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Mexico City: Neighborhood Fun

2 months ago

So, honestly I harbored some apprehension and misconceptions about Mexico City (CDMX) for a long while. I had the impression that it was just big hot, smoggy and overcrowded, not to mention terribly dangerous. No thank you. These issues outweighed any interest I had in visiting, beyond the occasional lure from pop foodie “insiders” to go binge on esoteric street tacos. 

However, over the past few years of reading and armchair traveling I have been coming around to a new perspective, and I think Mexico City has too. So we agreed to convene a few months ago, and I was deliciously blown away. 

If like me you need an update on security in CDMX, it has very much improved in recent years with lots of cameras and police presence everywhere in the main central neighborhoods.  Visitors who exercise some basic good sense are really quite safe now.  Need details?  Here’s a very good article for you: https://www.projectexpedition.com/blog/2023/09/12/is-mexico-city-safe-for-travel/

Obviously, a week is not enough time to see absolutely everything in the 6th largest city in the world, but most visitors stick to a group of the central neighborhoods. It’s totally doable to at least dip into each of them for a half day or so.  It makes sense to tackle the city by neighborhood, as it can take a bit of time to get from one to another and you don’t want to waste time sitting in traffic. Also, there is an extensive Metro system if you just want to skip the car thing altogether.

One of the major surprises for me was how manageable the scale of many of these areas turned out to be, with lots of leafy green streets, central parks, happy dogs frolicking, neighborhood cafes, fresh air and space to meander.  I never once felt crowded, even in the more central tourist zones. 

Here arranged by neighborhood is an amalgamation of our own trip, and a list of recommendations from friends who have been to Mexico City recently.  Is this list exhaustive?  Of course not!! I cannot wait to go back and add to it! 

CONDESA/ROMA

Arty and bohemian, filled with parks, Art Deco buildings, sidewalk cafes, galleries, boutiques, independent fashion designers, excellent vintage shops and lovely streets to meander, this cluster of central CDMX neighborhoods is a great home base for your stay.  The area is populated with artists, locals, international residents and families. After a day of crisscrossing the big city, it’s great to land in a zone that is less hectic than downtown and offers loads of great restaurants, wine bars, and cocktails. 

CONDESA:

Bordering Parque Mexico is Avenida Amsterdam, once the neighborhood horse racing track. Today, this circuit is the focal point of the neighborhood and a pedestrian walkway runs through the middle. Walk the perimeter, grab a coffee, and settle in to the sweet central park for excellent people and puppy watching!

Shopping

  • Under the Volcano Books – English second hand bookstore
  • Rapsodia – Mexican brand of hip women’s clothing and accessories
  • Gama Art Gallery – urban illustrations and works on paper
  • The Erre Vintage – two locations in Condesa and Roma

Market

  • Tuesday Market – The “Mercado sobre Ruedas” is a weekly street market just outside the park in the streets surrounding Edificio Condesa, a famous luxury 1911 apartment complex and former haunt of Plácido Domingo.

Food

  • Duo – small café for breakfast 
  • Marne Panadería – excellent pastries and coffee “feels more like a baker’s workshop than a cafe.”
  • Café de Tacuba – one of Mexico City’s oldest restaurants
  • Ostreria 109 – gorgeous design and one of our top meals
  • Azul Condesa – one of our favorite meals of the trip
  • Botanico – beautiful garden setting in a restored Art Deco mansion
  • Lardo
  • Maizajo – artisan corn is the star here
  • Contramar – upscale seafood institution
  • Tacos Hola El Güero – traditional tacos since 1968
  • La Capital – contemporary Mexican
  • Neveria Roxy Ice Cream – 75 year old ice cream parlor with traditional and innovative flavors

Drinks

ROMA:

Shopping

  • Walk down Colima Street and little side streets for fun boutiques and concept stores.
  • Pasaje Parian – sweet boutique lined shopping zone
  • Metate – for very cool artisan Mexican housewares
  • 180 Degrees for clothing and jewelry from emerging local designers
  • Elevated vintage shopping: Vintage Hoe, Revolver, Gobelin Vintage, Back to Life for amazing cowboy boots, Erre, Mother Vintage Store for cowboy boots, leather jackets and handbags from Mexican brands.

Markets

Food

  • Rosetta – delicious food in a beautiful setting. one of our favorites!
  • Wabi sushi – sometimes you need a sushi break from it all…
  • Blanco Colima – we’re going back for this one. Looks excellent.
  • Jenni’s Street Quesadillas – corner of Colima and Merida every morning around 11am. Made with freshly pressed blue corn tortillas
  • Maíz de Cacao – for traditional food from the Huasteca region
  • Mux Restaurante – food traditions from small towns in different regions of Mexico.
  • Barbacoa Gonzalitos – popular weekend-only taco destination
  • Somsaa – SE Asian dim sum and sparkling wine in a gorgeous old house

Drinks

  • Maison Artemisia – cocktail bar
  • Oropel – small hip vermouth-focused bar
  • 686 Bar – chic little speakeasy hidden above EM restaurant
  •  

BOSQUE/CHAPULTEPEC PARK

Rent bikes to check out the large 1600 acre park which includes a zoo, eight museums, a lake, sculpture gardens and:

  • Chapultepec Castle, built in the 18th century for the Spanish viceroy and now home to the National History Museum. Definitely worth a visit!  It also has great views of the city.
  • National Anthropology Museum – incredible archaeology and architecture, Olmec carved heads and the Aztec Stone of the Sun.  DO NOT miss this!!  
  • Moctezuma’s Baths – ruins of the bathhouse of the final Aztec emperor
  • Museo del Axolote y Centro de Conservación de Anfibios – because axolotes are the closest thing to adorable as an amphibian gets.

Food

  • Pop across the street to the top of the Ritz Carlton for tea and incredible views across the park.
  • Or head north to the Polanco neighborhood for lunch and lovely shopping/galleries

CENTRO HISTORICO

Lots of sights and historic things to see in this part of town.  Basically walk from the Palacio de Bellas Artes to the giant square around the Cathedral:

Shopping

Markets

  • Mercado San Juan – super famous market with all kinds of traditional and exotic foods

Food:

  • Balcon de Zocalo – great place for lunch overlooking the famous city square. Ask for a table with a view.
  • Caracol del Mar – famous seafood place just off the plaza
  • Salón Tenampa – on the Plaza Garibaldi for tacos, tequila and mariachi
  • La Ópera – grand dame 19th century bar/restaurant

JUAREZ

  • Masala y Maíz – trendy spot that “xplores the migration of people, culinary techniques, ingredients, cultural food ways and political movements between South Asia, East Africa & Mexico”
  • Handshake Speakeasy – highly acclaimed cocktail bar – make a reservation
  • La Rifa Chocolateria – traditional cacao drinking chocolate
  • Joe Gelato – highly rated gelato in unusual flavor combinations

POLANCO

Upscale neighborhood with luxury shopping and galleries.

Sights

  • Museo Soumaya – Iconic silver structure houses large collection of Mexican and European art

Shopping

Food

  • Quintonil – incredible fine dining.  Best in the city? Do not miss if you can get a reservation!
  • Siembre Tortilleria – beautifully designed corn-centric restaurant
  • La Ventana del Ticuchi – Enrique Olvera’s small outdoor cafe
  • Malix – popular all-day café

SOUTHERN NEIGHBORHOODS:

It is totally worth it to spend a day in the southern neighborhoods, Coyocan, San Angel, and Xochimilco. I recommend reserving a guide or driver, or at least making a solid transportation plan. These zones are more spread out and less accessible to each other and there are a few stops to make. 

Sights:

Frida Kahlo fans this is your moment:

  • Museo de Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo
  • Museo Frida Kahlo
  • UNAM Biblioteca Central – Monolithic cube covered in intricate mosaics on the main university campus
  • Wander around the colorful cobble stoned streets of San Angel and try to visit during the Saturday market.
  • Coyoacán is also picturesque, especially Francisco Sosa street which is lined with over 60 designated historic buildings.
  • Xochimilco – Board a private “trajinera” boat for an absolutely magical float through a system of original Aztec era canals of (most of which were drained and filled to create the modern city).  It sounds super touristy, but the canals are mostly full of local families and celebratory groups out for a picnic on the water.  Not to be missed.  

Markets

  • El Bazar Sabado 10am – 5pm – Old colonial plaza in San Angel jam-packed with artists and artisans and across the street is the weekly artist’s street market

Food

  • San Angel Inn – lovely colonial inn with a pretty courtyard for lunch.  Definitely make a reservation especially on Saturday.  

TEOTIHUACAN

If you have time definitely spend a morning (it’s cooler!) at the vast pre-Colombian temple complex of Teotihuacan about 30 miles north of the city. As the most important and largest city of pre-Aztec central Mexico, it’s hard to prepare yourself for the sheer scale of this place. Fascinating – don’t miss!!!

TOURS:

RESOURCES: 

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