The Best Bars in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

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With a luxe, low-lit rooftop lounge area, the streets of San Miguel clambering in cobblestone to the dazzling gothic spire of the nearby San Miguel Arcángel church and sunsets melting over the horizon, the sky bar at the Rosewood Hotel is divine. As are the house G&Ts – made with Tanqueray, rosemary-infused ice, star anise, muddled berries and a squeeze of lemon. On Thursdays, there’s DJ-driven dance music. It’s tranquil the rest of the week.

The premier tequila tasting bar in San Miguel is an intimate, six-seater, obsidian-black space (designed by star interior architects Meyer Davis and Gloria Cortina), housed in a historic building in the exclusive Dôce 18 arcade. The tequilas – which come in hand-etched crystal bottles that ooze opulence – are as smooth as cream. Sample them, and then order a cocktail: the casa has rotating residencies for top Mexican mixologists, who craft exquisite drinks bursting with surprising flavors.

Not merely a rooftop bar with gorgeous views over the terracotta roofs and bell towers in San Miguel, Quince is a casual-chic restaurant (serving catch-all international comfort food, from pasta and sushi to burgers) and lounge space with luxe low sofas and candlelit lamps, not to mention a thumping after-hours club. Add to this sumptuous views and mezcal margaritas, and Quince is among the elite of San Miguel nightlife options.

In the courtyard of the swish Matilda boutique hotel in San Miguel, this small al fresco bar, surrounded by lush banana plants and palms, serves superior cocktails to a smart set. House specialties include the Summer Tonic – a refreshing tequila and tonic made with Casa Dragones Blanco (the brand’s blue agave silver tequila) and juiced red berries. There are bar snacks, too, but most drinkers dine post-cocktail at Moxi, also in the hotel. It’s one of the best restaurants in San Miguel.

Sitting in an old colonial house, this family-run sidewalk cantina feels like a genuine local haunt next to the slick rooftop retreats in San Miguel. It’s an informal spot – with bottles of tequila and mezcal stacked on shelves behind the little bar and simple wood tables set on a checkerboard floor – but the margaritas and mojitos are strong, long and low-priced. This place gets lively late into the evening, and, when the front room gets busy, people spill into the larger salon outback.

Tucked next to the flying buttresses of San Miguel Arcángel, and with San Miguel’s tumble-down terracotta skyline at your feet, this simple bar restaurant shares the same much-vaunted rooftop view as neighboring Quince – without the crowds and booming DJ-driven sounds. There are decent cocktails, too – especially the enormous, signature tamarind margaritas. Book a pew at the west side of the bar to enjoy the sunset over the city.

Walls covered in old black-and-whites of generously mustachioed national heroes, saloon swing-doors, and a long wooden bar with bottles stacked behind – El Tenampa feels like a set from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). Owner Alejandro’s father was a vaquero cowboy, and bar staff still wear Mexican palm Stetsons as they pour shots of tequila and mezcal. Yep, this cantina is the real deal – so don’t expect mixologists, mezcal margaritas or wasabi peas.
This is an updated version of an article originally by Chrisa Theodoraki.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in San Miguel de Allende, why not book into one of the best hotels in town? Or, for a unique experience, you could try one of these top boutique hotels. For more inspiration, here are the top reasons to visit this Mexican city, and here you’ll find the best things to do. Plus, for a true taste of Mexico, we’ve rounded up an incredible selection of top places to eat.