Pastes el Portal

Long before Real del Monte became a tourist destination, Pastes el Portal was delighting residents and visitors alike with its flaky, iconic pastry. Imported by Cornwall miners (along with chess, golf, tennis, and soccer), the paste is now traditional fare in this mountainous mining district. And there’s nothing more delicious than one of these turnovers straight from the oven: hot, crispy, and delicious!

Pastes are the name of the game here, and on weekends and holidays, a line extends out under the portico for which the restaurant is named. Customers come for the fresh-from-the-oven savory pies filled with beans, chorizo, tuna fish, cheese, chicken in mole sauce, or potatoes, among other fillings. Sweet fillings include rice pudding, chocolate, and pineapple as well as seasonal fruits like apple or apricot.

City: Real del Monte (AKA Mineral del Monte) State: Hidalgo Region: Central Mexico, Mining District What: Flaky, filling and inexpensive turnovers: sweet or savory Where: Portal del Comercio #2, downtown Real del Monte Tel: No Phone Why: It would be a crime to visit Real del Monte and not try this traditional and delicious snack. How: In the heart of town, under the colonnade Cost: About 10 pesos per generously sized turnover