"It’s hard to find a meal in this city that hits the golden trifecta of big, affordable, and delicious. Enter El Mil Amores. Their excellent Mexico City-style breakfast and lunch plates could feed the entire Saturday crowd at Dolores Park. And since their prices feel pulled from the Gold Rush era, you’ll want to become a regular. El Mil Amores is a casual day hangout. This Mission spot is a sort of cross between a diner and a living room. The breakfast-lunch menu is served until they close at 3pm, so even if your first meal of the day is at 1:30pm, you can get what you want—as long as what you want is a feast featuring rich mole, plump breakfast sandwiches, and tres leches pancakes. photo credit: Melissa Zink photo credit: Melissa Zink When your order lands on the table, you’ll look up with wide eyes at your server and say, “Is that big-ass plate for me?” The egg, cheese, and meat-filled breakfast burrito, soaking in tangy green salsa, is so big that you’ll need several breathers in between bites just to finish it. The CDMX Plate is a Godzilla-sized behemoth: chilaquiles, perfectly soft scrambled eggs over crispy home potatoes, and concha fresh toast all mingle together on one dish. And anyone with a Hulk-like appetite, prepare for a carb-and-protein-load in the form of a steaming-hot bowl of pasta poblano. Two toasted slices of bread and a gargantuan roasted chicken breast top a pile of poblano crema-covered fettuccine. Yet by some miracle, you never leave El Mil Amores on the brink of collapsing on the first futon you see. Unless you order that pasta. In that case, it will hit harder than a “hey, can we talk” text. These plates are also some of the better deals in town. Their price-to-size ratio is unmatched—many dishes can easily be shared by two people, like the $17 huevos en ahogada, loaded up with tons of chicharron, nopales, and eggs your way. Even smaller plates, like the $8 molletes toast, are an excellent bargain. photo credit: Melissa Zink photo credit: Melissa Zink photo credit: Melissa Zink photo credit: Melissa Zink This place is so laidback that you can pop in any time for some enmoladas suizas, and read a newspaper (or, more likely, scroll on your phone). The service is always friendly, and plates come out of the kitchen with the speed of a rushing current. Despite quick service, El Mil Amores never rushes you. Pedro Infante ballads usually playing on the big TV add an acoustic guitar hum that makes you relax. And free coffee refills invite you to linger. El Mil Amores is the spot to go for breakfast when you’re hungover and muster up the courage to leave your dark hideout to eat. It’s also a place to take family, a coworker for lunch and gossip, or even a picky eater with high standards. You can never go wrong at El Mil Amores—unless you hate leftovers. But in that case, what are you even doing here? Food Rundown Molletes Toast Beans on toast, done right, and the perfect dish if you’re not massively hungry. It features toasted bolillo covered in melted oaxaca cheese, black refried beans, and pico de gallo. Throw salsa on there for a bit of kick. photo credit: Melissa Zink CDMX Plate Order this smörgåsbord on a plate if you want both sweet and savory. It comes with chilaquiles, your meat of choice, scrambled eggs, potatoes, and concha french toast. photo credit: Melissa Zink Yulis Breakfast Sandwich The first time we bit into this, we jumped at how soft this bread was—it’s show-stopping. Two eggs, your choice of meat (get the juicy arrachera), oaxaca cheese, and avocado fill it up, and crispy potatoes come on the side. Tres Leches Pancakes Sweet tooth? Get this. These velvety, fluffy pancakes would take first place if there was an SF Pancake Cook-Off. The condensed milk is an excellent touch that adds a layer of creaminess, which takes it from good to great. photo credit: Melissa Zink Concha French Toast Solid but a little dry. If you’re debating between the sweeter options on the menu, the Tres Leches Pancake is the no-brainer. Huevos En Ahogada One of our favorite dishes. These eggs are cooked with stewed chicharron, chorizo, and nopales in a green salsa. A tart dish for a hearty breakfast (served with rice, beans, and tortillas). photo credit: Melissa Zink Chucky’s Breakfast Burrito Sadly, not really portable, but that’s okay since you’re hanging out at El Mil Amores all day anyway. Get this burrito with arrachera for zero regrets. photo credit: Melissa Zink Pasta Poblano With Pollo Rostizado Warning: This is on the heavier side, and you might need a nap after. But going to town on this pasta is definitely worth it. Enmoladas Suizas One always successful hack: Order the enchilada suiza with mole. This mole is sneakily complex, and is some of the best we’ve ever had." - Ricky Rodriguez
