Mesa Coyoacan

• 2010 Winner

  Best Mexican restaurant

Ivan Garcia, who for two years was Patricio Sandoval's chef de cuisine at Mercadito, has flown the coop to open his first restaurant, in Williamsburg. It's Mexican, natch, but unlike Sandoval, whose vividly flavored dishes tend to skew modern, Garcia is keeping his menu strictly traditional, with recipes handed down by his grandmother. (The restaurant's name refers to the Mexican town where he was born.) La comida? Ceviche (octopus, shrimp, scallops), plus an array of tacos with a healthier twist—steak tacos are prepared al pastor (spit-grilled), while chile-laced fish tacos are grilled, not fried. Garcia is also serving traditional mixiotes—meats, such as lamb, cooked in banana leaves, which he pairs with cactus salad.

See more: East Williamsburg restaurants, Mexican restaurants