Máximo Bistrot

Máximo, originally Máximo Bistrot, is a restaurant in Mexico City. It was founded in 2011 by the chef Eduardo "Lalo" García and the restaurateur Gabriela López. The diner offers dishes made with seasonal Mexican ingredients, inspired by French culinary techniques. For example, it has served crisp-skinned trout with clams, escamoles with Comté cheese, or soft-shell crab tlayudas with guacamole. Máximo Bistrot opened with four employees in a small space on Tonalá Street, in Colonia Roma, featuring a tricolored cement mosaic floor and a tree of life sculpture where candles replaced traditional biblical figures. The restaurant earned praise for emphasizing a farm-to-table concept, sourcing local ingredients, providing affordable dining, and offering a menu that changed daily—an approach likened to that of a bistro, later introducing a tasting menu. In 2013, it became the focus of national controversy when the daughter of the consumer protection chief of Mexico's Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (PROFECO) attempted to bypass the reservation system, prompting a temporary closure by PROFECO inspectors. The incident sparked public backlash over abuse of power, leading to the chief's dismissal and sanctioning of several officials. In 2020, Máximo Bistrot moved to a larger location on Avenida Álvaro Obregón, rebranding simply as Máximo. The new space included an expanded kitchen, enabling the restaurant to refine its offerings. Housed in a building with an industrial aesthetic, the establishment has a warehouse-style arched ceiling. Despite the delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the establishment grew to employ 120 people that year. In 2021, The World's 50 Best Restaurants gave the eatery an award for its business model reinvention. In 2025, Máximo received one Michelin star in the second Michelin Guide covering Mexico.