Restaurante Milagros: Mexican Food in a Colorful Space

Ryan recently wrote about where to find the best Mexican food in Medellin, but his list is focused on the cheaper places.

Food doesn’t have to cost a lot to be good, which is especially true of Mexican cuisine, but I can’t help but share my experience at the higher priced Restaurante Milagros.

In terms of both food quality, and atmosphere, it’s one of my new favorites for Mexican food in the city.

I discovered Milagros (which means “miracle” in Spanish) earlier this year during my exploration of the blocks between the 1st and 2nd parks of Laureles.

They also have a location in the Provenza area of Poblado, next to Santo Baile. I believe their first location was in Poblado, but I’m not 100% sure.

I recruited Viviana to join me for lunch one day. Situated on a busy intersection in the heart of Laureles, Milagros is a two-story restaurant.

The red exterior is hard to miss, and once you’ve been drawn into the ground floor bar, it’s hard to take your eyes off the place.

In hopes of escaping some of the traffic noise, I suggested we sit on the upper level.

Upstairs is just as colorful as the first floor, and windows with blue frames wrap around the sides facing the street.

The menus are as colorful and playful as the rest of the decor, and we were offered complimentary chips while we decided what to order.

For drinks, we each ordered juice, and boy was I impressed when they arrived in tall glasses. There’s no issue with portion size here.

The various juices cost between 5,500 to 7,000 pesos ($2.90 – $3.70).

For the starter, I chose Gorditas Milagrosas, a fusion dish featuring little arepas with chicharron and shredded meat, which are then smothered in melted mozzarella cheese.

It was a little over the top, but tasty. I’m glad Viviana was there to share them with me. The cost of this appetizer was 17,000 pesos ($9).

Having just returned from a five-week trip through Mexico, including Puebla and Oaxaca, I knew my moles.

I ordered a green poblano mole with chicken. The presentation wasn’t quite what I expected. In Mexico, they usually give you a giant chicken breast smothered in the mole, but in this case, it was chopped up chicken instead.

Once I tasted it, the presentation ceased to matter. It was delicious. Not quite Oaxaca quality, but the flavors were there, and the meat was tender and juicy.

Given our super cheesy appetizer, I didn’t touch the cheese-covered tomato stuffed with criolla potatoes and bacon bits.

At 34,800 pesos ($18), it’s not the cheapest dish on the menu, but I would definitely pay for it again.

Viviana opted for a straightforward quesadilla, stuffed with carne, cheese and refried beans, and served alongside a heaping dollop of fresh guacamole.

The portion size was huge, and I was too full to help her out, so we had to leave some behind. At 21,000 pesos ($11), the quesadilla is a lot more food for your money.

One thing I learned quickly in Mexico was that quesadillas are characterized by their cheese fillings. Once you add meat, it’s more like a taco. It’s a subtle distinction that nobody seems to care about, at least not outside of Mexico.

Overall, I enjoyed our lunch at Milagros in Laureles. If you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars per plate, it’s worth it for the ambience alone.

Check out a few more of my photos below to see for yourself.