KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Acamaya ranked No. 1 on The New York Times‘ list of 41 leading Mexican restaurants nationwide.
Sisters Ana and Lydia Castro opened Acamaya as their first restaurant project in New Orleans.
The seafood-driven menu combines influences from Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico and New Orleans.
Acamaya received a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand and has earned recognition from Esquire and Bon Appétit.
Mexican food is a beloved cuisine in the U.S., whether its Tex-Mex joints or upscale restaurants showcasing unique culinary flare.
The New York Times has deciphered the best Mexican restaurants in the U.S., with their team of reporters, editors and photographers traveling the country in search of their favorite spots.
The list is an amalgamation of the best of the best, from food trucks and corner restaurants to tasting-menu counters.
Acamaya in New Orleans named the best Mexican restaurant in the US by New York Times
Acamaya in New Orleans came in at the top of the list on New York Time’s list of the 41 greatest Mexican restaurants across the U.S.
Acamaya is the first restaurant project of sisters Ana and Lydia Castro, who were born in Texas, raised in Mexico City and later moved to New Orleans. At their restaurant, the pair aims to meld together the best of Mexico City, Gulf of Mexico seafood and New Orleans.
This restaurant received a 2025 Bib Gourmand distinction from the Michelin Guide for the American South and it was deemed one of the best new restaurants in America by Esquire and Bon Appetit in 2025. The restaurant was also featured on the 2024 New York Times Restaurant List.
Chef Ana Castro has created a seafood-driven menu that’s not lacking when it comes to boldness and flair. Some of the most popular menu items include the shrimp costra, tuna tostada, carne asada, masa tres leches and chochoyotes, according to Yelp.
The restaurant’s interior will make you feel like you’ve been transported right to Mexico City, with pink tiles, beautiful stone work and decorative breeze walls.
41 greatest Mexican restaurants across the U.S. according to New York Times
Acamaya in New Orleans, Louisiana
La Aguascalientes Mercado de Carnes in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Alebrijie in Nashville, Tennessee
Alma Fonda Fina in Denver, Colorado
Amá in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Amano in Caldwell, Idaho
Amparo Fondita in Washington, D.C.
Bacanora in Phoenix, Arizona
Barbacoa Mejía in Richmond, California
Birrieria Ocotlan in Chicago, Illinois
BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs in Tucson, Arizona
Burnt Bean Company in Seguin, Texas
Californios in San Francisco, California
Carnitas Los Cuatro Hermanos in Springdale, Arkansas
Carnitas Ramirez inNew York City, New York
Chalupas Poblanas El Tlecuile inNew York City
El Chile Toreado in Santa Fe,New Mexico
La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal in Denver, Colorado
Food Truck Paradise inNew Haven, Connecticut
Garcia’s Mexican Food in San Antonio, Texas
Gorditas Santiago in Chicago, Illinois
Hugo’s in Houston, Texas
Ki’ikibáa in Portland, Oregon
Lugya’h in Los Angeles, California
Mariscos El Profe in Phoenix, Arizona
Mariscos Jalisco in Los Angeles, California
Mary and Tito’s Cafe in Albuquerque,New Mexico
Mercado La Paloma in Los Angeles, California
Mi Tocaya Antojería in Chicago, Illinois
Mis Tacones in Portland, Oregon
Nixta Taqueria in Austin, Texas
Oro by Nixta in Minneapolis, Minnesota
El Pollo Rey in Kansas City, Kansas
La Sirena in Ephraim, Wisconsin
Sunset Park Plaza inNew York City, New York
Tacos El Volcancito in Charlotte, North Carolina
Taquería Elemi in El Paso, Texas
Tuxpan Taqueria in Central Falls, Rhode Island
Valle in Oceanside, California
Vecino in Detroit, Michigan
El Yaquesito in Las Vegas, Nevada
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: This New Orleans Mexican restaurant was named the best in the country
Reporting by Presley Bo Tyler, Shreveport Times / Shreveport Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Dining and Cooking