The Verdict
Lalo! is the all-day cafe that chef Eduardo “Lalo” Garcia opened at Zacatecas 173 in Roma Norte, a few doors from his tasting-menu restaurant Maximo Bistrot. It is the loose, daytime counterpart to that flagship: murals on the walls, communal tables, an open kitchen, and a menu that runs from house pastries and big breakfasts into pizzas and salads later in the day. It is listed in the MICHELIN Guide for Mexico City.
Breakfast is the reason to come. The French toast runs about 263 pesos, the buttermilk pancakes with browned butter and house maple are about 233, and the scrambled-egg sandwich with bacon and cheddar is around 254. Coffee is taken seriously — the espresso program and house-pressed juices are a real part of the draw — and there is a grocery list of house breads, jams and granola to take away.
The room is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to about 4pm and does not take reservations, so weekends bring a wait. What you get for it is Garcia’s cooking in its most relaxed form: precise, ingredient-led, and far cheaper than a seat next door at Maximo.
What to Order
Breakfast is the headline. The French toast, at about 263 pesos, is the dish people return for, with the buttermilk pancakes at about 233 and the scrambled-egg-and-bacon sandwich at around 254 close behind. Add a side of the house-made chorizo or bacon, and start with a house-pressed juice or a proper espresso. Take home a loaf, a jar of seasonal compota or the granola from the grocery list at the counter.
The Room
Lalo! sits at Zacatecas 173 in Roma Norte, a short walk from its sibling Maximo Bistrot. It is a bright, informal room with wall murals, long communal tables and an open kitchen, built for daytime trade. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to roughly 4pm and takes no reservations, so the weekend brunch peak means a wait for a table or a stool.
Why It Works for a Relaxed Morning
Lalo! is one of Roma Norte’s best casual breakfasts: a low-key first date over pancakes and coffee, a solo seat at a communal table with the French toast and a juice, or an easy weekend brunch with friends. The no-reservations, all-day format and the take-home counter make it a flexible morning stop rather than a planned dinner out.
Not For
It is not a dinner or a special-occasion table — the kitchen closes by mid-afternoon, and for Garcia’s ambitious cooking you want the tasting menu next door at Maximo Bistrot. It takes no reservations, so a quiet, guaranteed table is off the cards at weekends, and anyone who dislikes communal seating or a busy, noisy room should plan around the peak.
Reservations
Lalo! does not take reservations; seating is first-come at communal tables and the counter. To skip the longest waits, arrive close to the 8am open on a weekday, or expect a queue at weekend brunch. It runs Tuesday to Sunday until about 4pm and is closed Mondays, so it is a daytime plan rather than an evening one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the chef behind Lalo! in Mexico City?
Lalo! was opened by chef Eduardo “Lalo” Garcia, who also runs the acclaimed tasting-menu restaurant Maximo Bistrot a few doors away in Roma Norte. Lalo! is the casual, all-day counterpart to that flagship, and it is listed in the MICHELIN Guide for Mexico City.
Is Lalo! still open?
Yes. As of 2026, Lalo! is open at Zacatecas 173 in Roma Norte, serving Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to about 4pm and closed on Mondays. It does not take reservations, so weekend brunch typically means a wait for a communal table or a counter stool.
How much does breakfast at Lalo! cost?
Breakfast is mid-range for Roma Norte. The signature French toast runs about 263 pesos, the buttermilk pancakes about 233, and the scrambled-egg-and-bacon sandwich around 254. Coffee, house-pressed juices and sides such as house chorizo add to that, and a full breakfast for one lands comfortably under a tasting-menu price.
Where is Lalo! and does it take reservations?
Lalo! is at Zacatecas 173 in the Roma Norte neighborhood of Mexico City, near Eduardo Garcia’s Maximo Bistrot. It does not take reservations: seating is first-come at communal tables and the counter, so arriving near the 8am open is the way to avoid the longest weekend waits.
Also in Mexico City
For the full-dress version of Garcia’s cooking, book Maximo Bistrot next door; for other Roma Norte landmarks, Rosetta and Contramar are the names that anchor the neighborhood. Each is linked below.