In November we headed to Mexico City to celebrate CJ’s 30th birthday with some of our friends and family. It was such a fun trip, and our second time to Mexico City within a year. We were there for 4 days this trip, and 3 days for lats year’s trip. I’ve combined the best of the best from both trips and I’m sharing the top spots below!
Contents
My favorite neighborhoods in Mexico City:
La Condesa: very chic, hipster, great for first time visits
Polanco: Beverly Hills of Mexico City, modern, upscale, premier shopping district
Roma: colonial, hip and very upscale
Where we stayed:
We booked this trip in January and didn’t know a final headcount for our group so we booked the largest spot possible. This Airbnb was amazing and our host was so communicative. We had plenty of space, a kitchen to cook, and a stunning rooftop. I would highly recommend if you have a large group.
Some other great Airbnb’s with amazing views are this one in Condesa and this one! If you haven’t booked through Airbnb before,use this link for $40 off your first trip.
If you’d prefer to stay in a hotel here are some good options:
Sheraton in Reforma
Grant Hotel in City Center
Le Meridien in Reforma
My 4 favorite breakfast + brunch spots:
Contramar: get the shrimp cocktail, tuna tostadas, and the fish two ways. Our crew loved the octopus too. Save room for the Nutella Flan and Fruit and Fig Tart
Huset: love the ambiance. Everything we ordered was delicious. Make reservations in advance
Panaderia Rosetta: any Panaderia will be amazing. The perfect morning treat when you’re in a hurry
Mercado Roma: amazing food stands on the first and second floor. 3rd floor has a beer garden and cigar bar
My 5 favorite dinner spots:
Quintonil: they were closed when we went but if you can get reservations go! I’ve heard nothing but amazing things. Make reservations in advance
Street Tacos: try the street tacos, about a block from our apartment was the most amazing stand. It was busy at all hours of the day. We averaged 5 tacos a day
Pujol: book a reservation before you book your trip. This a must for anyone visiting Mexico City
Casa de las Sirenas: amazing food and ambiance, try to sit outside on the roof
Molino El Pujol: if you can’t get into Pujol, check out this spot. It’s owned by the same chef
Nightlife + Bars:
Baltra: craft cocktails
Bosforo:intimate dive bar, known for their Mezcal
Limantour: recommended by a few friends, known for their craft cocktails
Jules Basement: speakeasy underneath a taqueria. Make a reservation, perfect for drinks before or after Pujol
Rooftop at Condesa DF Hotel: great for midday drink
Gin Gin/Pamares Azotea/The Comrade – upscale cocktails bars. You’ll need to make a reservation in advance
Cafe Paraiso: club in Roma Norte that only plays latin music
Day trip + Excursions in Mexico City:
Teotihuacan Pyramids: we booked a 6 hour day trip. Read all my tips for visiting the pyramids in this post
Lucha Libre: wrestling on Tuesday and Friday nights. such a fun and unique experience. Would definitely recommend
Intimate Cooking Class: we booked through Mexican Food Tours. We picked up the ingredients from the market and cooked the most unique dishes – like mole and homemade tortillas. It was a 5 hours experience but we left with so many new skills. Our teacher used to work at Pujol and shared so many tips with us
Frida Kahlo Museum: buy your ticket early to avoid the line
Canoe Ride in Xochimilco and Coyoacan: about 30 minutes outside of the city. You can buy food/drink and hire mariachi to sing
Anthropology Museum: considered one of the world’s most comprehensive history museums. We spent hours here
Chapultepec Park and Castle: massive park with lots of walking paths and museums
Bike Reforma on Sunday – they close the roads on Sunday’s until 2pm for people to bike/walk. Reforma is a main avenue that was fashioned after the Champs-Elysee
Zocalo – one of the city’s main plazas and one of the largest in the world
Mercado de San Juan – this is where we picked up all of our ingredients for our cooking class. There are so many amazing markets around CDMX
Mercado De Artesanias La Ciudadela is the best craft market
WHAT to Pack:
