Mexico City: A Love Letter and Guide

The spaces and places I love in CDMX

My love affair with Mexico City began in 2015. My boyfriend at the time had gifted me a copy of Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton. On the cover, a white horse sprinted across a bright-pink wall. The book, as well as its contents, would become a formative piece of writing,  setting into motion my deep-seated love for architecture and design. Curious to learn more about the cover, we booked flights to Ciudad de México to visit the site of inspiration: The Luis Barragan studio and house located in the Miguel Hidalgo district. When we arrived at the house, we landed at the doorstep of an unassuming facade, an architectural gem completely undetectable from the exterior. A wonderful world of interiors waited inside, and a trend of pleasant discoveries continued to unfold for the remainder of the trip.

Since then, my trips to Mexico City steadily began to increase. First, to cover the city’s fast-growing list of boutique hotels and five-star restaurants for publications such as CN Traveler, then for weekend layovers on the way to Pueblo or the Yucatan. When the world shut down in 2021, giving permission to work remotely, I immediately flew south — and leased a panoramic light-filled apartment in Condesa located next to Chapultepec park. Nowadays, Mexico City feels more like my second home. Friends to see and errands to run overtake my list of sight-seeing things to do, and my new areas of discovery consist of yoga studios, tennis clubs, and dental offices.

Living in Condesa is a sensory postcard that seared a special place in my memory. In the mornings, I’d walk through the neighborhood’s tree-lined boulevards to stop for a daily café y pan dulce at Saint, before making a pit stop at The Green Corner to pick up leche de avena or natural products for the home. In the afternoon, I’d stroll through Roma-Norte, stopping at Rosetta Bakery for a torta and a tonic before pausing at Casa Bosques to browse for books and magazines. Early evenings called for a shared bottle of pet-nat at Hugo or Loup Bar. The beauty of time in Mexico City is how the days are demarcated by meals — and in this city, there are only good meals to be had.

In the spirit of celebrating one of my favorite cities in the world, I’m sharing a few essential places to know in Mexico City. Below I’ve designed three different types of itineraries depending on your type of travel.

THE FIRST TIMER’S GUIDE:
Start your trip in Condesa or Roma-Norte, the “SoHo” of Mexico City. This area is densely packed with cafés, boutiques, restaurants, and museums. Here you can get a sense of the city without leaving the neighborhood.

STAY at Condesa DF
BREAKFAST at Rosetta Bakery, Cafe Buna
LUNCH at Contramar
TOUR Luis Barragan Studio
DINNER at Pujol, Rosetta, Ticuchi
VISIT Museo Jumex, Museo Tamayo, Frida Kahlo Museum.

THE SECOND TIMER’S GUIDE:
So you’re still getting to know the city — but you no longer feel obliged to stick to a preset of locations. You’re also ready to expand out to a neighborhood that isn’t packed with foreigners or Americans — and want to catch the cosmopolitan city with a local ambiance.

STAY at Casa Pani, a hotel with house amenities 
BREAKFAST at Cicatriz, Molino
LUNCH at Masala y Maiz, Lardo
DINNER at Quintonil, Anonimo, Entremar
VISIT Kurimanzutto, Studio IMA, Lago Algo

THE THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM — SO YOU’RE A SEASONED TRAVELER
You’ve traveled to Mexico City a few times now, and you’re comfortable navigating the megalopolis beyond Condesa and Roma-Norte. You’re no longer inclined to wait hours for a table at Contramar, and you’ve outgrown Instagramming the pescado a la talla. You’re ready for fusion flavors over traditional cuisine. To truly level up though, you must try street food. Certain dishes such as tamales verde and al pastor tacos are best sourced at food carts rather than restaurants.

STAY at Campos Polanco, a full-service residence equipped with apartment amenities.
BREAKFAST at Eno
LUNCH at Expendio de Mais, Meroma
DINNER at Elly’s, Maximo Bistrot, Taverna, Amaya
VISIT Galeria Philia, Museo Anahuacalli, Tetetlán.
EXPERIENCE Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City’s Central Park. The best weekend markets are El Bazaar Sábado, an antique street fair that takes place on Saturdays, and Mercado El 100, an organic produce-only market that takes place every Sunday in Roma.