Having now lived in Puebla for more than five years with my spouse, I've tried every reputable…read morerestaurant at least once. Though not a morning person, I've always loved breakfast and eating breakfast-type foods any time of day or night.
Renowned as the culinary capital of Mexico, Puebla does offer endlessly fantastic food, but breakfast/brunch spots here can be a mixed bag. We are choosy about where we eat our first meal of the day because we have been disappointed by most spots claiming to specialize in "desayunos" and "almuerzos." We avoid the pedestrian, touristy spots and chains because wasting time and money on places with poor service and/or mediocre food just isn't an option for us. Because we work very long hours running our nonprofit in Puebla and Oaxaca, weekends are the only time we can find to actually have breakfast or brunch, and often after noontime when most places have already stopped serving it.
Enter Tagers: Since we learned of this family-owned and operated restaurant several months ago (via TripAdvisor), it has fast become our favorite breakfast/brunch spot for a myriad of reasons. In our book, Tagers has set a standard not only for Puebla but for this region of the country. We now eat there nearly every weekend and often bring family and friends with us. As it is an independent, Mom-and-Pop style place and not part of any chain, the experience of eating at Tagers is more personal, memorable, and enjoyable.
The menu at Tagers (featuring attractive, genuine photo depictions) offers an impressive variety of made-from-scratch dishes to appeal to everyone, and special items are added to the menu --such as the Omelette de Nogada, a variation on Puebla's famous Chile en Nogada-- depending on the season. Traditional Mexican favorites such as chilaquiles and hearty enfrijoladas are served with gusto alongside more contemporary and foreign-inspired offerings such as a light Greek omelet and baked, Arab-style eggs. Typical standby fare such as hotcakes and the club sandwich with crispy fries are solid choices, and there are plenty of options in each menu category for meat lovers as well as for vegetarians. Particular standouts that we frequently enjoy at Tagers are the popular "Amsterdam," a scrumptious, sort of open-faced sandwich of toast stacked with crispy bacon, fried eggs, melted cheese, and a generous blanket of red-pepper sauce garnished with a bit of chorizo (a more than moderate appetite is required if ordering this dish). The Molletes Yucatecas and Burritos de Cochinita Pibil are simpler but equally mouth-watering choices, both made with slow-simmered, pulled pork. Many dishes are served a la carte or in economical "paquete" (combo) form with side items and beverages. The apple-cinnamon muffins are like tasty little pillows from Grandma, and the coffee and hot chocolate are always hot and rich. The fresh-squeezed fruit juices are an especially nice touch.
With breakfast and brunch, over the years I've usually been the type of diner who orders the same typical things over and over, hesitant to mix it up. Tagers quickly ended that streak. My spouse and I have yet to experience a meal at Tagers that has been less than excellent. The food is delicious, the staff is always attentive, warm and friendly, and the menu prices are consistently reasonable. Operating hours extend to around 4:00 PM every day, so if arriving in the afternoon, we are welcomed in as cheerfully as if it were 10:00 AM.
Puebla dearly needed a reliable spot like Tagers for a long time and is very fortunate now to have it.
