Meet the Most Beloved Ice Cream Man in Mexico City

Welcome to our column How to Eat in Mexico, in which we talk about those small corners of our country that offer the cuisine that we love so much. Whether it's prepared under plastic sheeting or at Michelin-starred restaurants in Polanco, our guide will be our own nostalgia and whim. As Don Quixote said, beggars can't be choosers. In this installment, we'll introduce you to one of the oldest and most beloved ice cream shops in Mexico City.

The kid looks surprised and suddenly overwhelmed with happiness at the sight of the ice cream. Salivating, his jaw drops. He reaches for the counter as if he were about to receive the Holy Grail, and grabs the cookie dough cone. He orders a scoop of banana-flavored ice cream and a scoop of Oreo.

Mario Cuéllar always smiles as he serves the ice cream that he made early that morning. He seems fully aware that his main job is to spread joy. Whether the customer is a little girl or an old man, he somehow knows which flavors each person is going to like. "Have you tried the mezcal flavor?" he asks one man. "Miss, you are going to love the dark chocolate one." "Would you like the one with mint gummy bears?" he asks as he points to a container of green and white ice cream with a mosaic of colors.

We are all kids at heart when we go out for ice cream.

The business was founded by his father, Pedro Cuéllar, a former craftsman who used to sell pottery in the old Tacubaya market. Nobody really knows why he gave up ceramics for ice cream. He may have quit his job as a craftsman, but he still has a creative side to him. A few years later, he had developed more than 100 flavors. That was the legacy that his son Mario made even greater, adding an extra 25 flavors to a culinary repertoire that his son Pedro will someday inherit.

Pedro Cuéllar initially found a place across the street from the Becerra market. In 1957, he settled into what used to be Doña María Ituarte's house and stayed there for 27 years. Then he moved downtown, where he worked for another 22 years. Mario found the current location on Héroes Street, always in the Tacubaya neighborhood. It's a neighborhood that's known for its boxing tradition. Some of the most important boxing champions shave topped by Nevería Mi Juanita—named after Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos.

The Cuban boxer Mantequilla Nápoles, who won the fight against the American champion Curtis Cokes, once asked to hear the Mexican national anthem. Another customer is Vicente Saldívar, a fighter famous for defeating Ultiminio Ramos. And let's not forget Lupe Pintor who fatally knocked out Johnny Owen in 1980 in Los Angeles. Don Mario has also served ice cream to Amalia Mendoza (a.ka. ) and Fannie Kauffman. But it doesn't really matter who you are, because the Cuéllars will always make you feel important.

Mario Cuellar has a prodigious memory and he remembers each one of his customers. Picking a flavor is usually a difficult decision for them. In that moment, Mario shows his lovely smile and asks, "How about guanabana and lemon cream?" The customer thinks for a second, repeats the words, and makes them his own. He reaches out to take the cone before walking away, filled with the sweetest childhood memories.

Follow David Santa Cruz Twitter: @LaBanquetera.

This article originally appeared in Spanish on MUNCHIES ES.