The Ten Best Mexican Restaurants in St. Louis

Mi Ranchito (887 Kingsland Avenue, University City; 314-863-1880)

Tucked away in a strip mall just north of the bustling Delmar Loop, Mi Ranchito features a lengthy menu boasting many of the standard Mexican dishes, from burritos, tacos and enchiladas to even heartier plates of carnitas and chile colorado. But you'll probably want to first order one of Mi Ranchito's legendary mammoth margaritas. During the day, stop by for the lunch specials (available every day but Sunday from 11 a.m. till 2:30 p.m.), particularly the chori pollo, a grilled chicken breast topped with chorizo and melted cheese, wrapped up in a soft flour tortilla.

Milagro Modern Mexican (20 Allen Avenue, Webster Groves; 314-962-4300)

Boasting something a little different, Milagro offers thoughtful and unique presentations of traditional and contemporary Mexican fare. Favorites include the roast chicken smothered in a complex mole poblano, mahi mahi in a bright mole verde or salmon simply dressed in a salsa of mango, cilantro and annatto oil. Simple dishes spiced-up in creative ways, like the Huitlacoche, a Mexican delicacy, add to the fantastic quesadillas tradicionales. Another standout is a tostada appetizer featuring pulled duck meat in a blood orange habanero sauce. Oh, and the top-shelf margarita is topnotch with the tequila of your choice (Don Julio, Patron, Tres Generaciones or Rio Azul), shaken with agave nectar and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Milagro Modern Mexican (20 Allen Avenue, Webster Groves; 314-962-4300)

Boasting something a little different, Milagro offers thoughtful and unique presentations of traditional and contemporary Mexican fare. Favorites include the roast chicken smothered in a complex mole poblano, mahi mahi in a bright mole verde or salmon simply dressed in a salsa of mango, cilantro and annatto oil. Simple dishes spiced-up in creative ways, like the Huitlacoche, a Mexican delicacy, add to the fantastic quesadillas tradicionales. Another standout is a tostada appetizer featuring pulled duck meat in a blood orange habanero sauce. Oh, and the top-shelf margarita is topnotch with the tequila of your choice (Don Julio, Patron, Tres Generaciones or Rio Azul), shaken with agave nectar and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Milagro Modern Mexican (20 Allen Avenue, Webster Groves; 314-962-4300)

Boasting something a little different, Milagro offers thoughtful and unique presentations of traditional and contemporary Mexican fare. Favorites include the roast chicken smothered in a complex mole poblano, mahi mahi in a bright mole verde or salmon simply dressed in a salsa of mango, cilantro and annatto oil. Simple dishes spiced-up in creative ways, like the Huitlacoche, a Mexican delicacy, add to the fantastic quesadillas tradicionales. Another standout is a tostada appetizer featuring pulled duck meat in a blood orange habanero sauce. Oh, and the top-shelf margarita is topnotch with the tequila of your choice (Don Julio, Patron, Tres Generaciones or Rio Azul), shaken with agave nectar and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Siete Luminarias (2818 Cherokee Street; 314-932-1333)

Brothers Ramón and Luis García have added yet another destination to the list of Cherokee Street's fantastic collection of restaurants. At Siete, which we named Best Mexican 2012, you can find tacos, tortas and other standard taqueria fare, but dig a bit deeper to discover more exotic offerings: pambazo is a torta with bread soaked in guajillo-chile sauce; tlacoyos are masa cakes stuffed with melted cheese; tacos de cabeza are made from beef cheeks. Some have even suggested that the carnitas here might be the best-rendered pork in town. It also serves the chips and two kinds of salsa in tiny plastic mule-driven wagons, and that's pretty awesome.

Siete Luminarias (2818 Cherokee Street; 314-932-1333)

Brothers Ramón and Luis García have added yet another destination to the list of Cherokee Street's fantastic collection of restaurants. At Siete, which we named Best Mexican 2012, you can find tacos, tortas and other standard taqueria fare, but dig a bit deeper to discover more exotic offerings: pambazo is a torta with bread soaked in guajillo-chile sauce; tlacoyos are masa cakes stuffed with melted cheese; tacos de cabeza are made from beef cheeks. Some have even suggested that the carnitas here might be the best-rendered pork in town. It also serves the chips and two kinds of salsa in tiny plastic mule-driven wagons, and that's pretty awesome.

Siete Luminarias (2818 Cherokee Street; 314-932-1333)

Brothers Ramón and Luis García have added yet another destination to the list of Cherokee Street's fantastic collection of restaurants. At Siete, which we named Best Mexican 2012, you can find tacos, tortas and other standard taqueria fare, but dig a bit deeper to discover more exotic offerings: pambazo is a torta with bread soaked in guajillo-chile sauce; tlacoyos are masa cakes stuffed with melted cheese; tacos de cabeza are made from beef cheeks. Some have even suggested that the carnitas here might be the best-rendered pork in town. It also serves the chips and two kinds of salsa in tiny plastic mule-driven wagons, and that's pretty awesome.

Lily's Mexican Restaurant (4601 South Kingshighway; 314-352-1894)

Lily's Mexican Restaurant sits unassumingly on the corner of Kingshighway and Devonshire Avenue, and when you walk into the homey environs, you feel like you've been invited to a big family get-together. The menu features exceptional dishes like those you'd find at taquerias, plus more conventional Mexican restaurant eats: tacos, tortas, burritos, tamales, enchiladas and chiles rellenos. With so many options, we suggest combination plates in addition to the several varieties of homemade salsa. Weekends feature posole, menudo and fantastic huevos chorizos. But your visit to Lily's wouldn't be complete without ordering one of the city's best margaritas: the Special includes brandy, tequila and your choice of amaretto, Grand Marnier or Kahlúa.

Lily's Mexican Restaurant (4601 South Kingshighway; 314-352-1894)

Lily's Mexican Restaurant sits unassumingly on the corner of Kingshighway and Devonshire Avenue, and when you walk into the homey environs, you feel like you've been invited to a big family get-together. The menu features exceptional dishes like those you'd find at taquerias, plus more conventional Mexican restaurant eats: tacos, tortas, burritos, tamales, enchiladas and chiles rellenos. With so many options, we suggest combination plates in addition to the several varieties of homemade salsa. Weekends feature posole, menudo and fantastic huevos chorizos. But your visit to Lily's wouldn't be complete without ordering one of the city's best margaritas: the Special includes brandy, tequila and your choice of amaretto, Grand Marnier or Kahlúa.

Lily's Mexican Restaurant (4601 South Kingshighway; 314-352-1894)

Lily's Mexican Restaurant sits unassumingly on the corner of Kingshighway and Devonshire Avenue, and when you walk into the homey environs, you feel like you've been invited to a big family get-together. The menu features exceptional dishes like those you'd find at taquerias, plus more conventional Mexican restaurant eats: tacos, tortas, burritos, tamales, enchiladas and chiles rellenos. With so many options, we suggest combination plates in addition to the several varieties of homemade salsa. Weekends feature posole, menudo and fantastic huevos chorizos. But your visit to Lily's wouldn't be complete without ordering one of the city's best margaritas: the Special includes brandy, tequila and your choice of amaretto, Grand Marnier or Kahlúa.