Pulque — the fermented sap of the maguey plant, drunk in central Mexico for at least two thousand years — gets its Roma Norte outpost in a space that bridges tradition and the neighborhood's contemporary appetite. The curados (flavored pulques) rotate through seasonal fruits: guava, mango, oat, pine nut, celery. The natural pulque, unflavored, is viscous, slightly sour, and an acquired taste that rewards persistence. The crowd is young, the prices are startlingly low, and the act of drinking something this ancient in a neighborhood this modern produces a pleasant cognitive dissonance that is pure CDMX.
Location
Roma Norte, Mexico City
Map
Insider Intel
Start with a curado — the guava or mango versions are the most approachable entry points, sweet enough to offset the natural pulque's challenging viscosity. Then try the natural unflavored pulque to understand what the drink actually is before the fruit masks it. The oat curado is unexpectedly excellent. A jarra (pitcher) to share is the social format. Pair with tlacoyos or quesadillas if the kitchen is operating.
Saturday afternoon from 2pm to 6pm when the Roma crowd drifts in for casual drinking and the curado flavors are at their freshest. Weekday evenings are quieter. Pulque is best consumed fresh — ask which curados were made that morning.
Pulque cannot be bottled or transported — it ferments continuously and must be consumed within days of production. This means every pulqueria is serving a genuinely fresh, living drink. The natural pulque has a viscous, slightly slimy texture that some visitors find challenging — the curados dilute this with fruit and sugar. Pulque is lower in alcohol than beer (4-6%) but the fermentation can affect sensitive stomachs. Prices are extraordinarily low — a glass of curado is 30-50 MXN, a jarra 80-150 MXN. Cash is preferred. The Roma location is a short walk from Alvaro Obregon.