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Ceviche, coctel de camaron

What: Raw fish in a landlocked city? Sí, if it’s Mexico City. Though it may seem odd to newbies, seasoned D.F. eaters know the ceviche in the capital is just as good as what you’d find on the coast. You’ll find it in cheap markets and higher-end restaurants.

Where: Our photo of shrimp ceviche, served as a coctél, is from La Perla Escondida inside the excellent Mercado Coyoacán (three blocks north of Jardín Hidalgo, at Calles Allende and Malintzin, map), which is well regarded for its marisquerías, or seafood vendors.

When: Daily, 8am-6pm

Order: We loved the ceviche de camarón (40p small, 70p large)—a delectably bright and fresh-tasting concoction of chopped shrimp, tomato, onion, green pepper, avocado, olive oil, vinegar, ketchup, and a (somewhat) secret spicy sauce called salsa bruja, served with lime and saltines. (Initially we balked at the ketchup, but it tasted wonderful together.) You’ll find other ceviches here, too, including pulpo (octopus), caracol (snail), and pescado (fish), as well as ceviche-topped tostadas, caldo de camarón, and more.

Alternatively: Also in Mercado Coyoacán is the popular Jardín del Pulpo, another ceviche vendor; in Roma Sur, Mercado de Medellín (betw. Medellín, Campeche, Monterrey, and Coahuila, map) is likewise celebrated for its seafood. On the higher end, there’s the excellent Contramar (Durango 200, map) restaurant in la Roma—though expect to pay a lot more for those cocteles de camarón (and the excellent tostada de atún).