Contramar

Contramar serves seafood. Other items served include Mexican-style seafood dishes as well as international dishes, like chowder or . Two signature dishes at Contramar are the (or red-and-green grilled snapper) and the tuna tostada. The former consists of a Northern red snapper fillet split in half, with one side topped with a parsley-based sauce and the other in sauce. The tostada is prepared with thin slices of raw tuna, leek and avocado slices, and chipotle mayonnaise, served on maize toasted tortillas. The restaurant's interior design resembles a palapa, with a large hand-carved dining in the middle of the room as late as 2016. The restaurant also features a (anthology of poems), a blackboard displaying sea-themed poems by writers such as Carlos Pellicer Cámara, Rosario Castellanos, José Emilio Pacheco, and Juana Inés de la Cruz. == History ==

In 1996, while vacationing with a former boyfriend in Zihuatanejo, Gabriela Cámara conceived the idea of opening a restaurant in Mexico City that evoked the experience of dining in a beachside palapa. Cámara and her associates acquired an inexpensive former refrigeration parts store in the emerging Colonia Roma. The ceiling was covered with straw mats and fish skeletons were painted on to the walls by Carlos Pellicer López (nephew of the Mexican poet Pellicer Cámara). Contramar opened on 14 August 1998 on Durango Street, and is near the Durango bus station and the Fuente de Cibeles. Initially, passerby's were invited to eat and pay only if they liked the food. For a time, the restaurant employed only male waiters, several of whom had previous legal troubles. Contramar has drawn a celebrity clientele that includes artists, politicians, musicians, and international visitors. A sister restaurant, the Entremar, was opened in the city's Polanco neighborhood to reduce customers' wait times. A location called Cantina Contramar Las Vegas, located at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip, is scheduled to open in 2026. == Reception ==

Food critics recommend reservations, noting that the restaurant is often full at lunch, especially on Fridays. Similarly, Mariana Camacho from The Infatuation added that reservations are often made months in advance due to the restaurant's popularity. Ana Paula Tovar of El País recommended the meringue with strawberries or fig tart for dessert. Critics have praised the tuna tostada, describing it as "well-executed", "iconic", and a "must-try" dish. Contramar and Cala in San Francisco, both owned by Cámara, are the subject of the 2019 Netflix documentary A Tale of Two Kitchens. Regarding the experience of opening a sister restaurant in the United States, she said: "Opening a Mexican restaurant in the United States is a paradox no matter how you look at it [...] there is a lot of curiosity and respect for authentic Mexican food. On the other hand, there is a larger culture that despises Mexicans". Contramar received in 2019 the Best Dining Room Service award from the México Gastronómico guide and Best Service in Mexico from Travel + Leisure magazine. In 2023, Contramar was voted the tenth best international restaurant by Food & Wine magazine readers. It received a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide in 2025; the inspectors described the spot as enchanting and recommended the . == See also ==