Tulcingo Del Valle Restaurant & Deli

The staffers behind the little counter are mole artists, rewarding devotees with authentic, complex versions of the sauce, and other rich offerings from the southern Mexican state of Puebla. You can order take-out or sit down in the no-frills seating area next door. Either way, there’s room to gather a group of friends, bring a few beers in brown bags, and eat yourselves silly on some of the city’s best Pueblan food. Even standbys like pork al pastor are rendered with love, marinated in smoky chilies, cumin and cinnamon: Served on warm, soft tortillas, the roasted meat is accented by flecks of cilantro and onion and a generous dollop of creamy guacamole.