai	Sushi restaurant. Specialties: sushi, tepanyaki and rolls. Less than $100 pesos/person	Ave Roble 635 Col. Valle del Campestre 8835-5864
Sushi-Itto	Sushi restaurant. Buy 1 gets 1 free on Tuesdays. Specialty: sushi. Less than $100 pesos/person	Vasconcelos 443 West and Lomas del Valle 8335-0830

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Seafood

La Guacamaya	International food. Specialties: shrimp & "huachinango zarandeado". Between $150-$200 pesos/person	Ave. Roble 515 Col. Valle 335-9220 & 378-0303
El Camaron Norteño	Delicious sea food. Dishes from Sinaloa, one of the Northwestern states of Mexico. Specialty: giant grilled shrimp . Between $150-$200 pesos/person	Ave Morones Prieto 189 West 338-9003
Los Arcos	Excellent selection of Sea Food. Great atmosphere.	Av. Morones Prieto 2414 8347-2305

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International

Sierra Madre Brewing Co	Great variety of food. Less than $100 pesos/person	Vasconcelos 564 East 8378-6001
El Paraiso	Specialties: suckling pig, kid goat, salmon rolls. Between $150-$200 pesos/person	Ave. Gomez Morin 305 Garza Garcia 8356-6257
El Tio	Excellent gardens, romantic, live music, great food. Specialty: Minuta (soup, salad & steak). Between $150-$200 pesos/person	Av. Constitucion 1746 Pte. 8346-0291
Los Mostos	Bistro. Specialty: European sandwiches. Less than $100 pesos/person.	Rio de la Plata 401 East 8356-5963
Nueva Luna	Specialties: fajitas, chicken and shrimp. Between $150-$200 pesos/person	Padre Mier 808 Downtown. 8344-1217
Lousiana	Great variety of international dishes. Reservation required. More than $250 pesos/person.	Hidago 530 East. Downtown 8343-1561
Pangea	Contemporary cuisine. Between $150-$200 pesos/person.	Bosques del Valle 110 8378-0412
Galeria del Gourmet	Specialty: european food. Between $150-$200 pesos/person	Calzada San Pedro 117 N. Col. Miravalle 8378-0797
Mediterranean	Excellent service. Great menu variety. Outdoor seating.	Plaza Fiesta
Heritage	Excellent service. Make sure you try the brownie dessert. You need to order it when you get your meal as they make it right then and there.	Centrito

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Others

Applebee's	Bar and Grill. American style food. Less than $100 pesos/person	Vasconcelos 158 East 8363-4313
Chili's	A variety of Mexican food and American fare. Specialties: fajitas, salads and hamburgers. Between $150-$200 pesos/person	Vasconcelos and Lazaro Cardenas 8363-5550
TGI Friday's	International cuisine. Bar and restaurant. Specialties: pasta, Jack Daniel's and chophose.Between $100-$150 pesos/per person
Carlos & Charlies	Great food. Pub atmosphere.
Jack & Rays	Pub Atmosphere with lots of TVs showing current sporting games. Two for one beers	Centrito
Sanborn's	International food. Specialties: "enchiladas suizas" and coffee. Less than $100 pesos/person	Plaza Fiesta San Agustin Mall
VIP's	International food. Specialties: buffet and steaks.	Ave. San Pedro 110 N. Col. del Valle 8835-1619
Frank & Stein's	Original hamburgers, tacos. Specialties: hamburgers. Less than $100 pesos/person. Will deliver	Grijalva 217 N Col. del Valle, Centrito 8356-1111
Alibaba Cafe	Lebanese food. Less than $100 pesos/person	Mississippi 105-C East. Col. del Valle, Centrito
Mana Vegetariano	Vegetarian restaurant and shop. Specialties: "antojitos" and salads. Less than $100 pesos/person.	Vasconcelos143 East) Col. del Valle 8378-4815
La Alhambra
Tierra Luna	Drinks, food and live music with a nice atmosphere and outside sitting area right at the entrance to the Huasteca Canyon. Between $100-$150 pesos/person	Huasteca Canyon Santa Catarina
Mandarin	Oriental Fine Cuisine.$150-$200 pesos/person	Rio Amazonas 101 East Col. del Valle
PTA's phone book	Restaurants and bars recommended by the PTA

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Hang Outs

There is a riverwalk with quaint cafes on the far side of Barrio Antiguo (downtown Monterrey). The Barrio Antiguo and Centrito (downtown Garza Garcia) are places to go for more nightlife locations. Barrio Antiguo has many interesting places to explore and there are ALWAYS new places opening up, so check it out!. "Formal" means a long dress for women, coat and tie for men. Usually it is semi-formal in most bars and discos and all have cover charges.

Cafe Paraiso, Cafe Infinito Cafe La Galeria	International food, pastries, beer and coffee.	Barrio Antiguo. Downtown Monterrey
Cafe Alegorias	Cappuccino and desserts
Bibop	International food, drinks, live fine jazz music	Lázaro Cárdenas
Cafe Iguana	It is laid back, funky bar with live music, most weekends	Barrio Antiguo. Downtown Monterrey
Bar-Rio and La Fonda	Popular bars, cover charge	Barrio Antiguo. Downtown Monterrey
Baroco	Discos, dress code in effect	Centrito
Scandals	Salsa bar
Botanero Santa Lucia	A cool place with a pool table and good tapas on the far end of Barrio Antiguo, near riverside cafes.
Pool Zone	A pool hall near the TEC, which is less expensive than Centrito and has live music some nights.
Silver Hall	A pool hall in Centrito
Posada del Duende	A Hungarian restaurant with excellent food and foreign blues singers.	Revolucion

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Take Out Service

Autochef	Home delivery. They will get you what you want to eat and deliver it to your house. Ask for a catalog and order by number. Don't forget to ask for prices first.	8335-9457
Domino's Pizza	Will deliver. Tuesday's special: Buy 1 get one free	01-800-552-2222
Ceasar's Pizza	Will deliver.	8300-2800
McDonald's	Less than $100 pesos/person	Gomez Morin 250 8356-5777
Kentucky Fried Chicken	Fried chicken. Less than $100 pesos/person	Vasconcelos 805 West 8336-5759 and Plaza Fiesta San Agustin Mall L-T-108 8363-2910
Benedetti's	Pizza. Tuesday's special: Buy 1 get 1 free. Delivery service only.	8115-1015
El Pollo Loco	Take out chicken. Less than $100 pesos/person.	8356-2738
Pizza Hut	Take out or delivery.	Centro 8343-8660

Fiesta Tacos	Outdoor patio serving Tacos and other Mexican food, casual. A common gathering place. Specialties: gringas and cazuelas. Less than $100 pesos/person	Priv. Amazonas #500 Col. del Valle and Gomez Morin.
El Papalote Taco and Grill	Tacos and burgers in a cottage-like atmosphere, indoor outdoor tables, casual. Specialty: Tacos papalote.	Rio Manzanares 313 East Col. Valle 8335-3648.
La Escondida	Authentic Mexican food, more expensive, less casual. Specialty: cabrito (kid goat). Between $200-$250 pesos/person.	Rio Verde 147 8348-9816 next to the Holiday Inn Express
Casagrande	Great Variety: meat, tacos, Between $100-$150 pesos/person	Vasconcelos 152 West 8338-6044.
Cenaduria San Marcos	Typical food. Specialty: menudo. Less than $100 pesos/person	Ave.Bosques del Valle110 8378-2797
La Casa del Maiz	Typical food made with corn. Less than $100 pesos/person	Abasolo 870-B Barrio Antiguo. 8340-4332
Tacos del Julio	Mexican food, tacos. Different locations. Less than $100 pesos/person	Vasconcelos West & M. Gonzalez, 8338-2033; Centrito & Santa Catarina
Antojeria Ricos	Greatest arrachera around, Mexican buffet, sublime margaritas, authentic surroundings. Less than $100 pesos/person	Hidalgo 1247 West downtown. 8345-1769
La Catarina	It has a great selection of Mexican wines and offers great traditional Mexican food and tequila menu. Between $150-$200 pesos/person.	Ave. Morones Prieto 2525 Col. Loma Larga 8345-3357 (passing the San Jose Hospital, look for the "lady bug")
La Valentina	Authentic Mexican food. Great wine list. Less than $200 pesos/person

Restaurants	Usually tip 10 - 15%. Check if it is included in your bill.
Taxi	Longer Taxi trips may be tipped, short ones are not.
Gas pumpers	$5-$10 pesos depending on service
Grocery store helpers	They are usually tipped $5-$10 pesos for bagging groceries or more for taking them out to the car. They are not on a store salary. The tips are their income.
Beauty saloon	$15-$20 pesos depending on service.

H.E.B.	U.S. chain store that carries everything you might miss from home, import products come and go. Try the coffee, frozen or hot.	In different location in Monterrey: on Gomez Morin, Gonzalitos andSanta Catarina
Soriana	Mexican chain store. Usually carries everything you may need.	Humberto Lobo and Santa Catarina
Gigante or Super G	Mexican chain store.	Centrito, Vasconcelos, Humberto Lobo
Mode	Small grocery store near the Elementary school on Gomez Morin.Sometimes they have imported products.	Gomez Morin wiht Guadalquivir
Aladino's	Deli that carries imported products. Tends to be expensive.	Ave. San Pedro 400 N Col. del Valle
La Castellana	The wine store that has everything, even the hard to find. Excellent service. Anything you need for a gathering: wine, cheese, meats, etc.	Calz. del Valle. 390 Ote. Plaza Las Villas 8335-7788

Mexican

Argentinean

Italian

Japanese

Seafood

International

Others

Tipping Customs

Grocery & Specialty Stores


Traditional Dishes of Northern Mexico
Favorite Restaurants
Hang Outs
Take Out Service
Tipping Customs
Grocery Stores and Specialty Shops

Mexican	English menus are often available, especially in Garza Garcia. Please ask for one. Pointing works well. Say "la carta" or "el menu" to ask for a menu. After the food is served the wait staff will let you enjoy the meal. The check, "la cuenta," is brought to you only when you ask for it. A social meal, a "merienda", around 5 p.m. consists of a light snack (desserts, sandwiches). Your student's parents may ask you to meet for a "merienda". Dinnertime, when restaurants get busy, is from 9-11 p.m. Restaurants usually stay open until 1 a.m. Many restaurants are not open Mondays.
Argentinean
International
Italian
Japanese
Seafood
Others
	Look for Mexican food ideas in this link or check PTA's Mexican Food. You will find some more general information on Can I Eat It? and in Glossary of Mexican Food. You may comfortably ask to have your leftovers packed up "para llevar", though it is not common among Mexicans.