Jorge Vallejo (chef)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | March 9, 2012 in Polanco, Mexico City, Mexico |
| Founder | Jorge Vallejo, Alejandra Flores |
| Headquarters | Polanco, Mexico City , Mexico |
Key people | Jorge Vallejo (chef and owner), Alejandra Flores (manager and owner) |
| Products | Mexican cuisine, seasonal tasting menu, à la carte dishes |
Number of employees | 60 (2025) |
| Website | quintonil |
Quintonil () stands as a modern Mexican dining establishment located in Polanco, Mexico City. It is owned by chef Jorge Vallejo and manager Alejandra Flores, who first crossed paths at Pujol in 2009. The duo inaugurated Quintonil in 2012, embracing a philosophy centered on "greeting guests warmly and sending off friends."
Originally conceived as a casual eatery featuring a daily-changing menu and furnished with repurposed items, Quintonil has since transformed into a premier fine dining venue. Its name is derived from a Mexican variety of amaranth, and the restaurant presents both à la carte dishes and a seasonal tasting menu that highlights heirloom vegetables, indigenous herbs, and insects gathered from across the country.
Quintonil has garnered numerous honors, maintaining a steady presence on the British organization William Reed Ltd's annual list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants since 2016. By 2025, it achieved third place worldwide and was recognized as the top restaurant in North America. In 2024, during Mexico’s inaugural inclusion in the Michelin Guide, Quintonil was awarded two Michelin stars, tying it with Pujol as the highest-ranked restaurant nationally.
Description
The restaurant provides diverse selections along with a nine-course seasonal tasting menu, such as the July 2025 offering which included ingredients like asparagus, carrots, and mushrooms.[1] Optional wine pairings can be added for an additional fee.[2][3] Ingredients are sourced from regions surrounding Mexico City, including Milpa Alta and Xochimilco, as well as neighboring states such as Hidalgo and Michoacán. Pork is procured from Michoacán and Yucatán, beef from Durango, and seafood from Baja California.[4][5] Chef Vallejo highlights that approximately 98% of their ingredients are Mexican-grown; exceptions include caviar, an unspecified species of fish, and olive oil.[1]
The menu skillfully combines classic Mexican staples—beans, squash, chiles, mushrooms—with less commonly used elements like quintonil (Amaranthus hybridus), heirloom produce, native herbs, and edible insects. The majority of dishes feature plant-based components; some incorporate beef.[6][7][8] Since its inception, signature offerings have included preparations featuring huauzontle and chilacayote mole. Additionally, a reinterpretation of , originally created at Pujol, is part of the selection.[3] Beverage choices encompass European wines alongside Mexican mezcal, regional wines, and craft beers.[7] In 2024, Quintonil organized an Entomophagy Festival to showcase insect-centered cuisine.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
The entrance to Quintonil is subtle—concealed behind an aged window and curtain—with two intimate windowless dining areas adjacent to a bar that overlooks the kitchen.[1] The interior design incorporates volcanic stone flooring paired with wood-and-mirror wall elements.[5] Tableware was sourced from Austin, Texas; chairs were acquired from Pujol; while tables were custom-crafted along Mexican Federal Highway 15.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The restaurant accommodates up to 42 patrons,[4] requires reservations in advance, and maintains a casual dress code policy.[2][9] As of 2025, Quintonil employed a staff of 60.[8]
History
Jorge Vallejo left high school early but pursued culinary studies at Centro Culinario Ambrosía before gaining experience at the renowned restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 2009, during his tenure at Pujol in Polanco, Mexico City, he met Alejandra Flores who managed the front of house. Their relationship developed personally and professionally; in 2011 they departed Pujol to establish their own restaurant grounded in a "family concept" aimed at "welcoming guests as friends and bidding them farewell likewise." The restaurant’s name honors quintonil, a species of amaranth. They launched Quintonil on Newton Street in Polanco on March 9, 2012, starting with modest financial resources obtained through a loan. Initially focused on affordable meals served in a relaxed environment, Quintonil gradually matured into a fine dining institution.
To commemorate its tenth anniversary in 2022, Vallejo and Flores invited acclaimed international chefs such as Dominique Crenn and Julien Royer to collaborate on reimagining classic dishes and developing new culinary creations.
Reception and recognition
Tiffany Yannetta from The Infatuation endorsed the tasting menu, describing it as "engaging" and spotlighting the Entomophagy Festival, encouraging guests to sample innovative creations like bluefin tuna paired with frozen wasabi powder. Adrián Duchateau, writing for Afar, highlighted Quintonil’s commitment to progressive and sustainable cuisine through its use of indigenous vegetables and herbs. Scarlett Lindeman identified the restaurant as part of a contemporary movement in Mexican cuisine, calling it "an impressive alternative to Pujol."
A contributor to Bon Appétit urged patrons to explore "exciting new flavors" including cactus, tamales, mole, and escamoles. Leslie Yeh of Lifestyle Asia commended both the quality of ingredients and the restaurant’s atmosphere. César Calderón, for Gourmond, found certain dishes lacking—specifically criticizing the mango iced ceviche appetizer and the salbute featuring nixtamalized huitlacoche—ultimately describing Quintonil as "a pleasant, intriguing, and frequently flavorful experience—nothing beyond that." Time Out placed Quintonil ninth among Mexico City’s top 23 dining establishments.
Awards
Quintonil has repeatedly appeared on William Reed Ltd’s prestigious World's 50 Best Restaurants rankings: achieving 3rd place in 2025, 7th in 2024, 9th in both 2022 and 2023, 11th in 2018, 12th in 2016, 22nd in 2017, 24th in 2019, and 27th in 2021. There was no list issued in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food industry. In its 2023 commentary, the publication described Quintonil as "the venue where chef Jorge Vallejo pushes the boundaries of Mexican cuisine alongside his wife Alejandra Flores’ exceptional hospitality," emphasizing its dedication to fresh regional ingredients and traditional Mexican flavors reimagined through contemporary techniques.
Upon the launch of the Michelin Guide in Mexico in 2024, eighteen restaurants were awarded Michelin stars. Quintonil and Pujol each received two stars—the highest accolade granted nationally—signifying "exceptional cooking worth a special journey." The guide lauded Quintonil for its "alluring combination of outstanding local produce, masterful execution, and imaginative creativity resulting in refined dishes."
Quintonil was among seven Michelin-starred Mexico City restaurants honored by Martí Batres, head of the city government, who presented chefs with an onyx statuette inspired by the pre-Hispanic sculpture The Young Woman of Amajac. This accolade acknowledges their contributions to tourism promotion while celebrating Indigenous women’s influence on gastronomy.
In 2025, Quintonil was recognized with the Best Wine and Spirits Program award by the México Gastronómico guide published by Larousse Cocina.
Gallery
Sample presentation of a nine-course menu offered in November 2013.
See also
External links
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