Quintonil

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Vision Born in Polanco

Founded in 2012 in Mexico City's elegant Polanco neighbourhood, Quintonil is the gastronomic project of chef Jorge Vallejo and his wife Alejandra Flores — a restaurant built around a single, unwavering idea: to express the flavours of Mexico's extraordinary territory through a deeply personal lens. Named after a wild green herb native to Mexico, the restaurant has grown from a bold debut into one of the most acclaimed dining destinations on the planet, currently ranked #3 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants (2025) and holder of two Michelin stars.

The Minds Behind the Menu

Jorge Vallejo's culinary philosophy is grounded in relentless research, masterful technique, and an intimate understanding of Mexico's biodiversity. He trained in management and culinary arts in Mexico, later working on cruise ships and in celebrated kitchens including Noma and Pujol, before channelling everything he learned into Quintonil's singular cuisine. His efforts were recognised in 2022 with the Estrella Damm Chefs' Choice Award, a peer-voted distinction awarded by the world's greatest chefs at The World's 50 Best Restaurants.

Alejandra Flores brings equal rigour to the front of house. A graduate of the prestigious Les Roches School in Switzerland, she previously served as Operations and Commercial Director for the Enrique Olvera Group. Her mastery of hospitality creates a seamless bridge between kitchen and guest, ensuring every visit feels both exceptional and warmly human. Holding the whole operation together is Restaurant Director Mónica Oropeza, described by the team as "the lifeblood connecting every part of the project."

Avant-Garde Mexican Cuisine, Rooted in the Land

At Quintonil, avant-garde Mexican cuisine is not a concept — it is a living practice. Many ingredients travel just 30 metres from the restaurant's urban garden to the plate. The seasonal tasting menu is a portrait of Mexico at its most vivid: think escamoles capeados with tomato and guajillo broth, kampachi in Veracruz-style aguachile, smoked biological trout from Baja California with chicatana adobo, and a tamal de cerdo al pibil with fresh corn cream. Mains might feature chichilo negro with rib eye and huitlacoche, or roasted duck with coconut manchamanteles mole — each dish a testament to traditional Mexican flavours refracted through a modern, creative sensibility.

At the counter, a shorter menu offers a more intimate lens on the kitchen's creativity, including tacos with grasshoppers and chicatana ants — ingredients that speak to Mexico's deep pre-Hispanic culinary heritage.

The Space and the Experience

The dining room is split into two distinct areas: a cosy entrance space and a light-filled room adorned with Mexican art. The open kitchen counter invites guests into the heart of the action. The tasting menu can be adapted for vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian guests, and is accompanied by thoughtfully curated pairings — including a Mexican wines pairing and a non-alcoholic option — ensuring that every detail of the experience reflects the same care as what arrives on the plate.