Mexico City was a dream, especially for a foodie like me. From every piece of research, recommendations from other travelers, and local recommendations, I was extremely excited to travel to CDMX and get the full experience. The trip honestly exceeded expectations and will definitely be a place I visit again. It's rich in culture and history, beautiful with so much greenery for a major city, and the food is undeniably some of the best I've had in my travels.
Where to Stay
I knew Mexico City was big, but I didn't quite realize just how big it is. It's a city of about 22 million people, and there is truly so much to explore. Since it was our first time, we wanted to be located in an area of the city that allowed us to access the places we had on our list. When planning our trip, a friend that was born and raised in CDMX suggested staying in a neighborhood called Polanco. I was only familiar with the neighborhoods Roma Norte and Condesa that I had seen come up a lot during my research. We ended up staying in Polanco, and I am so happy we did. While Roma and Condesa are highly concentrated with many popular restaurants, Polanco is a great neighborhood to be close to those neighborhoods without being overly touristy. Polanco is known as one of the nicer neighborhoods in the city, but it doesn't feel stuffy. There are tons of great restaurants and shopping, it's lively, and it's super well located. It also has a very residential feel to it, and its attached to a beautiful park that was a 3 minute walk away from our hotel.
One important thing to note about Mexico City overall, and probably the only "issue" we had at some points is the traffic. Unbeknownst to us prior to arriving, it is one of the worst traffic cities in the world and we definitely felt the pain of that our first night. We had booked a reservation in Roma Norte that was exactly 3 miles from our hotel. What we thought would be a quick and easy 15-20 minute uber ended up taking 1 hour and 10 minutes due to the heavy traffic and concerts going on in the city. So one tip I'd share is to plan accordingly when going to any reservations and always account for heavy traffic.
Food
On to the good stuff. The food was incredible, and there were so many meals we had where I know I'll be thinking about in the future. Here is a complete review of everywhere we ate, what we loved, and what we would skip next time:
Máximo: Our first dinner was at Maximo in Roma Norte which we went to with our friend that lives in CDMX and has a close connection to the head chef and owner of Maximo. It was a great suggestion and one that came up a lot in my own research. Maximo has a beautiful, dimly lit ambiance and a variety of great dishes to share. Maximo is extremely popular and definitely requires a reservation. The cocktails were great, and we ordered a couple dishes from each section of the menu to try. Some of the standout dishes on the main menu for me were both tuna dishes, the scallops, and the wagyu beef cheek. The seafood dishes were unique and bright, and the wagyu beef cheek was tender and flavorful. The only dish that we ordered that I thought was still very good, but not as flavorful as the others was the Tagliatelle. There are two desserts that are an absolute must: the goat cheese ice cream and the french toast. The goat cheese ice cream is served on a crispy phyllo, with pistachios, olive oil and salt. It is a unique combination that is sweet and savory, and absolutely incredible. The french toast is what the chef is known for, and it was fluffy and sweet. Overall, Maximo is a must.
The Taste Archives Rating: 8/10
Food from Left to Right: French Toast, Goat Cheese Ice Cream, Wagyu Beef Cheek, Scallops, Tuna
Panadería Rosetta: With over 10,000 reviews and a 4.5 star rating, Panadería Rosetta has definitely become one of, if not the most popular cafe in central Mexico City. This spot had popped up the most for me during my research, and because of how many times I had seen videos especially on social media, the thought creeped into my head that maybe it was overhyped. But, it was on every recommendation list I was given, and it most definitely makes mine, too. The coffee and the pastries were the best we had all trip. Panadería Rosetta is known for their guava croissant, so we had to order one of those. It wasn't overly sweet and the croissant was soft and flaky. We ordered one of their puff cream empanadas which was definitely sweet, but delicious. We were lucky to not experience a line and were able to grab a spot to eat our pastries, but it definitely gets busy so I'd suggest going early or at an off hour. We picked up our coffees and went on a long walk throughout Roma Norte, which I recommend doing. Panadería Rosetta is a must, so much that we heavily considered going back again right before our flight Sunday.
The Taste Archives rating: 9/10
San Matcha: We stopped at San Matcha after a long walk because we were both craving matcha. I found San Matcha from an Instagram reel I had seen, and it looked like a good and popular spot to grab a quick matcha. The store front is extremely small and has limited outdoor seating only. While I thought this matcha was pretty good, I didn't think it was anything special compared to other matchas I have had. I'd probably skip this next time and find a different matcha spot.
The Taste Archives rating: 5/10
ROMINA
La Docena: We drove by La Docena on our way to Maximo, and immediately added it to our list. We stopped in the next day for a snack and drink break in the middle of our exploring Roma Norte, and it was fantastic. We sat at the oyster bar that is right on the street and ordered oysters and 2 tostadas. Everything we ordered was delicious and it was a perfect spot to go to during the day for a very light bite and drinks in the heart of Roma Norte. I'd love to go back next time for dinner.
The Taste Archives rating: 8/10
Tacos del Valle: I'll cut right to the chase and say these were the best tacos we had in Mexico City. Tacos de Valle is located in the heart of Roma Norte and has a line out the door for a reason. We went for lunch and only had to wait 15 minutes and were sat at the bar. The taqueria is efficient and serves simple, but incredibly flavorful tacos. We ordered the Tijuanita which is a sirloin taco served with a cheese crust, avocado and grated potato on corn tortilla. We also ordered the Trompo tacos: Negro Fuego, Rojo de Pork Belly, and Carne Asada. The 3 small trompo tacos stole the show. The Tijuanita was very good, but i would just order the trompo tacos next time. We sat at the bar and watched them slice the meat right off the trompo. The tacos were served with a side of salsas, onions and cilantro. The flavor was unmatched and I’ll be dreaming of those for a while.
The Taste Archives rating: 9/10
Martínez: Martínez was a recommendation for a dinner to celebrate our anniversary, and it was my favorite dinner of the trip. The menu had a variety of dishes that were perfect for sharing. Lucho Martínez, the chef behind Martínez, trained at Máximo under chef Eduardo García. The cocktails were fantastic. We ordered a Carajillo and a Yuzu Paloma, and both were amazing in their own way. Some of the standout dishes for me were the Mejillones (mussels), the Pot Pie de Pollo, and my favorite dish of the whole meal: the Flat Bread. The Mejillones were served cold with bread on the side which was different from mussel dishes I typically eat, but were delicious. The Flat Bread was truly amazing. It's a soft, doughy bread (not flat bread at all) served with a taramasalata type of spread, herbs, and trout roe on top. The service at Martínez was fantastic and made it a great experience overall.
The Taste Archives rating: 9/10
La Bonvi: La Bonvi is a new restaurant that opened in Polanco a little over one month ago, and is definitely a popular spot for locals. It's in a great area of Polanco, right off the main road but still feels pretty secluded. The restaurant is filled with skylights, you are able to watch tortillas being made by hand, and good service. When you walk in, you are greeted with a small glass of Modelo to kick off the taco experience. We were sat at the bar that is attached to the kitchen, so we were able to watch our tacos be made in real time. We started off with the Tuna Tostada which I really enjoyed. The tuna tasted fresh and the spicy mayo with avocado and black sesame seeds were a good combination. We ordered the Picaña taco, the Cochinita and the Fish Taco. The Picaña was definitely my favorite out of the three. I also loved the Cochinita taco, but I'd probably skip the Fish taco next time and try a different taco. I liked Tacos Del Valle more, but overall La Bonvi was a great place for lunch to take advantage of the natural light with good food.
The Taste Archives rating: 8/10
Limantour: Limantour is one of the most highly rated cocktail bars in Mexico City, and there is a location that was right near our hotel in Polanco. We stopped in for a pre-dinner drink. I'm not sure how it compares to the other location, but this location was pretty small with limited seating. I liked the moody ambiance and there was outdoor seating options. The cocktail menu is definitely very unique, and one of the things I liked so much about Limantour is that each cocktail has a stamp of the mixologist name that created it and when. We ordered two cocktails, and while I thought the cocktails were good and creative, I personally didn't think the overall experience was anything special. It could be that this location is just a little bit more casual, but it felt like we were just at any other place with a creative cocktail. I would probably skip this next time or try out the other location.
The Taste Archives rating: 6/10
Animal Masaryk: I would describe Animal as a fun and lively restaurant to go to with a group of friends on a night out. The restaurant reminds me of Lyra in Chicago but with better food and better cocktails. It's definitely a spot for tourists, but I thought it was a good experience. The menu is Mexican and Japanese fusion which is two of our favorites. The service from the moment you walk in is fantastic and the people are very nice. When we ordered our drinks the mixologist came over to our table to explain the cocktails and delivered them to us herself. The presentation on my cocktail, the Karol-line, was amazing and so was the taste. The De Hamachi was my favorite out of the appetizers we ordered. The thinly sliced hamachi tasted fresh and bright. The Hamachi Toro and the Spicy Tuna maki were quite good. The Ribeye tacos were also good. Overall, Animal was a fun party atmosphere for a Friday night with amazing cocktails and good food. However, I’d prioritize other places if you are looking for a more authentic experience which we tend to grativate towards.
The Taste Archives rating: 6/10
Niddo Cafe: Niddo Cafe in Polanco had appeared a lot online when looking at cafes around us. The cafe is in on the same quiet road in Polanco as La Bonvi, just off the main road. I thought this cafe was one of the cutest we had been to. It's a great place to sit and enjoy some quiet from the bustle of Mexico City. We were just stopping in for coffee, but the pastries and breakfast foods looked so good. Unfortunately, I didn't love my iced vanilla latte. It tasted more like milk than it did coffee. I would possibly go back to Niddo to give the food a try and try a different coffee.
The Taste Archives rating: 6/10
Taqueria Orinoco: Tacquiera Oronico is an extremely well known restaurant in Mexico City with many locations. There was a location near us in Polanco and on our last night we were craving casual, good tacos. We walked to Taqueria Oronico and it was a fun experience. The tacos were really good and I'm glad we checked it off the list. The Al Pastor tacos were my favorite. Their thinly sliced al pastor tacos served with a thin slice of pineapple, salsas on the side, cilantro and onion. I shockingly didn't grab photo of the tacos before we ate them, but I'd definitely go back here for a casual and easy bite.
The Taste Archives rating: 8/10
Taquería Orinoco
Things to Do
Chapultepec Castle: One of the things I loved the most about Mexico City was how much greenery there is for a big city. Chapultepec Castle was a 20 minute walk from our hotel and was a great experience. The castle has so much history and is in the center of a large park that is the CDMX equivalent to Central Park. We bought tickets to walk inside the castle and it's definitely a must visit for your first time in CDMX.
El Bazar Sábado: Our friend in CDMX picked us up Saturday morning and took us to San Angel to experience El Bazar Sábado. San Angel is an area of the city that looks like a small town in an Italy, and is incredibly rich in culture. Every Saturday, San Angel has a huge market where local artists and vendors from all over come to set up their booths. It was such an amazing experience and a different part of the city, I'm glad we went.
Shopping in Roma Norte: Roma Norte is filled with unique boutiques and vintage shopping. We stopped at a few shops that are worth noting: Consume Local that has great jewelry, Escalina, Lengua, and Irene Buffa. One place I loved walking through is Pasaje El Parian. It's a small area with restaurants thats lined with boutique shops right in the heart of Roma Norte. It's next door to Tacos Del Valle, so great to walk through while waiting to be sat.
Parque México: We stumbled upon Parque México in the morning one day on a walk and it's a beautiful park to see. It's filled with dogs, families, beautiful flowers and greenery. Highly recommend this for a long walk.
We will definitely be back, Mexico City.
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