El Califa de León, Mexico’s top-rated taco stand, loses its Michelin star

Taquería El Califa de León, the modest Mexico City taquería that made history as the only taco stand with a Michelin star, has lost that coveted recognition two years after earning it.

The latest edition of the Michelin Guide Mexico gives no reason for the downgrade. But it has said in the past that “restaurants can lose their stars if they close during the year of assessment, or if they do not maintain their standards to make it into the next edition of the guide.”

🌮⭐ ¡Cambio en la guía gastronómica!
La taquería El Califa de León perdió su Estrella Michelin 2026, aunque continuará dentro de la lista oficial de establecimientos recomendados 📖🍽️ #Michelin #CDMX #Taqueria #Gastronomía #ElCalifaDeLeon pic.twitter.com/DmWUjJYSuS

— SDP Noticias (@sdpnoticias) May 21, 2026

The tiny taquería in Mexico City, which was recognized for its “exceptional” carne asada taco, was the only restaurant in this year’s edition to lose a star. 

But El Califa’s misfortune doesn’t mean Mexico is erased from the Michelin map. Another taquería debuted on the coveted list that, other than high quality, has little in common with the outgoing star-holder. While El Califa has a funky taco joint vibe, the new honoree — La Once Mil — is a high-end restaurant where one taco can cost as much as 335 pesos (US $19).

“One bite is enough to convince yourself,” the Michelin Guide said. 

Overseen by Chef César de la Parra, La Once Mil sits comfortably in the upscale neighborhood of Lomas de Chapultepec. It replaces EL Califa as the only taquería in the  Michelin Guide.

Despite the downgrade, El Califa de León continues to be listed as an official recommendation in the Michelin Guide.

New additions in new states 

In a ceremony in Guadalajara, Jalisco, on Wednesday, the Michelin Guide Mexico granted stars to 29 restaurants – two of which received two stars (Pujol and Quintonil, both retaining their stars).

But perhaps the most notable novelty this year is that the guide traveled to new states: Yucatán, Jalisco and Puebla. Until now, the Michelin Guide Mexico has reviewed restaurants only in Mexico City, Oaxaca, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo and Nuevo León.

In Jalisco, the French guide gave one star to Alcalde and another to Xocol. In Yucatán, it recognized Huniik, Ix’im and La Barra de Huniik with one star each. Although Michelin inspectors also reviewed restaurants in Puebla, none got a Michelin star in the current edition.

Overall, the guide offers seven new additions, also including Gaba in Mexico City and Pangea and KOLI Cocina de Origen in Nuevo León.

Mexico News Daily

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المصدر: Mexico News Daily