Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city, is also the capital of the state of Jalisco—the birthplace of mariachi music, charros, and tequila. It's a sprawling urban center of more than five million people, including a sizeable international community, and boasts vibrant cultural scenes. Expo Guadalajara, a massive exposition and trade show complex that is considered to be the country's most important convention center, hosts more than 60 events a year and has stimulated the local government's commitment to continue investing in Guadalajara's infrastructure, especially for business. Known as Mexico's Silicon Valley and a place where multinational corporations have set up shop, this cosmopolitan city is friendly, charming, and well-prepared for the business traveler.

Currency: Mexican Peso

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Modern Mexican
19/20
$$$$$

Cocina 88 is among the most upscale restaurants in this gastronomic town, and even business people who have enjoyed meals at the world's finest establishments are likely to be impressed. First-time guests will enjoy a waiter-led tour of the fish and meat pantry, with most of the ingredients sourced from Mexico, as well as a tour of the wine cava, featuring an extensive selection of Mexican wines that are largely unknown outside the country.  The restaurant is set in a magnificent chateau, built during the French occupation in the 1860s, right in the middle of Colonia Americana—an address for many of the city's top shops and residences. It is spacious and comfortable, and offers a business dining room that can accommodate up to 60 guests. Cocina 88 is rightfully known as the most innovative kitchen in town, emphasizing fresh, local plates that blend contemporary techniques with traditional Mexican ingredients, such as agave, guava, and tequila.

Mexican/ International
17/20
$$$$$

A favorite with locals and out of town diners, El Sacromonte is synonymous with fine Mexican dining in Guadalajara. Located in a former residence decorated with bullfighting memorabilia and steeped in mariachi music, this restaurant is noted for its creative menu where old-time Mexican favorites, like mole and enchiladas, are nicely balanced with more daring plates, such as rose petal quesadillas and the smooth, smoky chipotle-Roquefort soup. The colorful dishes are perfectly matched with the décor, mainly based on handicrafts, and the star lanterns hanging from the ceiling around the courtyard provide a private ambiance, despite the crowd. The live music is a perfect accompaniment for sipping tequila and closing a good deal. Reservations are a must since the city's top movers and shakers, from politicians to soccer players, frequent the place.

Mexican/Asian Fusion
15/20
$$$$$

Not the first place you'd think of for a business lunch or dinner, La I Latina is surprisingly appealing, especially for casual meetings with the young and hip high-tech business crowd. The restaurant offers a menu that fuses Mexican favorites with Thai flair. And although the food is excellent, this is also a great place to enjoy "una copa" (drinks), as the cocktail list is inventive (try the Suntequila, a blend of tequila, maracuya juice, and grapefruit juice). Located in the upscale suburban district of Zapopan, it's an ideal location if you are doing business in this northern area of town. This trendy spot is popular, so reservations are a good idea.

Argentinean
17/20
$$$$$

Guadalajara has many Argentinean restaurants, but La Matera is, without a doubt, the city's most popular one. Perfectly grilled steaks and an extensive wine list, plus a recondite setting in the middle of a residential area, provide an ideal backdrop for business meetings.

Japanese
17/20
$$$$$

Undoubtedly, Suehiro is the best place for Japanese delicacies in Guadalajara, and has held this status for more than 30 years. It is ideal for lunchtime business meals, with private Teppanyaki tables seating 6-8 people and a most rewarding interior garden. The restaurant has a special bar section, suitable for more informal meetings, where appetizers are served along with an extraordinary selection of sake and Japanese beers. The spacious setting is well arranged and service is gracious. Soy sauces with a twist of jalapeno are a must for accompanying any order of sushi, sashimi, sukiyaki, or tempura. In addition, Suehiro offers a private business dining room with a maximum capacity of 40 people. The room is equipped with wireless Internet, television, projection screen, and a sound system. Reservations must be made in advance.

Casa ITESO-Clavigero
José Guadalupe Zuno # 2083
(entre Avenida Chapultepec y Marsella)
Colonia Americana
www.iteso.mx

Luis Barragán was by far Mexico's most emblematic 20th-century architect. His use of color, perspective and inner spaces defined a country and an epoch. Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, but with an impressive style of his own, this peculiar artist put his mark on the country's history. One of his most representative works is in the artistic heart of Guadalajara, the Colonia Americana district. La Casa ITESO-Clavigero, designed by the Pritzker Architecture Prize winner in 1928, belongs to his first period of work. Its design is a fusion of Mexican traditional architecture and regional North African architecture, with some European influences. Away from the crowds, the Casa ITESO-Clavigero is a well-hidden secret of Guadalajara. Once a private residence, it is now the cultural center of the ITESO University, with interesting temporary exhibits and a pretty lively cafeteria. It's open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and on Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Small private tours are offered.

Instituto Cultural Cabañas  
Calle Cabañas 8, Plaza Tapatia  
Colonia Centro  
52 33 3668 1640

Erected at the turn of the nineteenth century, this imposing building housed what used to be the most populated hospice in the country for over 100 years, and is run by a secular priest who is still venerated by the entire city. Based on designs by famous architect Manuel Tolsá, the head behind most of Mexico City's urban planning, the Hospicio Cabañas is a sea of tranquility right in the middle of busy downtown Guadalajara. Transformed into a Cultural Center, nowadays it boasts large gallery spaces where the city's Cultural Festival takes place every May. Permanent highlights are the murals painted by José Clemente Orozco, especially his masterpiece, "Man of Fire," which crowns the cupola. No matter how many times you visit, you'll find it refreshing to gaze at the traces of Orozco's work of art, surrounded by the almost complete silence of the place. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and on Sundays 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

El Parian  
Tlaquepaque 
www.tlaquepaque.gob.mx

Once a small artisan village on the outskirts of Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque has been absorbed by the urban sprawl and now lies halfway between the city center and the international airport. Easily accessible by taxi (the preferred way) or public transportation, Tlaquepaque proudly houses what could be considered the ultimate Mexican experience. A restaurant/bar/mariachi plaza inserted in the old heart of the town, El Parian boasts its own little zócalo, with a kiosk and all the related paraphernalia. Dozens of tables for enjoying appetizers and drinks, amidst local vendors of the finest handicrafts in town, will make you feel as though you stepped back in time to pre-revolutionary Mexico. To go truly local, though, stop by La Casa Fuerte, which is the favored haunt of natives.  
 
Parque Mirador Independencia
Calzada Independencia

Located at the very end of Avenida Independencia, in the northern outskirts of town, this impressive public park surrounds what could offer one of the most rewarding views in Guadalajara, the Barranca de Oblatos. A deep canyon, shaped by the Santiago and Grande rivers, the Barranca de Oblatos is an escape from the city, and home to many endemic species and a paradise for bird watching. The park has well-marked jogging trails, with magnificent views of the canyon. The best times for visiting are dusk and dawn, not only because the place is less crowded, but also for the beautiful color reflections of the sun on the canyon. 

Tequila Tours

Only 60 kilometers (about 37 miles) from downtown Guadalajara, the small, picturesque town of Tequila, in the midst of the Sierra Madre, is the place from which the (in)famous Mexican liquor takes its name. Most of the country's prominent tequila distillers call the town home, and their doors are open for visitors to take a close look at the production process of this liquid delicacy. Tequila is a perfect escape if your business trip keeps you in town for the weekend. Visit one of the three major distilleries, each of which hosts its own tours: Jose Cuervo's Mundo Cuervo Tour (www.mundocuervo.com), Sauza (www.sauzatequila.com), or La Cofradia (www.tequilacofradia.com.mx). The drive alone is worth the trip: ringed by mountains, including the Volcan Tequila (Tequila Volcano), and covered in fields of blue agave, the landscape is photogenic, and it's little wonder that Tequila was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.