HOTEL AMORE Guide: Black Book on Best Restaurants in Mexico City
A condensed list with some of the hottest places in one of the most vibrant and interesting cities of the moment (tried and tested by yours truly)
Mexico City has truly stolen my heart, I am writing these lines below while I am on my flight back and I am already missing it! I visited CDMX now twice, both times during the art fair Zona Maco at the end of January, as part of my annual winter escape from Berlin. I always leave feeling deeply inspired, not only by what I see, but also by the people I meet - both locals and fascinating individuals from around the world. With an abundance of cool restaurants, taquerias, bars, cafes, galleries, and architectural highlights, it's impossible to see everything in just one visit. I take it as my sign that I should return every year to continue exploring!
It was very hard to narrow down my favourites for you which I have all tried and tested. I am also sharing my wish listed places which I haven’t been able to see due to lack of time, maybe you can see them and report back! All these favourites came together through the advice of our amazing Mexican-based friends such as Carmen, Emilia and Huerik, our Mexican experts such as Hannah, Mona, and Nathan, Charlotte, Sergio, Mauricio, but also through studying AmiGo, Conde Nast Traveller, Mexican insider reads in depth, as well as eagerly noting down the recommendations of Sam Youkilis who always finds amazing local spots and of course by exploring google maps with my husband as well as my great friend Jana.
Favorite Coffee and Breakfast Spots
Expendio De Maíz, Roma
This place owned by Jesús Tornés was an exceptional experience: No fixed menu, no reservations. You just arrive, will be asked for any allergies and will then receive amazing Mexican delicacies cooked on a rural kitchen and based on tortilla, made from heirloom corn in the back until you tell them to stop. We came here at 12pm, directly when it opened and it filled quickly. An experience!
Saint, Condesa
We learned about this beautiful French style bakery and pastry shop owned by Ana Melissa and Daniel López through our new friend Charlotte v H., a New York based curator and Parson teacher: We went here for great baked goods and great coffee. To note: They didn’t have alternatives to cow milk (I don’t drink milk), so have that in mind. But it’s a beautiful spot, next to Molino El Pujol, the easy-going sister of Pujol.
Panaderia Rosetta, Roma Norte
That this spot owned by Elena Reygadas made the list is not surprising, and it’s not a secret. But it’s well worth it even if you will have waiting time involved. They have great breakfast (my favourite is the eggs, but be careful, they are quite runny) and light lunches. They also have a restaurant and a bar which I however didn’t try yet. Their coffee and cook book make a great souvenir for friends!
Café Tormenta, Roma Norte
A tiny coffee shack serving delicious coffee, very local crowd. Standing only (even though there are three mini chairs outside where you can sit sometimes), it’s next to the new opened hot spot Martinez and just around the corner from the cute book shop Bosque &
Cafe Quentin, Condesa
Two locations, one of them is very shadowy, but really great coffee and pastries.
Ojo Del Agua, Condesa
This is a chain, but on one of the days I was really craving some fruit in the morning and no pastry, as I started to feel like a cardamon bun myself. Perfect to have a very colourful, fruit-laden Açai bowl to feel healthy again :)
ON MY WISHLIST:
Niddo Cafe, Polanco+Juarez
Is said to be a hip hot spot and very beautiful - but I didn’t make it.
La Tonina, San Rafael
Recommendation by Sam Youkilis, who has breakfast here once a week and said “It’s a fantastic spot run by a family from northern Mexico that makes some of the best flour tortillas I’ve ever had. My favorite is chilorio, but everything is great. Also try their gorditas.” Looks fantastic.
Fonda Margarita, Centro
Apparently you have to go very early in the morning and eat the chicharron in salsa verde and frijoles con huevos. No bookings and closed by midday. You can join the locals on Sunday on shared communal tables, I have to go next time, how cool does the owner (pictured left) look?
Favorite Lunch Spots
We did treat ourselves for lunches, our usual spending for lunches at the below places was between 70-100€ for two people. They included in most cases one margarita. I don’t drink often, but having a margarita or meczalita for lunch during the holidays is a beloved guilty pleasure, only that you get really tired afterwards.
Contramar, Roma
That this spot makes the list is not a surprise, it has all reason to be THE top lunch spot in CDMX. Just thinking about it makes me long for Mexico again...Please eat Tuna Tostadas and Ceviche Contramar! Order dessert, they will bring you the whole big plate to choose from. The food is really incredible, the vibe is fun, and my recommended seat is behind the bar looking into the restaurant. Very full on the weekends (and during Zona Maco), we loved it so much we went three times. You have to book in advance or arrive early or at weird times. What not everyone knows is that Contramar, owned by Gabriela Cámara, has a twin restaurant in Polanco called Entramar which is less busy but I think sadly also less vibey. She also owns the place Itacate del Mar, but I didn’t go there so I can’t say anything about it.
Sarde, Roma
I found this spot on AmiGo app, my favourite travel companion: The restaurant sits next to the beautiful book shop Bosque as well as the beautiful limited edition perfumes shop Fueguia XXX (both will be featured in the next edition too). We came to Sarde on Sunday, sat at the bar (my favorite seating in most places) and I loved seeing all these very chic Mexican families come for their Sunday lunch around 3-4pm. The food was really exceptional, innovative and creative and will be another thing I know I will dream of after I have left my favorite city. We had oysters, an incredible caesar salad as well as fennel, done in a very creative way and pasta. I am sure everything they have is outstanding!
Makan, Centro
I don’t remember where I found this spot, but it was a true gem. The restaurant has beautiful light and amazing Singaporian food - we had escargots (incredible, also very oily, but in a good way), fried noodles and beef. Apparently all the great chefs of Mexico, Elena Reygadas (Rosetta) and Eduardo García Guzmán (Mámixo Bistrot) have been seen to eat here too.
Máximo, Roma Norte
I went to this incredibly amazing lunch spot the first time I was in Mexico. Máximo is a farm to table restaurant by acclaimed Chef Eduardo Garcia and his wife Gabriela. I don’t know which luck just hit us, because usually this restaurant is booked out for months - but back then we spontaneously booked and got a spot for lunch on the same day. This was quite pricey, but the quality of the food and the restaurant itself were very much worth it. The owner, Eduardo García, also has Lalo!, a more casual day-time spot across the street, and the French brasserie Havre 77.
Lardo, Condesa
Owned by the same chef as Rosetta. I came here twice, the first time around I was not so impressed, maybe because I ordered a very mediocre meal of eggs benedict. However I came back this year and was really in awe. The food was really great, especially the eggplant and pizza with rosemary. For breakfast no reservations (waiting time is usually 30minutes), but for lunch you can reserve. When we were here, loads of people from the art world were there too. Lardo also has breakfast and dinner during the week.
ON MY WISHLIST:
Molino “El Pujol”, Condesa
One of the brain children of Enrique Olvera, who owns Pujol, Ticuchi as well as Cosme and Atla in New York City, but it’s the more casual version where nearly everything contains corn.
Mi Compa “Chava”, Roma Norte
This place was on my list, but we didn’t make it to go. They serve seafood but in a very different way than Contramar. Apparently it also comes with a huge waiting line, but it is very worth it I hear!
Fugaz, Roma
This tiny seafood restaurant, run by Giuseppe Lacorazza, who has been fifteen years in the business has a new menu every day, depending what is available. He could be called an “architect of seafood” as he builds a dish in a way that enhances flavour. Sounds great to me! Make sure you know when they are open, they have limited opening times.
Favorite Dinner/Bar Spots
Most times we had a big lunch in one of the spots above and shared some food at the bars or had easy dinners from the easy going spots mentioned below. The only big dinner we had was at Ticuchi, admittingly we were always too tired in the evenings from all the walking and seeing so much.
Ticuchi, Polanco
I went to this place last year as well as this year and it was truly incredible. The second time it was even better, because we went with our friend Huerik Pavlos, who works with Ticuchi, Pujol as well as other restaurants from the group - he ordered all the food for us, so we were able to try everything and it was as stunning as the first time. I especially love the restaurant front, you can see the chefs cooking from the outside. Only inside seating. We also went to Pujol, the sister restaurant of Ticuchi for coffee, Pujol is ranked one of the five best restaurants in the world and has been shown at Chef’s Table on Netflix. It has a beautiful interior, but I personally prefer a bit more easy-going restaurants (even though I know the food at Pujol is incredible and a real experience).
Hugo, Condesa
This buzzing bar serves incredible food and has a great atmosphere. We went after Material with some gallery friends and had incredible food. Just looking at it wants me to go back immediately. Inside as well as outside seating, reservations are recommended!
Loup, Roma Norte
This bar was super lovely, we went without a reservation with our friend at 7pm and got a table without problems. Really cute, you can sit inside as well as outside. (A note: You can also buy their glasses which is something that I love to do and have done).
Salón Palomilla, Roma Sud
I found this bar on Google Maps by chance - their top floor was buzzing with people from the art week and they had a hole in the ceiling to watch the sky. If you are downstairs, you can sit half-outside which is nice and which we did - great people watching as next door you have the great Expendio de Maiz, as well as the very vibey tacos restaurant El Parnita which had been recommended by a couple of our friends and was very busy every night. Also next door is a nice vintage shop, called goodbye folk vintage - will tell you more about it in the next edition :)
Botánico, Condesa
We went to this place at our first night, I found this recommended in a paid travel newsletter I subscribed to. It has an incredible garden, with a huge cactus in the middle and it was fantastic. I loved most that you could also sit outside which in many restaurants in Mexico City you cannot. Just don’t go on a more chilly evening, because as I said - you are sitting outside :)
Bar El Minutito, Juarez
Our friend Hannah told us about this place on the evening, when it hadn’t even officially opened but had like an unofficial soft opening with friends and family. I LOVED this place! Attention to every single detail, great cocktails and bar snacks (chips with oyster sauce, great!), one of the most beautiful bars I have been to. I wonder if I could have bought their cups!
ON MY WISHLIST:
Mari Gold, San Miguel Chapultepec
The team behind Mari Gold is the team of Masala y Maiz (recommended below this one). I hear from AmiGo it’s great for lunch after visiting the beautiful Casa Gilardi or Kurimanzutto Gallery - both will be recommended in the next newsletter edition. Mari Gold apparently has great wines, fantastic food and a reservation is needed. You can also go for brunch.
Masala y Maìz, Juarez
Run by chefs Norma Listman and Saib Keval, you can eat Mexican/Indian tapas. Filled with locals and people say they had their best meals here. I mean look at the images, wow.
Aúna Café, Polanco
Aúna, led by chefs Jorge Vallejo and Fernando Torres, brings a refreshing take to Polanco's dining scene with a focus on traceability and quality ingredients. The restaurant belongs to a high performance bike store The Service Course in a historic mansion which I think is great too!
Favorite Easy Going Eating Out Spots
Taqueria “Los Amigos”, Roma Norte
My husband found this taqueria one day that had been filled with activities and we didn’t want to walk far. He said it was one of the best tacos he ever had. It’s a street food shop, full of locals and very atmospheric. Address: Av. Álvaro Obregón 212, Roma Norte.
Taqueria Orinoco, different locations
This is a chain, but it’s a very good one and it’s frequented by a lot of locals. Great tacos!
Tacos Hola El Güero desde 68, Condesa
This was a spot on our first night which we stumbled across in our attempt to stay awake until 10pm to fight our jet lag. Incredibly tasty and very well-priced. A taco was about 1,80€ and all around were locals. Loved it!
ON MY WISHLIST:
Nicos, Azcapotzalco
Mexican food, looks very easy going and very cool, was recommend to us by some Mexican friends. Not super close to the centre, but worth it (we were told)
Tacos Elsito, Juárez
Apparently their al pastor tacos are the best and you should come at night time for a late night taco after going out, when it turns from an car repair shop during the day into a bustling local spot (AmiGo).
That’s it! I swear I could have added ten more places per category, but too much choice is also not good, so I managed to come to an end. I was initially planning to do one whole edition for everything in CDMX, but I realised that there is just so many great places, that I decided to separate the food edition from next week’s amazing art, culture and shopping edition for CDMX! I hope you enjoy this and it inspires you to come to this beautiful place, which has become one of my favorite spots in the world and food plays a huge part in that.
Hasta Luego,
LKD
Fabulous recommendations!!