Celia

The story

Celia in Düsseldorf: Mexican Cooking with Mole and Barbacoa

Celia is a Mexican restaurant at Gladbacherstraße 15 in Düsseldorf, awarded 2 Kochlöffel by the Schlemmer Atlas in 2026 and listed as Recommended by Michelin the same year. Its menu follows Mexican and Latin American roots, with a Sunday brunch offered one Sunday a month.

The couple behind it

Rene Brauchle and Florentina Assis own the restaurant. He is of Mexican-German descent and was born in Venezuela, she was born in Chile. Celia is a tribute to the matriarch of the Reyes family, whose spices and cooking led Brauchle into the kitchen. The team prepares everything on site and works with local and seasonal products.

Masa, mole and the grill

The menu opens with a section called Del comal, which includes corn tortillas made in-house daily, tetela filled with beans and served with mole, and memela with beans and cheese. The Schlemmer Atlas singles out the mole, barbacoa, tostada de arrachera and aguachile, all of which appear on the menu. Mains include cochinita of Ibérico neck, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked for 24 hours, and enmoladas with a red Oaxaca-style mole.

Tasting menu and agave

Evenings by reservation only, the six-course tasting menu "Viaje a México" adds a dessert at the end. Among the sweets are 3 Leches and the Calendario, a chocolate mousse with a mole center. The bar pours a long list of mezcal and tequila, plus three-glass tastings, and cocktails such as the Mezcalita and a Mezcal Negroni.