As promised, my Mexico City highlights!––I actually think I could have written this guide before my trip (ha) because I did so much extensive research and there are such great guides out there already… including my friend Christina’s Mexico City Guide from my blog a few years ago, which is totally still on point. I always use Goop’s city guides when I travel (Mexico City here) and Conde Nast Traveler’s Mexico City guide (here) as well. And I also found my friend Jessica, Bon Traveler’s Design Guide to have helpful and practical tips (ie: the ease of Ubers, safety, and booking a car service for when you arrive).
I’ve had Mexico City on my bucket list for years so the anticipation was very high for me! It actually took me a few years to talk Tanner into this trip because it wasn’t necessarily on his top list of cities to explore. Last year when we were thinking about trips to celebrate our ten year anniversary we both wanted to go back to Europe but with the travel restrictions still in place at the time Europe wasn’t in the cards, and so I was able to talk T into CDMX! Plus, the shorter distance from California was a bonus for us which meant we could maximize our days away from our kids. (We went for 5 days which I think was perfect). I would make it a 4 / 5 night trip or even a long weekend.
So for as much as I loved Mexico City and one hundred percent hope to return one day, I will say, I think I romanticized it too much as the “Paris of Mexico” in my mind before going––when in fact I’d compare it more to New York. That said, if you’re a city person, love art and design, an incredible food scene, and rich history… I think you’ll absolutely love exploring Mexico City.
Some Logistics | Mexico City is huge–there’s so much to see and you can’t possibly do it all in one trip so the best advice I can give is to really research and plan out your trip based on your personal preferences so you have your days scheduled around various neighborhoods. Ubers are super easy and cheap and are great for getting around. And our biggest concern was safety, but we felt completely safe the entire time and walked from place to place a lot more than we anticipated we would.
Make any restaurant reservations well in advance (I tried to reschedule some the week of, and couldn’t, so make sure to book these at least a few weeks out). I also knew I wanted to tour Freda Kahlo’s Casa Azul and the famous architect, Luis Barragán’s home and other properties he designed (Casa Pedregal was a highlight for me), and I recommend booking these well in advance also.
Luis Barragán’s home (above) and Casa Pedregal (below), also designed by Barragán. Two of my highlights from the trip.Luis Barragán designed home––Casa Gilardi (above and below).
We stayed at La Valise, a boutique hotel in Roma Norte, located on a charming corner of Colima and Tonala (these were my favorite streets to wander), next door to a great coffee shop and just blocks from some of the best restaurants. Roma Norte was our favorite neighborhood and we ended up spending all of our free time walking through the tree lined streets as it reminded us of New York… grabbing a drink and popping into the nearby small galleries before dinner are some of my favorite memories. Our room was huge which was really nice, and the great thing about La Valise is that they serve pastries and fruit each morning from the popular bakery, Panaderia Rosetta, just around the corner. Also if you order room service it comes from Rosetta (which was a favorite dinner spot of ours! We went in person twice just to get the in-dining experience, but it was nice to have that takeout option).
I’d totally stay here again just because I loved the location and the staff was so sweet––but I’d also be curious to try these as well: Ignacia Guest House, Hotel Condesa DF
Dining Highlights | These are on most of the popular guides so I feel a bit redundant but these were my top votes out of the places we ate.
Pujol –– I wasn’t sure if this fine dining 7 course lunch experience would be worth it because we’re not necessarily super foodies but hands down it was amazing and such a special date / standout memory from the week! I highly recommend going, especially if it’s a special occasion!
* I think I was most curious about booking lunch or dinner here and I’m happy we booked it for a late lunch because a lingering lunch is just the best in Mexico City. Also, I was confused about what to wear. Tanner wore a sport coat (about half of the men in the restaurant were in jackets so not necessary but nice) and I wore a long black maxi dress with a blazer. I’d say we were both on the more-dressed up side, and you can go a bit more stylish casual. (Again this was for lunch though, so maybe dress up more for dinner).
Maximo –– This was our favorite meal of the week. The decor, vibe, and food was all so good! It was actually our last meal in Mexico City and the perfect date night spot to end the trip. The ideal closer meal I’d say or it would be a great start to the trip too. I loved that they served the meal on the prettiest black and white floral plates and dessert was served on sweet ceramic polka dot plates.
* Order the caviar on homemade brioche, it was out of this world good. I want to recreate it at home––I actually never thought of myself as a caviar person but this changed our minds.
Rosetta –– We actually ate here twice. It was that good. It’s Italian food but with unique Mexican-flavors. Order the sweet potatoes to start for me! And ask to sit in the courtyard.
Contramar –– Everyone also recommended Contramar for a late lunch and to order the tuna tostadas and it did not disappoint. This was one of the spots I tried to get in for a second lunch but couldn’t so book in advance!
Casa Virginia –– This meal wasn’t anything to rave about but it is memorable in my mind for the charming atmosphere. It’s a chic all-white restaurant and we were tucked away in a corner table that made it feel so romantic. I also loved that the entrance is rather unassuming and you feel more like you’re in a cozy townhouse having dinner.
Outside La Valise where we stayed (right) and Casa Virginia (left)
We didn’t make it but a few additional spots that came highly recommended: San Angel Inn, Eno, Lardo.
Shop |
I actually didn’t do a lot of shopping but I found some gems for Rex and Willow at the Saturday market in San Angel. I picked up some home items at both Lago DF and IKAL just within a block from each other in Polanco.
Another cool concept shop / restaurant if you head out to Casa Pedregal was Tetelán. Part cafe, restaurant, shop and they have books and records upstairs for browsing while you wait. The building is built on the lava rock which you can see through the glass floors. So cool! We regret not eating there but we weren’t hungry at the time.
Tetelán (next door to Casa Pedregal).
Art Galleries |
I had so much fun popping into various small art galleries in the afternoons before dinner. A couple in our Roma Norte neighborhood that might be worth looking into during your stay (Lulu, OMR, Arroniz, Casa Lam, Machete) as well as Galeria Hilario Galguera. I really wanted to go to MASA but they didn’t have a exhibition at the time.
I would love to go to the February art fair, Zona Maco one year.
Of course there are the larger museums, Soumaya Museum and Jumex Museum, and I think the The National Museum of Anthropology is a must. Such incredible history! We didn’t make it to Diego Rivera’s personal art collection at the Anahuacalli Museum but I would have liked to. And we also didn’t make it out of the city to visit the Aztec ruins at Teotihuacán, but that would be next on my wishlist as well.
La Valise balcony view from our room.
In conclusion, it’s such an inspiring city! Just typing out this post and reliving the week through my photos filled me up so much. The colors, mix of architecture, flavors, rich history, design and art scene. I hope you get the chance to go! Our trip was heavy on food and art but plan your trip according to your preferences––there’s so much that vibrant city has to offer!!
