Eating in Monterrey

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In the beer garden at the Cerveceria Cuahtemoc.

Monterrey is a paradise for spicy food lovers and anyone who loves the smoky flavor of fresh meats grilled over smoldering wood embers will be right at home in any restaurant serving authentic Northern Mexican cuisine. Worthwhile local delicacies are:

• cabrito - Whole kid goats are splayed over hot coals and slow roasted for hours. Usually served with hot tortillas, fresh sliced onions, and house salsa.
• machacado - Breakfast in Monterrey often includes machacado con huevo, dried salted beef is shredded into a pan and lightly braised, then eggs are scrambled in --- serve with warm tortillas and salsa.
• atropellado - Dry meat with tomato, onion and peppers, really good!
• cafe de olla - Rustic-style coffee brewed with a touch of cinnamon. Delicious!
• arracherra - What's known as fajitas in some places is arracherra in Monterrey --- grilled marinated skirt steak topped with melted white cheese and served with hot tortillas and caramelized onions.
• leche quemada - Nuevo Leon is famous for its succulently sweet caramel candies made from scorched sweetened goat milk. The candies are available in several forms, including small balls dusted with fine granular sugar, rolls, and of course, Glorias --- the queen of leche quemada, with a healthy dollop of chopped pecans to enhance its already nutty sweet flavor
• discada - It gets its name because traditionally you make in a used plow disc that's been welded shut. Meat, pork, chicken, sausage, chilaca, onion, beer and bacon with some tortillas.

Some good restaurants for authentic Northern Mexican food include:

• La Huasteca
• El Regio
• El Rey del Cabrito

Good downtown restaurants include:

• Ianilli's (italian cuisine)
• La Casa del Maiz (traditional central Mexican)
• El Tio (traditional Mexican)

Cheap eats:

• Dona Tota (gorditas)
• Taqueria Las Monjitas
• Cafe Florian

Monterrey is a famous brewing city and is the home for popular brands like Dos Equis and Bohemia. You can stop by the beer garden in front of the brewery anytime during the day for a free glass of beer under the towering oak trees. If you like craft beers, stop by the Sierra Madre Brewing Company (now with four locations throughout the city, each featuring fresh beer and brick-oven pizzas).