Zagat Publishes First-ever Mexico City Restaurant Survey

NEW YORK, April 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Zagat released the results of its first survey of Mexico City Restaurants. Created in partnership with Nextel, it covers 476 eateries in the capital area and is based on the opinions of avid, local consumers. It will be available for free in Spanish across Google Search, Maps, Google+ and mobile when signed into a Google Account, as well as on zagat.com. The ratings and reviews will also be made available in print and as a digital guide as well as on a mobile application, distributed by Nextel.

"For more than 30 years, Zagat has been committed to providing diners with reliable and local restaurant information to help them find the best places," said Tim Zagat, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of Zagat. "Today, we are glad to extend that commitment into Latin America for the first time, and to make our content available across Google's products."

"Tim and Nina Zagat changed the way millions of people experience our dining habits. Their reviews written by diners for diners are unique in the world and have no precedence in our country. We worked hand in hand with them to bring the Zagat Guide to Mexico and all our users. The gastronomy industry has gained ground in recent years in Mexico and we have very important clients in this circle. That's why we want to support it in many different ways. We are confident that the Zagat Guide can be useful to all our clients because, it is a reality, that all of them eat. We are confident that this alliance with Zagat will be successful," said Gustavo Cantu, Chief Operating Officer of Nextel Mexico.

Winners: Taking top honors for Food in Mexico City is Máximo Bistrot Local, which earned a 28 rating on Zagat's 30-point scale for its "delightful" Mexican fare. Jaso, located in Polanco, won for Decor and Service, boasting a "romantic" atmosphere and tasting menus tailored to diners' tastes. 50 Friends, acclaimed for its "relaxing" setting and "inventive pizzas," was voted the Most Popular restaurant in Mexico City. Here's a full list of winners: 

Trends: One of the hot food trends now is Mexican fare with a stylish twist. This contemporary take on old-school fare is gaining traction among celebrity chefs at restaurants like Quintonil (chef Jorge Vallejo) in Polanco, Turtux (chef Margarita Salinas de Carrillo) in San Ángel and Xanto (chef Daniel Ovadía) in Santa Fe. Another focus is on sustainable ingredients, with restaurants such as Kaah Siis offering local and sustainably raised ingredients on its eclectic menu. Hotels are home to some of the city's most sought-after restaurants, including J&G Grill at the St. Regis, Quattro at the JW Marriott and The Palm at Presidente InterContinental, as well as the still-popular Morimoto at the Camino Real.

Hot Neighborhoods: Roma is one of the city's hottest neighborhoods for restaurants, with newcomers including cantinas like Salón Progreso, casual eateries like Belmondo and Capote Taberna (of local chef Pedro Martín) and established restaurants such as Rosetta and Broka Bistrot. Meanwhile, Polanco has welcomed newcomers including Adolfo Galnares Ruiz's Bresca, Jorge Vallejo's Quintonil, as well as the "long-awaited" new outpost of Licorería Limantour, while the Centro Histórico added to its appeal with the arrival of "jazzed up" Mexican dishes at Limosneros and the "creative seafood" of Padrinos.

Winners by Cuisine: Here is a list of additional winning restaurants based on cuisine, with their Food ratings included:

About the Survey: Zagat's survey of Mexico City Restaurants was edited by Randi Gollin, Lauren Fouda, Jennifer Reilly, Marisol Rueda and Lesley Telléz. Ratings and reviews are available free across Google Search, Maps, Google+ and mobile when signed into a Google Account, as well as on zagat.com. For more food news and updates, please visit Zagat's Mexico City blog at blog.zagat.com.                              

About Zagat
Known as the "burgundy bible," Zagat is a trusted source for consumer-generated survey information. With a worldwide network of surveyors, Zagat rates and reviews restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, music, golf, shopping and a range of other leisure activities. Zagat content is integrated throughout Google, including Maps, Search, Google+ and mobile. Guidebooks are also available at all major retailers. In September 2011, Zagat was acquired by Google Inc.

About Google Inc.
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SOURCE Zagat