On a quiet Eastie side street, septuagenarian grandmother Angela Atenco Lopez dresses chicken and pork with moles, adobos and pipians, the incredible complex sauces of her native Puebla. Her simpler plates of tacos (including the little-seen Lebanese-Mexican tacos arabes), sublime soups like pozole and surprisingly luxe-tasting entrees like chiles rellenos (cheese-stuffed, batter-fried peppers) also make this charming, modest spot a Mecca for Bostonians seeking traditional, lovingly prepared versions of one of Mexico’s most highly regarded regional cuisines.
Angela’s Cafe
131 Lexington St., Boston • (617) 567-4972
angelascafeboston.com
Other Winners
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Mexican
2014 Winner: El Centro
Need a date-night option that’s more sophisticated than a taqueria, but can’t abide the gringo cliches of Boston’s upscale Mex places...
- 472 Shawmut Ave., Boston
- (617) 262-5708
- elcentroboston.com
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Mexican
2016 Winner: Amuleto Mexican Table
With its gorgeous velvet-upholstered banquettes and trippy wall art, Amuleto offers an unusually swank setting for traditional Mexican fare...
- 484 Moody St., Waltham
- (781) 893-1389
- amuletorestaurant.com