Jesús Tornés
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 2018 in Mexico City, Mexico |
| Founder | Jesús Salas Tornés |
| Headquarters | Mexico City , Mexico |
Area served | Mexico City |
| Products | Mexican antojitos, maize-based dishes, aguas frescas, coffee, fermented beverages, corn beer, masa and tortillas (takeout) |
Expendio de Maíz, also referred to as Expendio de Maíz Sin Nombre, is a Mexican dining establishment located in Mexico City’s Colonia Roma neighborhood, established in 2018 by chef Jesús Salas Tornés within the Cuauhtémoc borough.
This venue emphasizes a relaxed, shared dining atmosphere centered around traditional Mexican street fare and dishes primarily made from maize. Without a fixed menu, reservations, waitstaff, or card payments, patrons gather around one of four communal tables. In the visible kitchen area, chefs craft surprise plates tailored to each guest’s tastes and dietary requirements, continuing to serve additional offerings until diners feel fulfilled.
In 2024, Expendio de Maíz was honored with a Bib Gourmand recognition in Mexico’s inaugural Michelin Guide and subsequently earned its first Michelin star the following year.
Description
Specializing exclusively in Mexican antojitos (street snacks), this restaurant operates without a predetermined menu, accepts cash only, and does not accommodate reservations. Guests share seating at four communal tables; when these are full, new arrivals wait their turn. The open kitchen focuses on maize-centric dishes such as tortillas, tacos, sopes, and gorditas. The chefs double as servers, presenting surprise dishes customized according to each diner’s preferences and dietary needs.
The interior is designed to resemble a rustic Mexican kitchen, featuring limited seating around a clay comal and volcanic stone cooking surface. Ingredients are sourced seasonally and locally from milpas, including corn, beans, wild amaranth, squash, and occasionally chapulines (grasshoppers).
While the offerings change regularly, standout items include tacos filled with fresh cheese, hoja santa leaves, squash blossoms, and a fried taco topped with whole nixtamalized corn kernels adorned with hoja santa, cheese, and edible flowers. The establishment also serves aguas frescas, coffee, fermented beverages, corn beer, along with masa and tortillas available for takeout.
History
Jesús Salas Tornés launched Expendio de Maíz in April 2018 on Avenida Yucatán in Colonia Roma, partnering with Paulino Martínez and Ludwig Godefroy—the latter responsible for interior design. Initially unnamed, it was known simply as "" ("nameless maize stand"). Tornés sought to establish an "unpretentious" venue inspired by traditional rural Mexican cuisine. Martínez contributed space adjacent to his taquería El Parnita. The décor incorporated papayas and bananas sourced from Tornés's hometown of Ayutla de los Libres in Guerrero.
During its first year of operation, Tornés utilized a black stone metate for grinding nixtamalized corn into masa. Early clientele were predominantly international visitors. Monthly consumption of nixtamalized corn grew from roughly 30 kilograms at launch to over 100 kilograms by 2020. In April 2019, chef Ana Dolores González joined as head chef, adding signature dishes including one she developed from limited ingredients available at the end of shifts.
Reception
A reviewer from Time Out awarded Expendio de Maíz four stars, highlighting that it transcends typical origin-cuisine trends in Colonia Roma. The World's 50 Best Restaurants characterized it as merging elements of a street food stall with contemporary urban dining. Naomi Tomky of Condé Nast Traveler recommended it for small groups seeking an unhurried meal. Daniel Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times commended its authentic adaptation of spontaneous rural Mexican cooking within an urban setting.
In 2019, Le Fooding and Mastercard recognized Expendio de Maíz as Best New Bistro in Mexico City. The restaurant received a Bib Gourmand award from the Michelin Guide in 2024 for delivering "exceptionally good food at moderate prices." The following year it was granted one Michelin star for "high-quality cooking worth a stop." Tornés noted that while culinary rankings once favored projects lacking local storytelling, there is now greater acceptance of authentic regional voices.
External links
- (archived 2022)