Los Danzantes
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | January 1, 1995 in Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico |
| Founder | Gustavo Muñoz |
| Headquarters | Mexico City , Mexico |
Area served | Mexico City, Oaxaca City |
Key people | Gustavo Muñoz (founder), Sergio Camacho (chef, Mexico City), Alejandro Piñón (chef, Mexico City), Alejandro Burgos (chef, Oaxaca) |
| Products | Mexican cuisine, Oaxacan cuisine, Mexican wines, mezcal |
| Website | losdanzantes |
Los Danzantes is a Mexican dining establishment chain under the ownership of Grupo Los Danzantes, with venues situated in Coyoacán, Mexico City, and Oaxaca City, Oaxaca. Each location presents its own distinct menu centered on Mexican cuisine and Oaxacan cuisine. The Oaxaca branch was distinguished with a Michelin star in 2024, becoming part of the inaugural Michelin Guide edition for Mexico.
Description
Los Danzantes Coyoacán offers a selection of Mexican cuisine that prominently includes Oaxacan specialties. Its culinary offerings include shrimp esquites, huitlacoche soup, duck magret accompanied by roselle mole, blue corn tlayudas, and mamey panna cotta. Complementing these dishes are Mexican wines and mezcal.
At Los Danzantes Oaxaca, the focus is on authentic Oaxacan flavors with dishes such as hoja santa paired with goat cheese and tomatillo sauce, various moles, salsa borracha served with pork ribs, guava cheesecake, and mezcal. The menu is updated monthly to highlight seasonal produce. Given its high demand, booking in advance is advisable. The cuisine is characterized as fusion, combining multiple culinary traditions.
History
Entrepreneur Gustavo Muñoz founded Los Danzantes. His initial plan involved launching an ice cream parlor with a partner; however, that concept was eventually set aside. The restaurant’s name—meaning 'the dancers'—reflects the harmonious interplay of past, present, and future flavors while paying homage to tradition. Los Danzantes Coyoacán opened its doors in 1995; as of 2024, chefs Sergio Camacho and Alejandro Piñón oversee the kitchen. Situated in a colonial-era building facing Jardín Centenario park in Coyoacán, Mexico City, the interior design draws inspiration from the Aztec Five Suns legend.
Around 1997, Gustavo founded a distillery located in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, which is operated by his twin brother Jaime Muñoz. In 2001, Los Danzantes Oaxaca was inaugurated in the historic center of Oaxaca City, with chef Alejandro Burgos leading the culinary team as of 2022. The restaurant prioritizes sourcing most fruits and vegetables from its own orchard to ensure quality and promote sustainability.
Reception
With the launch of the Michelin Guide in Mexico in 2024, 18 restaurants were honored with Michelin stars. Los Danzantes Oaxaca earned one star—indicating "high-quality cooking worth a stop"—alongside a Michelin Green Star recognizing its commitment to sustainable gastronomy. The guide praised its lively open-air courtyard and attentive service. Suzanne Barbezat from Afar commended the establishment for creatively reimagining traditional dishes through artistic presentation.
Although Michelin inspectors evaluated the Mexico City location as well, it did not receive star recognition but was acknowledged for highlighting modern Mexican cuisine. Guillermo Di Bella of Time Out awarded it three out of five stars, noting the absence of significant updates since the 1990s. Meanwhile, Marco Beteta recommended it for breakfast, Elena Eguiarte for dinner service, and María José Ferrant suggested enjoying meals outdoors to enhance the experience.
See also
- List of Mexican restaurants
- List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Mexico
- List of restaurants in Mexico
External links
- Official website (Mexico City, Spanish)
- Official website (Oaxaca City)