hello to all! we recently went on vacation to Mexico City and had really the most incredible time. we had soooo much fantastic food, and there were many more spots we wanted to try. I know many friends have visited recently or are planning to go, so I figured it’d be useful to consolidate and share our experiences and research.
a disclaimer that I am A) not a travel blogger, and B) not a Mexico City expert! obviously, we stayed in a few (popular + touristy) areas and there’s SO much more to see in a huge and vibrant city like CDMX. just sharing where we went and enjoyed, plus some of the things on our list that came recommended from friends.
i’ve linked here to either my reviews of the restaurant on Instagram, or to the location on Google Maps.
ALSO, i’ve also put all of these spots into a Google Maps List – which is public and accessible here. this is great for travel, you can see all the locations of the restaurants and bars below on a map in one place, and you can save it to your phone for off-data access!
breakfast
where we went:
panaderia rosetta: good pastry spot- there are two locations! one is smaller food stand and less crowded, one has more seating and is more crowded. we tried the famous guava pastry which rocked, but I actually liked the lemon ricotta more!
eno mx: this was my favorite breakfast! we did huevos rancheros and chilaquiles and they were incredible. try the iced coffee with cardamom syrup, it was so good!
cafe nin: the zucchini eggs with goat cheese and toast, what a yummy combo! we loved the fresh juices too. the pastries were fine, but perhaps we ordered wrong, and the inside aesthetic is really quaint and cute.
more ideas: quentin cafe, jacinto cafe y pan, niddo, forte, lalo!
casual eats + snacks + lunch + tacos
where we went:
tostadas las originales: the perfect post-Frida-Kahlo museum spot. a no-frills tostada stand inside a fruit market, with a menu that offers many types of tostadas and fruit juices. we really liked our tostadas and I got a guava juice that was great too. also cheap!
churreria el moro: churros! beware, don’t make my dumb mistake, churros con chocolate does not mean chocolate dipping sauce, it means chocolate milk/hot chocolate lol! the churros rocked, and there are many locations of this store too. check out their merch too!
tamales madre: the cutest little spot! the cactus salad was incredible and I swear anything you have here will be good. cute and small seating, really meant to be a hole in the wall, and the chefs here were very patient and kind. highly recommend, had a fantastic watermelon+basil agua fresca too.
expendio de maiz: such a cool lunch! definitely a bit of a tourist trap, but hey, trap me in the corn restaurant any day! there are no reservations, you have to go in person and put your name in, and they text you when your table is ready, don’t worry, there’s plenty of cute shops nearby to kill time! when you get seated, you state your allergies and preferences, and they just keep bringing you dishes until you say you’re done, there’s no menu. basically a surprise corn-themed tasting menu, really fun!
more ideas: los tolucos, taqueria orinoco (many locations of this popular late night spot), gonzalitos, mi gorda flaca, entremar/contramar (everyone recommends this! get a res ahead of time!) mariscos mi compa chava, las brujas (witch restaurant/bar?!)
bars
where we went:
loup bar: a very cute wine bar! we considered coming back here, good ambiance and nice wine list. I liked my little vermouth spritz.
licoreria limantour: if you go anywhere, GO HERE! the vibes were fantastic, a mix of (what seemed like) locals and tourists. the drinks were some of the best i’ve ever had (a coconut kefir-washed mezcal drink?! incredible!) and there was a fantastic DJ playing on a Friday night. it has also been voted #4 best bar in the world if that means anything to you!
more ideas: nardo cocktail club, hanky panky (also on the top bar list, have heard mixed reviews on if its worth it), cicatriz, blom cafe, handshake, cafe ocampo, cantina salon rios, el babalú, oropel vermuteria/vino, hugo, gin gin, departmento
nice dinners
where we went:
meroma: the food here was solid, an 8/10. I really liked all the dishes, but could have used with some tweaks on a couple. the drinks here and dessert were my favorite, I still think about the pineapple and mezcal drink I had!
masala y maiz: this was the BEST restaurant experience we had! indian and mexican fusion, some of the most interesting dishes that really delivered on flavor. everything was so tasty, and our server was so kind as well. if you have dinner anywhere in CDMX, try this!
rosetta: this place has had a lot of internet hype (also landed on the Top 50 Restaurants list!), and while we thought it was good, it wasn’t exceptional in my opinion. we had other friends come here for dinner and have a phenomenal experience though, so perhaps it depends on what you order!
pujol: this is a tasting menu, book 4 months ahead of time, kind of deal. truly one of the nicest dining experiences i’ve ever had – if you are looking to do a sub-$200 Michelin-level fine dining meal this is for you. also on the top 50 best restaurants list!
more ideas: imbiss, maximo, blanco colima, quintonil (top 10 best restaurant this year!), em
happy traveling, and hope you have a great time in CDMX!
aditi eats 