Days spent in CDMX – as the Mexican capital is known locally – serve up a dose of dopamine at every turn. The north American continent’s most populous hub, this buzzy, vital, technicolor sprawl comprises 16 alcaldías (buroughs) home to around 2,000 colonias (neighbourhoods), so nobody’s going to tick them all off on any one visit. But if you’re looking for a ready-made itinerary for a food-centric mini break, or a jumping-off point for a longer stay, be sure to read our essential guide on where to eat, drink, sleep and play before you touch down at Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez.
48 sunshine- and food-fuelled hours in Mexico City
Day one
Drop your bags at Condesa DF. This soul-soothing 40-key urban refuge artfully blends edgy art deco angles with a riot of florals and its cocktail bar is a magnet for both guests and locals. The hotel’s neighbourhood, Condesa – 5 km west of the Zócalo, the city's main square – is lushly green and peppered with Instagrammable cafés and cocktail bars, making it a great base. Home to art nouveau mansions galore, many of them concealing restaurants and independent stores, the area’s vibe is creatively chic yet chilled. Get your bearings with a wander around Parque México, a cup of robust coffee and a chocolate-filled babka – a sweet, doughy national treat – in hand. You’ll find the best ones at Mendl, a Jewish delicatessen in the heart of Condesa. Alternatively, settle in at a table and enjoy a hearty breakfast of eggs and lox with fried potato latkes dipped in thick cream sauce, or perfectly crisp chicken schnitzel with dill pickles on the side. The bagels are chewy perfection and there’s also cute merch to take away.
Condesa is packed with pavement cafés and Instagrammable cocktail bars
Calle Amsterdam, a former horse-racing track transformed into a tree-lined oval pedestrian walkway, is another verdant oasis away from the city’s more characteristic cacophony, promising excellent people-watching and cool, pleasant walking in the shade of elms, oaks, palms, rubber trees and jacarandas.
If you’re in town on a Tuesday, visit the farmers’ market in west Condesa to snack on some of the freshest produce around, including mushrooms, avocados, herbs and greens, much of it grown by indigenous women smallholders.
When thirst strikes, answer the siren call of Las Brugas. The bar takes its name from Roma Norte’s iconic Casa de las Brujas, or House of the Witches. Led by bar manager Gabriela Lozada, the star drinking hole boasts an all-female mixology “coven”, delivering impeccable service and a drinks menu honouring witchcraft and women. There’s a heavy focus on botanical concoctions, with ingredients sourced from Mexico City’s markets. Our favourite cocktails include signature pour Lenca, a blend of tequila plata infused with coffee beans, herbal Italian liqueur and vermouth, and an elevated bramble, featuring gin, redcurrant liquor, black raspberry and lime.
Calle Amsterdam, a former horse-racing track transformed into a tree-lined oval pedestrian walkway, is another verdant oasis away from the city’s more characteristic cacophony, promising excellent people-watching and cool, pleasant walking in the shade of elms, oaks, palms, rubber trees and jacarandas.
If you’re in town on a Tuesday, visit the farmers’ market in west Condesa to snack on some of the freshest produce around, including mushrooms, avocados, herbs and greens, much of it grown by indigenous women smallholders.
When thirst strikes, answer the siren call of Las Brugas. The bar takes its name from Roma Norte’s iconic Casa de las Brujas, or House of the Witches. Led by bar manager Gabriela Lozada, the star drinking hole boasts an all-female mixology “coven”, delivering impeccable service and a drinks menu honouring witchcraft and women. There’s a heavy focus on botanical concoctions, with ingredients sourced from Mexico City’s markets. Our favourite cocktails include signature pour Lenca, a blend of tequila plata infused with coffee beans, herbal Italian liqueur and vermouth, and an elevated bramble, featuring gin, redcurrant liquor, black raspberry and lime.
Condensa’s hottest table Fugaz, left, and Jewish delicatessen Mendl
As the light fades and the city metamorphoses into a sea of twinkling lights, Roma awaits. This authentic, plaza-filled neighbourhood was officially designated a “Barrio Mágico” in 2011 for its success in preserving its traditional identity. It was also the star of Alfonso Cuarón’s eponymous 2018 film, which brought issues of land, power and race in 1970s Mexico to the world’s attention. For dinner at one of the locale’s hottest tables, swing by Fugaz. Chef Giuseppe Lacorazza’s Roma Norte restaurant is a much-loved neighbourhood spot for very good reason. We recommend ordering the whole menu (it’s small and it changes regularly), of which, if it’s on, the avocado and furikake tostada is a highlight. Expect dishes such as fish crudo with melon, peanuts and guajillo chilli, and slow-cooked aubergine with yoghurt, buckwheat, peppers and fresh herbs. Wash it all down with a craft mezcal cocktail or two, and save room for dessert – honey panna cotta, anyone?
As the light fades and the city metamorphoses into a sea of twinkling lights, Roma awaits. This authentic, plaza-filled neighbourhood was officially designated a “Barrio Mágico” in 2011 for its success in preserving its traditional identity. It was also the star of Alfonso Cuarón’s eponymous 2018 film, which brought issues of land, power and race in 1970s Mexico to the world’s attention. For dinner at one of the locale’s hottest tables, swing by Fugaz. Chef Giuseppe Lacorazza’s Roma Norte restaurant is a much-loved neighbourhood spot for very good reason. We recommend ordering the whole menu (it’s small and it changes regularly), of which, if it’s on, the avocado and furikake tostada is a highlight. Expect dishes such as fish crudo with melon, peanuts and guajillo chilli, and slow-cooked aubergine with yoghurt, buckwheat, peppers and fresh herbs. Wash it all down with a craft mezcal cocktail or two, and save room for dessert – honey panna cotta, anyone?
Day two
In need of a good caffeine hit after a night spent painting the town red? Make tracks for Saint, a gorgeous neighbourhood bakery in Condesa. It’s pretty hectic on the weekend, with locals queuing round the corner for fresh loaves of bread, and there are only eight small outdoor tables, so we recommend coming first thing. People go wild for the bakehouse’s almond pains au chocolat, but if you fancy something savoury with your coffee, turn straight to the sandwich menu, which is packed with creative combos served in the freshest of baguettes.
Street life in CDMX
Making a pilgrimage to the Frida Kahlo Museum, aka the Blue House, a historic house museum dedicated to the life and work of the Mexican artist, is a rite of passage for first-timers to Mexico City, showcasing not only the creative breadth of one of the world’s best-loved artists, but also of the capital’s dazzling art scene in the 1930s and 40s. Take the subway from Centro Médico to Coyoacán to get there. And if you’re smitten by this storied neighbourhood, stay a little longer and enjoy a wander around the Centennial Garden, trying to spot the coyote fountain (Coyoacán roughly translates as “place of coyotes”).
Making a pilgrimage to the Frida Kahlo Museum, aka the Blue House, a historic house museum dedicated to the life and work of the Mexican artist, is a rite of passage for first-timers to Mexico City, showcasing not only the creative breadth of one of the world’s best-loved artists, but also of the capital’s dazzling art scene in the 1930s and 40s. Take the subway from Centro Médico to Coyoacán to get there. And if you’re smitten by this storied neighbourhood, stay a little longer and enjoy a wander around the Centennial Garden, trying to spot the coyote fountain (Coyoacán roughly translates as “place of coyotes”).
Quesadillas to go at Jenni’s, left, and some of the city’s diverse street food
It’s never a bad time for a quesadilla in Mexico City. Find some of the best at Jenni’s. The vendor sets up her iconic quesadilla stall in Roma Norte every day from 11am on the corner of Colima and Mérida. Locals and visitors alike flock here for a taste of her delicious homemade quesadillas, tlacoyos and pambazos, filled with a variety of savoury options such as meat (chicharrón and tinga) or popular vegetables including quelites, hongos and flor de calabaza.
Nearby, you also have restaurant Contramar, which, over two decades ago, revolutionised Mexico City's culinary scene by introducing fresh seafood to a city predominantly in love with meat. Today, it remains an iconic example of the Mexican "lunch hour," which can stretch from noon until 6pm. Led by chef Gabriela Cámara, who also serves as culinary advisor to the Mexican president, signature dishes include Galician-style octopus with paprika and olive oil, sautéed shrimp tacos, and whole grilled fish with spicy salsas. We can’t leave without ordering the tuna tostadas, and no meal here would be complete without a round of carajillos (a mix of espresso and Licor 43) and a wedge of coconut flan.
When it comes to souvenir shopping, La Ciudadela Artisan Market (Mercado de Artesanías de La Ciudadela) is where to hotfoot it to. Originally opened during the 1968 Olympics to showcase arts and crafts items from all over the country, the market’s bustling, colourful aisles are the place to pick up textiles from around Mexico, sculpture from the craft workshops of Guerrero and Oaxaca, glassware, mirrors and an array of array of lacquerware trays and chests. Take your biggest tote bag to the south-west corner of the historic centre to find it, a 15-minute walk from the Alameda Central, near Metro Balderas.
It’s never a bad time for a quesadilla in Mexico City. Find some of the best at Jenni’s. The vendor sets up her iconic quesadilla stall in Roma Norte every day from 11am on the corner of Colima and Mérida. Locals and visitors alike flock here for a taste of her delicious homemade quesadillas, tlacoyos and pambazos, filled with a variety of savoury options such as meat (chicharrón and tinga) or popular vegetables including quelites, hongos and flor de calabaza.
Nearby, you also have restaurant Contramar, which, over two decades ago, revolutionised Mexico City's culinary scene by introducing fresh seafood to a city predominantly in love with meat. Today, it remains an iconic example of the Mexican "lunch hour," which can stretch from noon until 6pm. Led by chef Gabriela Cámara, who also serves as culinary advisor to the Mexican president, signature dishes include Galician-style octopus with paprika and olive oil, sautéed shrimp tacos, and whole grilled fish with spicy salsas. We can’t leave without ordering the tuna tostadas, and no meal here would be complete without a round of carajillos (a mix of espresso and Licor 43) and a wedge of coconut flan.
When it comes to souvenir shopping, La Ciudadela Artisan Market (Mercado de Artesanías de La Ciudadela) is where to hotfoot it to. Originally opened during the 1968 Olympics to showcase arts and crafts items from all over the country, the market’s bustling, colourful aisles are the place to pick up textiles from around Mexico, sculpture from the craft workshops of Guerrero and Oaxaca, glassware, mirrors and an array of array of lacquerware trays and chests. Take your biggest tote bag to the south-west corner of the historic centre to find it, a 15-minute walk from the Alameda Central, near Metro Balderas.
Street food stands operate out of vans, cars and under the shade of city trees
For dinner, stay local at another standout Roma spot, restaurant Hugo, which exudes a Lower East Side vibe with a Mexican twist, thanks to its New York-transplant patrons. The wine selection shines, mostly featuring natural wines sourced from Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe region, while the food menu keeps it simple with small plates such as kampachi crudo and fennel with fava beans, alongside a standout roasted chicken. Reservations are recommended.
If you’re in town on a Tuesday, Friday or Sunday, Arena Mexico, in Colonia Doctores, beckons for a lucha libre (traditional Mexican wrestling) show. The historic indoor arena, which hosted boxing matches in the 1968 Olympic Games, attracts huge crowds of locals and visitors. Join them in cheering on the stars of a never-dull sport that marries physical prowess with all the soap-opera-style drama you could wish for.
Round off your 48 hours of Mexico City food and fun by raising a glass of mezcal to the night’s lucha libre winners – or a consolatory one to the losers – at Bósforo, in the swish Polanco neighborhood. This buzzy bar sources its spirits from not just Oaxaca but also lesser-known regions like Michoacan, Guerrero, Puebla, San Luis Potosí and others. Entering through its curtain door feels like uncovering Mexico's best-kept secret – the holy grail of tasting traditional handcrafted mezcal from across the country. It's a place where sipping, not shooting, is the norm, accompanied by toasted spicy nuts, garlic snacks, and avant-garde playlists curated by the owner.
For dinner, stay local at another standout Roma spot, restaurant Hugo, which exudes a Lower East Side vibe with a Mexican twist, thanks to its New York-transplant patrons. The wine selection shines, mostly featuring natural wines sourced from Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe region, while the food menu keeps it simple with small plates such as kampachi crudo and fennel with fava beans, alongside a standout roasted chicken. Reservations are recommended.
If you’re in town on a Tuesday, Friday or Sunday, Arena Mexico, in Colonia Doctores, beckons for a lucha libre (traditional Mexican wrestling) show. The historic indoor arena, which hosted boxing matches in the 1968 Olympic Games, attracts huge crowds of locals and visitors. Join them in cheering on the stars of a never-dull sport that marries physical prowess with all the soap-opera-style drama you could wish for.
Round off your 48 hours of Mexico City food and fun by raising a glass of mezcal to the night’s lucha libre winners – or a consolatory one to the losers – at Bósforo, in the swish Polanco neighborhood. This buzzy bar sources its spirits from not just Oaxaca but also lesser-known regions like Michoacan, Guerrero, Puebla, San Luis Potosí and others. Entering through its curtain door feels like uncovering Mexico's best-kept secret – the holy grail of tasting traditional handcrafted mezcal from across the country. It's a place where sipping, not shooting, is the norm, accompanied by toasted spicy nuts, garlic snacks, and avant-garde playlists curated by the owner.