La Olla

For a restaurant with decades of history behind it, La Olla looks rather ordinary and would be easy to pass by on the street without a second thought. Alas, Chef Pilar Cabrera is a name to know. A champion of traditional Oaxacan dishes and an ambassador for the region, she has run this restaurant and her own cooking school, Casa de Los Sabores, for over 20 years. A comal by the front door is your signal to start with the maiz sampler featuring squash blossom quesadillas and crispy plantain tacos smeared in a finely spiced coloradito. No meal is complete without the mole negro, which is wonderful by itself but stunning with the clever addition of plantain and sweet potato purees. The menu also features a generous number of vegetarian dishes.