Alcohol history in Mexico City
Mexico City's alcohol history runs from pulque houses through cantina culture, industrial tequila, mezcal's global rise, and a chef-led bar revival.
Pulque and the old city
Fermented agave was a Mexico City staple long before bottled tequila became the export face of the country.
Cantinas as civic rooms
Cantinas served beer and tequila with free botanas. They remain a counterweight to tasting-menu mezcal bars.
Mezcal goes worldwide
The 2010s made smoky mezcal a global bar ingredient. Mexico City became the place visitors try to learn labels before they fly to Oaxaca.
Agave categories have legal definitions. A tourist shot is not a denomination lesson. This is not a dry-day tool.
Culture guide, not a dry-day calendar
World pages describe famous drinks, history, and common legal drinking ages. They are not legal advice and they do not say whether alcohol is banned today. For India dry days, use the homepage or a city or state calendar.