(includes Ecatepec)
BAKERIES, COFFEE, ICE CREAM, JUICE & TEA
Centro Histórico (Colonia Doctores)
●El Moro – 42 Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas; 011-52-55-5512-0896; elmoro.mx; since 1935; 4 different types of hot chocolate; churreria for breakfast or late night, near downtown.
Cuauhtémoc (Condesa, Roma, Roma Norte, San Rafael & Santa Maria la Ribera)
●Cafe De Raiz – 132 Merida (Roma Norte); 011-52-55-5574-9307; coffee shop & café tucked into small space; hidden jewel that proudly represents regional cuisine of Veracruz; owner Mardonio Carballo prepares simple but delicious breakfasts & lunches, starting with coffee, which is of highest quality; for breakfast try concha veracruzana, sweet roll cut in half, stuffed with refried beans and melted manchego cheese; also good tamal de arroz con champiñones, rice tamal with mushrooms, made with whole grains of rice wrapped in banana leaves and foil (typically known as a tamal chino, or “Chinese tamal,” in Veracruz because rice paste replaces corn masa; main dishes include huevos huastecos, scrambled eggs cooked with sausage, chorizo, ham and/or cheese, or made in classical a la mexicana style, with combination of onion, tomato and fresh green chili, usually jalapeño or serrano.
●Cafe La Habana – 62 Avenida Morelos (Juárez); 011-52-55-5535-2620; since 1952“Tn Roberto Bolaño’s “T”he Savage Detectives,” the Café Quito is based on the Café La Habana; this coffee shop near downtown is a traditional and enigmatic part of Mexico City; around 1954 Fidel Castro and Che Guevara used to meet here; well-known as meeting point for important journalist and writers, such as Octavio Paz or Gabriel García Marquez; now, it’s a traditional restaurant where you can eat some Mexican food and talk about the history of the place; order enchiladas.
●Frutos Prohibidos – 244 Amsterdam (Condesa); 011-52-55-5264-5808; frutosprohibidos.com; for fresh juice or coffee.
●Nevería Roxy – 89 Avenida Fernando Montes de Oca (Condesa); 011-52-55-5286-1258; neveriaroxy.com.mx; old-fashioned ice cream parlor; homemade ice cream & milk shakes; try zapote and/or chico-zapote (2 different things), mamey (de agua not de leche).
BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Benito Juárez (Del Carmen, Narvarte, Mixcoac, Planta Baja, Portales, Venustiano Carranza & Zona Rosa)
●El Centauro – 2216 Division del Norte (Portales); 011-52-55-5605-2908; chilango.com/antros-bares/portales_nativitas/el-centauro; traditional cantina with formica-topped tables & Mexican celebrity murals (past & present-ish), including Mexican cinema’s golden age’s biggest stars: Pedro Infante & Maria Felix.
●La Polar – 129 Guillermo Prieto (San Rafael); 011-52-55-5546-5066; lapolar.com.mx; classic in all senses except, that is, for its unusual claim to be “family cantina,” leading to rare children sightings (accompanying parents) for drink & certain cap on excess; also known for Oreja de Elephante (2 large veal pieces that look like elephant’s ears).
Centro Histórico (Colonia Doctores)
●Azul Histórico – 30 Isabel la Católica (between Calles Francisco Madero & 16 de Septiembre); 011-52-55-5510-1316; azul.rest; former Palacio de los Condes de Miravalle; in one of area’s few remaining 17th Century palaces; open-air restaurant crowned by towering 100-year-old laurel trees.
●Bósforo Mezcaleria – 31 Luis Moya; 011-52-55-5512-1991; facebook.com/pages/Bósforo-Mezcaleria/280170022102134; tipplers who are mezcal (agave-based spirit) fans will enjoy sips on offer; atmosphere is dark & dive-y.
●Los Canallas – 58 Calle Regina; 011-52-55-5709-1200; facebook.com/pages/Los-Canallas/684931694900107; Argentine café with comedy & live jazz; if you order mojito, you may get kissed.
●Cantina La Opera – 10 Avenida 5 de Mayo; 011-52-55-5512-8959; barlaopera.com; lovely dark wood, brass & mirrors; excellent margaritas; still has bullet holes left by Pancho Villa.
●Cantina Salón España – 25 Luis González Obregón; 011-52-55-5704-0014; facebook.com/cantinaSalonEspana; tequila lovers’ mecca; dive-y; do not confuse with other Salón España.
●Las Duelistas – 28 Aranda (alongside Mercado San Juan); 011-52-55-1394-0958; chilango.com/antros-bares/centro-historico/las-duelistas; now graffitied with pre-Hispanic psychedelia, classic (over 100 years-old) pulquería; pulque still dispensed straight from barrel, under Aztec mural ceiling, in various flavors, like celery, coconut, mango & peanut.
●La Faena – 49 Venustiana Carranza; 011-52-55-5510-4417; facebook.com/LaFaenaOficial; worth visit just for oddness; forgotten relic doubles as bullfighting museum, with matadors in sequined outfits glaring intently from dusty cases & bucolic grazing bull canvases; occupies cavernous space in old building.
●Hostel Virreyes – 8 José María Izazaga; 011-52-55-5521-4181; hostelvirreyes.com.mx; great bar.
●El Hostería La Bota – 40 Peatonal San Jerónimo; 011-52-55-5709-9016; acebook.com/labotacultubar; ask for Chalice (wine & cranberry cocktail); sells poetry, too.
●Salón Marrakech 2.0 – 18 Calle República de Cuba; facebook.com/marrakechsalon2.0/?rf=189510904419060; gay nightclub, predominantly lesbian; very silly; young, fun crowd.
●Pasagüero – 33 Avenida Motolinía; 011-52-55-5521-6112; pasagûero.com; historic building with transformed ground level space for various cultural happenings, particularly rock & electronica; features front café-bar (from 11:00-23:00) with cheap chelas (cold beers).
●La Perla – 44 República de Cuba; 011-52-55-1997-9001; facebook.com/pg/cabaret.laperla/about/?ref=page_internal; do not wear jewelry because rough area; retro lounge & drag club with Mexico City’s most famous performers.
●St. Regis Hotel (King Cole Bar) – 439 Paseo de la Reforma; 011-52-55-5533-2969; starwoodhotels.com.
●Salón España – 25 Calle Republica de Argentina; 011-52-55-5702-1719; cdmxtravel.com/en/attractions/salon-espana.html; tequila lovers’ mecca (more than 250 labels); founded in 1925 by Spanish refugees who entered country before Spanish Civil War; can play dominoes, chess & cards.
●Salon Tenampa – 12 Plaza Garbialdi; 011-52-55-5526-6176; salontenampa.com; founded in 1923; wonderfully tacky; extensive mariachi history (originating in Jalisco) documented in wall murals.
Coyoacán
●La Guadalupana – 2 Higuera; 011-52-55-5554-6253; long-time favorite with intelligentsia; also among few cantinas worth visiting in south of city; recent makeover in rather nondescript style has scrubbed away some of charm; still friendly & simple; dating from 1928; always packed; wall-mounted bulls’ heads add carnage to bar’s bullfighting theme; comfortable, jovial cantina; operation is as traditional as menu; for those who are only drinking, waiters bring customary small plates of complimentary snacks (called botanas) that range from crisp jicama slices with lime & chile to pigs’ feet in red sauce; easy to imagine communist conversations bouncing off walls here in Frida & Diego’s day.
Cuauhtémoc (Condesa, Roma, Roma Norte, San Rafael & Santa Maria la Ribera)
●La Botica – 396 Calle Campeche & Atlixco y Tamaulipas (Hipódromo Condesa); 011-52-55-5211-6045; labotica.com.mx; 30 varieties of tequila, including one in which chicken breasts are steeped during distillation.
●El Centenario – 42 Vicente Suarez (Condesa); 011-52-55-5553-5451; cdmxtravel.com/es/lugares/cantina-el-centenario.html; small cantina with tiled walls & pretty wooden bar in Condesa’s heart; refreshingly normal; prices, however, make no such concessions.
●Covadonga – 121 Puebla (Roma); 011-52-55-5533-2701; afar.com/places/salon-covadonga-mexico-city; cavernous room with decor unchanged since 1950s; Spanish-style cantina (as opposed to Mexican-style); waiters push heavy wooden tables around like Tetris to accommodate large groups & deliver glasses of rum in highballs with sides of soda water; crowd is lively mix of crusty regulars, journalists & packs of young hipsters.
●Bar Montejo – 261 Benjamin Franklin (Condesa); 011-52-55-5516-5851; chilango.com/antros-bares/condesa/cantina-bar-montejo; multi-floored, pale yellow monstrosity that somehow manages to feel close to cozy; excellent sopa de lima & suckling pig.
●La Clandestina – 298 Álvaro Obregón (Condesa); 011-52-55-5212-1871; worldsbestbars.com/bar/mexico-city/city-center/la-clandestina-mezcaleria; reed roof backlit in green & yellow; place to hit for all your agave-based needs; character-rich space, moody & candle-lit; mezcaleria.
●El Palenquito – 39 Avenida Álvaro Obregón (Roma Norte, between Frontera & Merida); 011-52-55-5207-8617; facebook.com/pages/El-Palenquito/135110239980087; newest mezcaleria from agave authority Karla Moles.
Miguel Hidalgo (Chapultepec, Del Bosque, Escandon, Polanco, San Miguel Chapultepec & Verónica Anzúres)
●Ivoire – 95 Emilio Castelar (Polanco); 011-52-55-5280-0477; facebook.com/IvoirePolanco; French-Mexican; rooftop bar.
●El Leon de Oro – 103 Avenida Marti (Excandon); 011-52-55-7751-5516; cantinaelleondeoro.com.mx; mid-sized cantina with relaxed atmosphere, among better places to have conversation; ideal for getting into national football match spirit; geometric stained, brown & gold glass windows & golden domes add 60-70s kitsch touch.
●El Mirador de Chapultepec – 606 Avenida Chapultepec (Chapultepec); 011-52-86-2161-2165; cantinaelmirador.com; traditional cantina; dominos after lunch.
HOTELS
Álvaro Obregón & Cuajimalpa (San Ángel & Santa Fe)
●Distrito Capital – 37 Avenida Juan Salvador Agraz, 5th Floor (Santa Fe); 011-52-55-5257-1300; hoteldistritocapital.com; Jetson-like quality.
Benito Juárez (Del Carmen, Narvarte, Mixcoac, Planta Baja, Portales, Venustiano Carranza & Zona Rosa)
●City Express EBC Reforma – 21 Havre; 011-52-55-1102-0280; cityexpress.com.mx; teaching hotel; cheap & clean.
●Four Seasons – 500 Paseo de la Reforma; 011-52-55-5230-1818; fourseasons.com/mexico.
●Hotel Geneve – 130 Londres Avenida (Zona Rosa); 011-52-55-5080-0800; ostar.com.mx; modern accommodations in antique setting; cozy bar & beautiful breakfast alcove.
Centro Histórico (Colonia Doctores)
●Downtown Mexico – 30 Isabel la Católica; 011-52-55-5282-2199; downtownmexico.com; blends colonial 17th Century grandeur with industrial, raw edge; integrates local indigenous culture while celebrating its colonial location; originally known as “Palacio de los Condes de Miravalle,” is next to other colonial landmarks on cobbled street; ornate detailing around facade windows & stone-forge staircase with intricate handrails sit alongside grey volcanic rock walls & handmade cement tiles; 17 rooms & suites possess bohemian-chic, stripped-back elegance; street-side rooms have balconies to take in views, while others look over lush, perfectly manicured patio; immense terrace covers entire rooftop; pool.
●Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de Mexico – 82 Avenida 16 de Septiembre; 011-52-55-1083-7700; granhoteldelaciudaddemexico.com.mx; magnificent Art Nouveau lobby; terrific views from rooftop bar.
Cuauhtémoc (Condesa, Roma, Roma Norte, San Rafael & Santa Maria la Ribera)
●Hotel Brick – 95 Orizaba (Roma); 011-52-55-5525-1100; hotelbrick.com.
●Casa del Arbol Rojo – 6 Calle Culiacán (Condesa); 011-52-55-5584-3829; theredtreehouse.com; incredibly beautiful & welcoming guest house.
●La Casona – 280 Calle de Durango; 011-52-55-5286-3001; hotellacasona.com.mx/hotel-mexico-city.php; small boutique; terrific location & excellent meals in small restaurant that looks out over small patio; ask for large room on 1st floor.
●Condesa DF – 102 Avenida Veracruz (Condesa); 011-52-55-5241-2600; condesadf.com; cleverly designed, modern hotel wrapped in 1928 exterior; just off Parque Espana; no detail unconsidered; can use hotel bikes.
●Hippodrome Hotel – 188 Avenida México (Condesa); 011-52-55-6798-3974; thehippodromehotel.com; former Art Deco apartment building; 16 rooms; thoroughly modern; good restaurant on-site; June-July are best months; Rooms 101, 201, 301 & 401 have street views; penthouse has rooftop terrace & owner’s car access.
●Marquis Reforma – 465 Paseo de la Reforma; 011-52-55-5229-1200; marquisreforma.com; in middle of arts & financial district; art deco style; popular with business travelers.
●St. Regis – 439 Paseo de La Reforma; 011-52-55-5228-1818; sstregismexicocity.com.
Miguel Hidalgo (Chapultepec, Del Bosque, Escandon, Polanco, San Miguel Chapultepec & Verónica Anzúres)
●Las Alcobas – 390 Avenida Presidente Masaryk; 011-52-55-3300-3900; lasalcobas.com; 10-minute walk from metro station; refined hotel on tree-lined street near Museo Nacional de Antropología & Chapultepec Castle; rosewood furnishings & Italian linens; contemporary rooms come with free Wi-Fi & flat-screen TVs with Bose speaker systems; minibars & separate sitting areas; rainfall showerheads & whirlpool tubs; upgraded rooms overlook private courtyard or bustling street; room service offered; breakfast & parking are included; other amenities include 2 high-end restaurants, as well as bar, luxe spa & fitness room.
●Hotel Habita – 201 Avenida Presidente Masaryk (Polanco); 011-52-55-5282-3100; hotelhabita.com; 9 years old; 1st “design” boutique; upscale but low-key place to stay.
●InterContinental Presidente Mexico City – 218 Campos Elíseos (Polanco); 011-52-55-5327-7700; presidenteicmexico.com; where diplomats stay; great location.
●W Mexico City – 252 Campos Eliseos (Polanco); 011-52-55-9138-1800; wmexicocity.com; short walk from Anthropology Museum.
RESTAURANTS
Álvaro Obregón & Cuajimalpa (San Ángel & Santa Fe)
●Distrito Capital – 37 Juan Salvador Agraz, 5th Floor (Santa Fe); 011-52-55-5257-1300; hoteldistritocapital.com; amazing views.
●Restaurante Antiguo San Ángel Inn – 50 Diego Rivera (San Ángel); 011-52-55-5616-1402; sanangelinn.com; former Carmelite monastery; dark mahogany furniture, crisp white table linens, exquisite blue-&-white Talavera place settings, & impeccable service; restrained opulence in 18th Century hacienda setting; some international fine-dining dishes (like duck in blackberry sauce), Mexican delicacies are stars, like crepes of huitlacoche or jewel-like dish of escamoles; dessert tray displays everything from rich chocolate cake to Bavarian cream with strawberries & cajeta (goats-milk caramel).
Benito Juárez (Del Carmen, Narvarte, Mixcoac, Planta Baja, Portales, Venustiano Carranza & Zona Rosa)
●Fonda el Refugio – 166 Calle Liverpool (Zona Rosa); 011-52-55-5525-8128; fondaelrefugio.com.mx; small restaurant that has been serving authentic Mexican food for more than 57 years; artists, politicians, writers & all kinds of celebrities have dined here over all those decades; Octavio Paz chose this restaurant’s food for his banquet after receiving Nobel Prize in literature in 1990; in recent years food quality declined; but, recently, this classic high-end restaurant has come back; a “must.”
●Mi Gusto Es – 1709 Diagonal San Antonio (Narvarte); 011-52-55-5235-3217; migustoes.com.mx; seafood in informal setting.
●Reforma 500 – 500 Paseo de la Reforma; 011-52-55-5230-1808; fourseasons.com/mexico; restaurant at 4 Seasons; romantic fountain courtyard.
●Romulo’s Qué Mariscos – Yacatas (Narvarte, on corner of Uxmal, behind Mercado);
011-52-55-5530-5340; facebook.com/Romulos-QUE-Mariscos-308479605841967; former puesto (street stand) that has grown to fill market space around it; menu includes abalone ceviche, huge “chocolate” clams served raw & city’s best agua chile, fiery shellfish ceviche.
●Turtux – 57 Avenida de la Paz (San Ángel, on Plaza del Carmen); 011-52-55-5550-3632; facebook.com/pages/Turtux/348413968581858; name is Mayan for “butterfly”; affable chef & gastronome Margarita Salinas de Carrillo is notable cooking teacher & has cooked for President Obama; multi-regional food (“tweaked traditional”); try laminillas de pulpo al cilantro (octopus, sliced razor thin & drizzled with simple little cilantro salsa), fideo seco (classic dried noodle dish) with avocado, chili & local cheese, terciopelo de hongos, borreguito en pulque con ayocotes (falling-apart tender mutton & corn dumplings in brick-red sauce, made fruity & deep with fresh pulque), and/or totol en mole de pistache (young turkey in pistachio mole); desserts are all as good as they sound: tarta Eréndira de chocolate de metate y chiles secos, for example.
Centro Histórico (Colonia Doctores)
●Azul – 30 Isabel la Católica (between Calles Francisco Madero & 16 de Septiembre, at Downtown Hotel, former Palacio de los Condes de Miravalle); 011-52-55-5510-1316; azul.rest; in one of area’s few remaining 17th Century palaces; red, volcanic rock facade, magnificent patios & stone-forged staircase with 1945 original mural by Manuel Rodriguez Lozano; wooden beams, ribbed ceiling vaults & clay floor tiles; restaurant, which comfortably seats 100 fills central patio & is surrounded by 1st-floor balconies; open-air restaurant crowned by towering 100-year-old laurel trees; during summer rainy season, enormous cover spreads over entire patio; tables, specially made for restaurant, hand-branded with Centro Histórico street names; opens early (8 a.m.) for business breakfasts; menu identical to that at Azul/Condesa; fabulous food; try deep-green cilantro cream soup, topped with sliced almonds & crema de mesa (Mexican table cream) or ensalada de pera con queso Roquefort as appetizers; for entrees filete de res con chichilo (filet mignon with dark Oaxaca mole made with chile seed ashes & ground, dried avocado leaves, served over sliced, steamed chayote & accompanied by pickled red onions & chochoyones (little Oaxacan corn dough dumplings)) or pechuga de pollo con mole negro (boneless chicken breast with Oaxacan black mole, topped with single fried sweet plátano macho (super-ripe plantain) slice & cilantro sprig; make reservation.
●Hostería la Bota – 40 San Jeronimo (Centro); 011-52-55-5709-9016; facebook.com/Hostería-La-Bota-120099684674038; known for lively atmosphere & well-executed international cuisine; good music, stylish décor & friendly staff; relaxed & enjoyable place to go, whether you’re just having casual pint & tacos or full meal such as enchiladas served with home-made salsa verde.
●Los Canallas – 58 Calle Regina; 011-52-55-5709-1200; facebook.com/pages/Los-Canallas/684931694900107; Argentine café with comedy & live jazz.
●El Cardenal – 23 Palma (Centro Sur); 011-52-55-5521-8815; restauranteelcardenal.com; upscale venue concentrating on food over surroundings (you could be in any luxury hotel in any city) — & how! for lunch, try 1 of Oaxacan moles — colorado, rojo, or almendrado (almond); but real treat is breakfast, replete with frothy hot chocolate, enchiladas & fresh-baked pan dulce; other locations in at Hilton Hotel Mexico City Reforma, San Angel (32 Avenida de la Paz 32 & Lomas de Chapultepec (215 Avenida Paseo de Las Palmas, near Colonia Polanco), share obsession with quality & tradition, & in less sterile surroundings.
●La Casa de las Sirenas – 32 Calle Republica de Guatemala (behind Cathedral); 011-52-55-5704-3273; lacasadelassirenas.com.mx; Zócalo views from rooftop patio.
●El Danubio – 3 Republica de Uruguay (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5521-0976; danubio.com; opened in 1936 by Basques who had escaped Spanish Civil War; has kept same external appearance over decades; even has original coal fire stove inside, which is still in use today; specializes in fish & seafood, with highlights that include langostinos a la plancha, although its vast menu of over 110 dishes has something for all tastes; reserve table in advance.
●Los Girasoles – 8 Calle de Tacuba (Centro Histórico, on Plaza Manuel Tolsa); 011-52-55-5510-0630; facebook.com/LosGirasolesMx/?rf=170363089665288; pre-Hispanic cuisine: maguey worms, ant larvae & fried grasshoppers; menu also offers modern Mexican cuisine for less adventurous; in restored, colonial house, block away from Bellas Artes; seating both inside & outside in covered terrace, which provides lovely view of Plaza Manuel Tolsa.
●Gotan – 17 Pedro Baranda (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5535-2136; gotan.com.mx/english-version; offers authentic Argentinian cuisine, using recipes passed down through generations; efficient & friendly service alongside outstanding dishes; favorite among locals; Argentinian so meat-based dishes are outstanding; empanadas, in particular, are spectacular; fantastic desserts run close second.
●Limosneros – 3 Avenida Ignacio Allende; 011-52-55-5521-5576; limosneros.com.mx; chic Mexi-dining; 2-story Spanish colonial building once home to local artisan’s guild, whose members collected funds (limosnas, i.e., “donations”) to build various public buildings; same family owns venerable Café Tacuba, around corner; exposed volcanic stone walls, brick ceilings, & cantera doorways; updates classics in hip, modern, but unpretentious way; breakfast on weekends & features birria, rich goat broth-stew from Jalisco.
●El Mayor (Libreria Porrua) – 15 Calle República de Argentina (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5704-7580; facebook.com/relmayor; out of sight above book store; inviting cafe-bar with marvelous terrace; looks out onto Historic Center, sight will take your breath away.
●El Mesón del Cid, Humboldt – 61 Humboldt (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5512-7629; mesondelcid.com.mx; Spanish restaurant opened in 1972; interior dominated by stained-glass windows & fireplace; contemporary & traditional dishes prepared by Spanish chefs on weekdays; however, it is weekend that is most fun here; on Saturday nights, chefs prepare 4-course medieval banquet where costumed waiters serve guests; entertainment is provided by student vocal group, juggler & magician.
●Restaurante Bar La Opera – 10 Avenida 5 de Mayo (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5512-8959; barlaopera.com; open over 100 years; once favored by Gabriel García Marquez, all Mexican presidents & General Francisco Villa, who supposedly left mark in roof when he shot at it (look up & you can still see hole); elegant French-style décor & friendly atmosphere pair well with fresh, beautifully presented Mexican cuisine; all regularly accompanied by live mariachi band.
●Padrinos – 30 Calle Isabel la Catolica (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5510-2409; ; in former 17th Century palace close to Mexico City’s main square, Zócalo; combines retro-style interior & excellent food; from traditional Mexican dishes such as fresh seafood tostadas to international fusion plates, vast menu & great drink selection; best enjoyed along with balmy evening in garden or on terrace.
●Puro Corazón – 11 Monte de Piedad (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5510-8903; chilango.com/restaurantes/centro-historico/puro-corazon; located on 6th floor; spectacular views of Zócalo & Metropolitan Cathedral, which you can enjoy from terrace; restaurant offers traditional Mexican dishes made with native ingredients, but many with contemporary twist; chef will also prepare made-to-order meals on request; wash down with particularly good margaritas.
●Hosteria Santo Domingo – 70-72 Belisario Domínguez; 011-52-55-5510-1434; hosteriasantodomingo.mx; oldest restaurant in Mexico City; whipping up classic Mexican fare since 1860; festive atmosphere, enhanced by live piano music; menu offers numerous dishes, but everyone comes here for chile en nogada (enormous poblano chili pepper stuffed with ground meat, dried fruit & bathed in creamy walnut sauce).
●Sofia Garcia Osorio – 31 Luis Moya (attached to Bósforo Mezcaleria); 011-52-55-5512-1991; facebook.com/pages/Bósforo-Mezcaleria/280170022102134; with only 7 tables, Sofia Garcia Osorio’s unnamed place (“What’s important is you & experience, not restaurant or me,” she says) can accommodate 28 diners at time; located on sketchy side street near Paseo de la Reforma (broad avenue diagonally bisecting city), restaurant offers hopeful evidence that Mexico City’s faded center is making much-touted & overdue comeback; despite its location between defunct theater & convenience store, Ms. Garcia Osorio’s place draws patrons from throughout city; Garcia Osorio likes to keep things simple at her restaurant, turning out densely flavorful meals using most basic of ingredients & means; “Real food doesn’t need lot of adornment,” she says, “I don’t like menus that say, ‘Oh, this is plate with blah-blah- blah.’ We try to leave out explanation & let flavor speak for itself”; cooks in cast-iron or clay comal pans & where possible, without oil, Garcia Osorio renders subtle fare, like moist organic saddle of rabbit in smoky peanut mole, or guacamole studded with nuggets of green tomato, frills of pipicha, & mysterious ingredient that pops on tongue like piece of Freshen-up gum (toasted grasshoppers).
●Cafe Tacuba – 28 Calle de Tacuba; 011-52-55-5521-2048; cafedetacuba.com.mx/en; fresh-baked bread; essential breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack stop downtown; opened in 1912 in old convent; at entrance to main dining room, huge 18th Century oil paintings depicting mole poblano invention.
●El Zefiro – 24 San Jerónimo; 011-52-55-5709-7983; ucsj.edu.mx/zefiro; culinary school & restaurant.
Coyoacán
●Café Azul y Oro – 3000 Insurgentes Sur (at Ciudad Universitaria, in New Faculty of Engineering Building), on 2nd floor, above bookstore); 011-52-55-5622-7135; azulcondesa.com; both architectural & culinary adventure; set on National Autonomous University of Mexico campus; traditional Oaxaca recipes; cafe run by chef Ricardo Munoz Zurita, Diccionario Enciclopedico De Gastronomia Mexicana author; many mole types; reasonable comida corrida; try cochinita pibil (pork with marinated onions & tomatoes sauce in orange (or tangerine) rind, wrapped in banana leaf along with very soft, thick corn tortillas & black beans); also duck ravioli in Oaxacan mole; for dessert, pastel mamey (sweet, fruity custard-like cake with rich chocolate & caramel sauces) & nieve de leche quemada; open for breakfast; close early (around 6 pm on weekdays, slightly later on weekends).
●Bellinghausen – 95 Londres (Zona Rosa); 011-52-5207-6149; authentic Mexican with Spanish touch; popular for over 3 generations.
●El Tajin – 687 Miguel Angel de Quevedo; 011-52-55-5659-5759; eltajin.com.mx; culinary anthropologist, Alicia Gironella De’Angeli, prepares menu; spectacular; try ancho chile stuffed with seafood & smothered with guacamole.
Cuauhtémoc (Condesa, Roma, Roma Norte, San Rafael & Santa Maria la Ribera)
●Capicua – 66 Avenida Nuevo León (Condesa); 011-52-55-5286-3697; eatacity.com/guide/mexicocity/restaurants/capicua; tapas bar with convivial atmosphere; minimalist; crowd very cool.
●Contramar – 200 Calle Durango (Condesa); 011-52-55-5514-9217; contramar.com.mx; hot spot; specializes in seafood; open for lunch only; simple, unpretentious Mexican seafood (tuna tostadas, Zihuatanejo fish stripes & fish a la talla).
●Casa Lamm – 99 Álvaro Obregón (Roma); 011-52-55-5525-3938; casalamm.com.mx; beautifully landscaped 1911 mansion that serves excellent breakfasts; cultural center in Colonia Roma & short walk to art galleries.
●Los Dorados de Durango – 67 Morelia (Roma); 011-52-55-5514-1583; taqueria; Friday is “Bohemian” night; must see; comfort food; best torta al pastor in city.
●Flor de Lis – 21 Calle Huichapan (Condesa); 011-52-55-3693-5195; eatyourworld.com/destinations/mexico/mexico_city/typical_foods/what_to_eat/tamal; venerable; offers many types tamales, including those steamed in banana leaves.
●Fonda la Veracruzana – 198 Presidente Medellín (Roma, on corner of Chiapas); 011-52-55-5574-0474; facebook.com/La-Veracruzana-123780401053531; lunch spot on several best restaurant lists; unbelievably fresh Peruvian seafood.
●El Hidalguense – 155 Campeche (Roma); 011-52-55-5564-0538; mexkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/07/el-hidalguese.html; cash, no credit cards; masterful (12-hour) Hidalgo-style barbacoa (tender lamb & mutton, slow-cooked over mesquite); family in business for nearly 4 decades (Mexico City restaurant going strong for 15 years); most people order barbacoa tacos & consommé, flavored with mutton drippings; wash it all down with pulque (fresh, pre-tequila, semi-fermented mulch from agave plant heart).
●La Lavandería – 298 Álvaro Obregón (Condesa); 011-52-55-3706-6762; pozole; reed roof backlit in green & yellow; also, burgers, sandwiches, tacos, etc.
●Maximo Bistrot – 133 Calle Tonalá (Roma Norte); 011-52-55-5264-4291; maximobistrot.com.mx; cool & chic; French, Italian, Spanish fusion; best brandade de morue this side of Seine River; airy & sunny during day, warm & cozy at night; lovely, old tile floors; comfortable wooden bistro chairs & tables; ambient music low; kitchen open to view & run by Chef Eduardo García, formerly of esteemed Pujol, also worked at Manhattan’s star-strewn Le Bernardín; 5-6 appetizers & same number platos fuertes; try for grilled octopus drizzled with guajillo emulsion.
●MeroToro – 204 Calle Amsterdam (Condesa); 011-52-55-5564-7799; merotoro.mx; seafood & steaks.
●Mi Gusto Es – 324 Torcuato Tasso (Polanco); 011-52-55-5254-5678; migustoes.com.mx; seafood in informal setting.
●La Toma de Tequila – 28 Toluca (at Baja California & Centro Medico Station); 011-52-55-5584-5250; facebook.com/La-Toma-de-Tequila-257165007738112; Chihuahua cuisine; lovely, clean atmosphere.
Miguel Hidalgo (Chapultepec, Del Bosque, Escandon, Polanco, San Miguel Chapultepec & Verónica Anzúres)
●Agua y Sal Cebicheria – 199 Campos Elíseos (Polanco); 011-52-55-5282-2746; aguaysal.com.mx; widely acclaimed as among best seafood restaurants, if not one of best restaurants in general, in Mexico City – & it delivers; from flawless Mexican service, to adventurous & innovative ceviches, to the fresh seafood necessary to pull them off, this was a treat well worth the high (by Mexican standards), but not unreasonable, price..
●Astrid & Gastón – 117 Tennyson (Polanco); 011-52-55-5282-2666; astridygaston.com.mx; 1 of half-dozen outposts of famed Peruvian restaurant (created by chef Gaston Acurio & wife Astrid Gutsche); so-called Nuevo Andean food is really Peruvian classics done with bit of flair & dash of fusion (Asian influences, in particular, in preparations); ceviche is star here (tasting menu recommended); try those topped with leche de tigre (literally “tiger’s milk,” citrus-based marinade of lime juice, onions, chile, salt & pepper along with bit of fish juice); but don’t just stop with ceviche; try noble robado fish, served in miso sauce with crunchy oysters; or go for causa, potato dish (staple in Peru) served mashed with slight hint of chile spice & topped with tuna, crab & avocado cream; restaurant itself is open, airy, clean & modern with touches of dark wood, ample space between tables & outdoor terrace with fireplace.
●El Bajío – 2709 Avenida Cuitlahuac (Polanco); 011-52-55-5234-3763; restauranteelbajio.com.mx; run by famous chef, Carmen Titita Ramirez Degollado & daughter; traditional & regional dishes, such as empanadas de platano rellenos de frijol (tortilla bread with potatoes & beans).
●Biko – 407 Presidente Masaryk (Polanco); 011-52-55-5282-2064; biko.com.mx; considered among world’s best 50 restaurants; Basque restaurant.
●Bros Oyster Bar – 226 Lope de Vega (Polanco); 011-52-55-5250-1325; bros.mx; versatile restaurant & oyster bar, with spectacular view of Soumaya art museum; casual atmosphere.
●Dulce Patria – 100 Anatole France (Polanco, next to Las Alcobas Hotel); 011-52-55-3300-3999; dulcepatriamexico.com; playful spirit of chef Martha Ortiz Chapa’s aesthetic begins at restaurant entrance with pink front doors & large gold, baroque design; from entrance, can see lights in green & pink green dangling from ceiling; chairs are decorated with flourishes of embroidery typically found on Oaxacan blouses & floors are painted bright red; Ortiz Chapa, Frida Kahlo fan, captures her spirit in food presentation even: multicolor quesadillas, salsas in patriotic colors (green & red with dash of white from onions) & colorful crepe-paper wrapped cookies; brilliance is not limited to vibrant colors, it’s also in flavors; variety of aguas frescas, including agua de Jamaica (sweet hibiscus water) & horchata (rice drink) with rose petals; eclectic menu includes ceviche with black sapote, cream of Papantla vanilla beans, squash flower in cream, carnitas in pipicha sauce & various moles, of which black chicken is most successful; dessert is playful presentation on miniature toy carousel of petit fours & traditional sweets such as tamarind coconut candies.
●La Fonda del Recuerdo – 37 Bahía de las Palmas (Verónica Anzúres); 011-52-55-8112-7476; fondadelrecuerdo.com; popular fonda has made name for itself celebrating culture & food of Veracruz State; alongside simple fish & seafood platters are toritos, sweet but potent drinks made from sugarcane liquor & tropical fruit juices; every day, jarocho (Veracruz-style) & mariachi groups provide live entertainment, which makes for festive, if noisy, environment; music starts between 1-3 pm & often continues well into evening.
●Gloutonnerie – 142 Campos Eliseos (Polanco); 011-52-55-5250-0981; gloutonnerie.mx; bistro with wide Mexican wine range.
●Hacienda de Los Morales – 525 Avenida Juan Vázquez de Mella (Del Bosque); 011-52-55-5283-3000; haciendadelosmorales.com; restored hacienda for grand meals, although can go in casual attire; beautiful, brick-vaulted ceilings are worth trip alone.
●Ivoire – 95 Emilio Castelar (Polanco); 011-52-55-5280-0477; facebook.com/IvoirePolanco; French-Mexican; try lobster risotto.
●Jaso – 88 Calle Newton (Polanco); 011-52-55-5545-7476; jaso.com.mx; considered, with Pujol, among best restaurants in Mexico City; excellent desserts, too.
●Mora Blanca – 135 Calle Emilio Castelar (Polanco); 011-52-55-5280-4358; morablanca.com.mx; classic French cuisine inspired by Polanco area, where French families in early 20th Century European-style houses; elegant dishes, almost stately, evoke other times but, at same time, comfortable & reminiscent of French country food (stews, meats & strong cheeses).
●Mp Cafe Bistro – 10 Andrés Bello (Polanco); 011-52-55-5280-2506; mbendi.com/restaurant/cafe-bistro-mp-17519; upscale, Asian Fusion.
●La No. 20 Cantina – 10 Calle Andrés Bello (Polanco); 011-52-55-5281-3524; lano20.com.mx; can be quite loud; good drinks & food; can be loud.
●Puerto Madero – 110 Avenue Presidente Masaryk (Polanco); 011-52-55-5203-7369; puertomaderorestaurantes.com; sprawling, somewhat pre-fab-feeling steak emporium that could be located anywhere from Houston to Hong Kong; but some of best Argentine-style steaks in city; menu is fairly basic; chops & steaks, featuring traditional Argentine cuts (all carefully explained on menu), are topnotch; bife de lomo, for example (more or less super-size filet mignon) is nicely aged, just fatty enough, smokily seared on outside & rare within; a la carte sides uniformly well done; wine options are plentiful & reasonably priced; fairly long waits are rule.
●Pujol – 254 Francisco Petrarca (Polanco, between Homero & Horacio); 011-52-55-5545-4111; pujol.com.mx; fancy, Mexican fusion; arguably Mexico’s best gourmet restaurant; contemporary take on classic Mexican dishes in minimalist setting; famed Chef Enrique Olvera regularly reinvents menu, which is presented as menú degustación, multiple-course tasting extravaganza; might take up to several weeks to get table so reserve well ahead of time.
●Quintonil – 55 Newton (Polanco); 011-52-55-5280-1660; quintonil.com/en; means “amaranth leaf”; Chef Jorge Vallejo, his wife, Alejandra Flores (restaurant’s designer) create modern Mexican cuisine dishes that appeal to both eye & palate; unassuming entrance leads to airy interior that’s about 4 times size of what you might expect from façade; inside, Flores showcases her experience in design & restoration: antique furniture shares space with modern, sleek tables & clean wood-paneled walls; for palate, flavors are deftly combined & presented with equal care & expertise; each meal begins with bread dish filled with seasoned beans; constants on menu include: chilacayotes (squash) in house mole, shrimp tamale in chilpachole sauce, or clam aguachile; menu adjusts to what’s in season; for more complete Mexican experience consider comida corrida, tasting menu with some of restaurant’s best dishes for about $55 US.
●Romina – 716 Avenida Homero (Polanco); 011-52-55-4432-4432; comabeba.com/romina-polanco-mexico-city-restaurant; some of city’s best & most authentic Italian.
●Taquería El Turix – 212 Calle Emilio Castelar (Polanco); 011-52-55-5280-6449; bonappetit.com/city-guides/mexico-city/venue/el-turix; dingy looking but ethereal cochinita pibil tortas (slow-cooked pork sandwiches).
●Villa Maria – 704 Avenida Homero (Polanco); 011-52-55-5203-0306; villamaria.com.mx; sunny, open restaurant with casual atmosphere; mariachi house band.
Tlalpan
●Antigua Hacienda de Tlalpan – 4619 Calzada de Tlalpan; 011-52-55-5655-7888; aht.mx; authentic, regal, Mexican food; established presence; grounds are painstakingly maintained.
SERVICES
●Artisans of Leisure – 18 East 16th Street (New York); 212-243-3239; artisansofleisure.com; all-day, bespoke, architectural tours by company whose Mexico City rolodex are massive.
SHOPPING
Álvaro Obregón & Cuajimalpa (San Ángel & Santa Fe)
●Bazar del Sabado – 11 Plaza de San Jacinto (San Ángel); 011-52-55-5616-0082; elbazaarsabado.com; Saturday flea market for handicrafts & street artists; also, check out adjacent flower market.
Benito Juárez (Del Carmen, Narvarte, Mixcoac, Planta Baja, Portales, Venustiano Carranza & Zona Rosa)
●Fonart Store – 691 Avenida Patriotismo (Mixcoac); 011-52-55-5093-6000; fonart.gob.mx/web/index.php/galeria/tienda-patriotismo; part of Federal-operated chain of 3 handicraft stores.
●Fonart Store – Galería Reforma, 116 Avenida Paseo de la Reforma (Planta Baja); 011-52-55-5093-6000; fonart.gob.mx/web/index.php/galeria/tienda-galeria-reforma; part of Federal-operated chain of 3 handicraft stores.
●Happening Concept Store – 10-C Madero (San Ángel); 011-52-55-5550-8971; facebook.com/HappeningConceptStore; one place where you can go for everything: coffee, accessories, home items, baby clothes, bathing suits; designers are mostly from Mexico City.
Centro Histórico (Colonia Doctores)
●Fonart Store – Galería Juárez, 89 Avenida Juárez (Centro Histórico); 011-52-5521-0171; fonart.gob.mx/web/index.php/conoce-fonart/puntos-de-venta; part of Federal-operated chain of 3 handicraft stores.
●Fusion | Casa de Diseñadores – 37 Londres; 011-52-55-116-328; casafusion.com.mx; really pretty colonial house that hosts permanent vendors & small food places.
●Mercado Indepencia – 40 Avenida Independencia; 011-52-55-4135-8809; en.mxcity.mx/2016/08/mercado-independencia; gourmet market with cafes as well as stalls.
●Mercado de San Juan – 21 Calle de Ernesto Pugibet (Centro Histórico, between José María Marroquí & Luis Moya); mercadosanjuan.galeon.com; small but mighty; both wholesaler to restaurants & tourist attraction; food available almost nowhere else in Mexico found here: bitter melon, wild boar, deep green baby zucchini, living escargots, fresh-killed deer & rabbit, ready-to-cook osso bucco, jamón or chile serrano, skinned goat heads, live, red maguey worms, baby artichokes, imported cheeses & dried sausages, baby bok choy, etc.
●Mercado de La Lagunilla – 46 López Rayón (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-7173-9667; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Lagunilla_Market; open on Sundays only; antiques & curios market.
●Mercado de Sonora – 419 Calle Fray Servando Teresa de Mier (Venustiano Carranza); 011-52-55-57680-6620; mercadosonora.com.mx; “witchcraft market.”
Cuauhtémoc (Condesa, Roma, Roma Norte, San Rafael & Santa Maria la Ribera)
●Bodet Libros & Regalos – 115 Jaime Torres Bodet; 011-52-55-5547-2632; bodet.com.mx; charming bookstore.
●Gallerie OMR – 100 Calle Córdoba (Roma); 011-52-55-5207-1080; galeriaomr.com; local art scene “grande dame,” representing numerous prominent, Mexican artists.
●Garash Galeria – 49 Álvaro Obregón (Roma); 011-52-55-5207-9858; garashgaleria.com; represents younger, edgier local artists.
●Marso Galería de Arte Contemporáneo – 37 Berlín (San Rafael); 011-52-55-6276-2275; marso.com.mx; artists’ collective.
●MUCA Roma – 51 Tonalá (Roma); 011-52-55-5511-8867; afar.com/places/muca-roma-ciudad-de-mexico; represents younger, edgier, local artists.
●Preteen Gallery – 58 Calle Joaquín Velázquez de León (San Rafael); 011-52-852-8191-7021 (Ocula); ocula.com/institutions/preteen-gallery; tiny studio art gallery in pink courtyard.
●Soho Condesa – 100 Atlixco (Condesa); 011-52-55-5553-1730; boutique for men’s & women’s clothing, as well as accessories such as sunglasses.
●Taller Tlamaxcalli Juguete Artesanal y Cartoneria – 129 Chihuahua (Roma Norte); 011-52-55-5584-5613; mexicocitystreets.com/2014/03/19/taller-tlamaxcallis-toybox; art supplies but also street fair quality.
●Tenderete – 130 Jalapa (Roma Norte, at Guanajuato); 011-52-55-5564-8404; facebook.com/mitenderete; silver jewelry, hand-painted t-shirts, stuffed animals, hand-drawn journals & more.
●Yautepec – 154 Melchor Ocampo (San Rafael); 011-52-55-5256-5533; yau.com.mx; art gallery.
Miguel Hidalgo (Chapultepec, Del Bosque, Escandon, Polanco, San Miguel Chapultepec & Verónica Anzúres)
●Enrique Guerrero – 103 Calle General Juan Cano (San Miguel Chapultepec); 011-52-55-5280-5183; galeriaenriqueguerrero.com; local artists.
●Ezequiel Farca – 158 Campos Elíseos (Polanco); 011-310-525-41625; ezequielfarca.com; home furnishings.
●Kurimanzutto – 94 Gobierno Rafael Rebollar (San Miguel de Chapultepec); 011-52-55-5256-2408; kurimanzutto.com; local artists.
●Pineda Covalin – 215 Campos Eliseos (Polanco); 011-52-55-5280-2720; pinedacovalin.com; boutique created by 2 Mexican designers; integrates Mexican culture & traditions into fashionable designs.
●Antonio Solito Napoli – 124 Aristóteles (Polanco); 011-52-55-5282-1600; gentlemansgazette.com/solito; tailor; brother famous in Naples.
●Nina Menocal – 56 Gobernador Rafael Rebollar (San Miguel Chapultepec); 011-52-55-5564-7443; ninamenocal.com; art gallery that represents prominent local artists.
●Tane Orfebres – 430 Presidente Masaryk (Polanco); 011-52-55-5282-6200; tane.com.mx/tane-home; sterling flatware & tableware.
SIGHTS & SITES
Álvaro Obregón & Cuajimalpa (San Ángel & Santa Fe)
●San Ángel – small hamlet with lovely square; see Plaza San Jacinto, where numerous restaurants; also, weekend bazaar is regular feature.
Benito Juárez (Del Carmen, Narvarte, Mixcoac, Planta Baja, Portales, Venustiano Carranza & Zona Rosa)
●Fusion Bazaar – 39 Calle Londres (); 011-52-55-5511-6328; casafusion.com.mx; featuring work by local, independent designers of embroidered slippers, purses, etc.
●La Fundación | Leo Matiz – 7 Calle París (Del Carmen); 011-52-55-3667-7202; leomatiz.org; must call 1st to see if exhibit showing.
Centro Histórico (Colonia Doctores)
●Alameda Park – beside Palacio de Bellas Artes.
●Casa Vecino – 7 1er Callejon de Mesones; 011-52-55-5709-1540; casavecina.com; contemporary art center.
●José Luis Cuevas Museum – 13 Calle Academia (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5522-0156; museojoseluiscuevas.com.mx; Jose Luis Cuevas is among Mexico’s most celebrated artists; large modern art collection.
●Ex Teresa Arte Actual – 8 Calle Licenciado Verdad; 011-52-55-4122-8020; myartguides.com/art-spaces/museums/museo-ex-teresa-arte-actual; former Baroque church, featuring changing installation programs.
●Laboratorio Arte Alameda – 7 Dr. Mora (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-8647-5660; artealameda.bellasartes.gob.mx; modern Mexican art.
●La Merced Market – Calle Rosario (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5522-7250; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Merced_Market; crowded maze of stalls where locals meet.
●Museo de Arte Popular – 11 Calle Revillagigedo (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5510-2201; map.cdmx.gob.mx; great folk art collection.
●Museo Interactivo de Economia – 17 Calle de Tacuba; 011-52-55-5130-4600; mide.org.mx; building is splendid; how money coined, circular economic activity flow, gdp & social indicators.
●Museo Mexicano del Diseño – 74 Avenida Francisco I. Madero (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-5510-8771; mumedi.mx; big gift shop & café; museum intended to provide design space for local designers, in which to make money from craft; small contemporary Mexican design expositions shown in back room made of brick, where can see old archways from Cortés’ patio, built, in part, on top of Moctezuma’s pyramid.
●Museo Mural Diego Rivera – Calle Balderas (Cuauhtémoc, at Balderas & Colon); 011-52-55-5510-2329; museomuraldiegorivera.bellasartes.gob.mx; mural, Dream of Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park.
●Museo Nacional de Arte, INBA – 8 Calle de Tacuba; 011-52-55-8647-5430; munal.mx; housed in neoclassical building (old Palace of Communications, recognizable by Manuel Tolsá’s large equestrian statue of Charles IV of Spain, who was monarch just before Mexico gained independence); includes large collection representing Mexican art’s history, from mid-16th to mid-20th Century; museum founded in 1982 as Museo Nacional de Arte & re-inaugurated in 2000; MUNAL is Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes subdivision; permanent collection panoramically views fine arts development in Mexico; subdivided into 3 distinct periods; 1st covers colonial period from 1550-1821; 2nd covers 1st century after Independence; 3rd covers period after Mexican Revolution to 1950s.
●National Palace – Plaza de la Constitución (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-3688-1255; historia.palacionacional.info; inside this grandiose colonial palace, extensive Diego Rivera murals (painted 1929 & 1951) that depict Mexican civilization from arrival of Quetzalcóatl (Aztec plumed serpent god) to post-revolutionary period; 9 murals covering east & north walls on 1st level above patio chronicle indigenous life before Spanish conquest.
●San Juan Market – 21 Calle de Ernesto Pugibe (by Plaza de San Juan); mercadosanjuan.galeon.com; supplies restaurants with “exotic” ingredients (from crickets & crocodile steaks to wild morel mushrooms).
●Templo Mayor – 8 Seminario (Centro Histórico); 011-52-55-4040-5600; templomayor.inah.gob.mx/english.
Coyoacán
●Casa Alvardo(Fonoteca Nacional) – ; built in 18th Century under Andalusian & Moorish influence; originally home of Zelia Nuttall, early de-coder of Mayan symbology; since has hosted many institutions, including Ministry of Finance & Public Credit, Encyclopedia of Mexico, & Octavio Paz Foundation office; current resident is comprehensive archive of country’s most important audiovisual records.
●Coyoacán – Mexico City suburb; cobblestone streets lined with stately mansions, beautiful plazas, art galleries & restaurants; pre-Hispanic center founded on ancient lakeshore, government seat during Tenochtitlan reconstruction; 16th Century Franciscan cloister.
●Museo Casa Frida Kahlo – 247 Londres; 011-52-55-5554-5999; museofridakahlo.org.
●Museo Casa Leon Trotsky – 410 Rio Churubusco; 011-52-55-5658-8732; museocasadeleontrotsky.blogspot.ru/.
Cuauhtémoc (Condesa, Roma, Roma Norte, San Rafael & Santa Maria la Ribera)
●Biblioteca Vasconcelos – Eje 1 Norte Mosqueta (Cuauhtemoc); 011-52-55-9157-2800; bibliotecavasconcelos.gob.mx; gigantic, gorgeous structure, which covers 400K' square & holds more than 470K books; designed by Alberto Kalach, features transparent walls, hive-like bookshelves & mismatched floors; visitors can take in massive white whale skeleton covered in graphite rings by artist Gabriel Orozco; outside, garden.
●Casa Lamm – 99 Álvaro Obregón (Roma); 011-52-55-5525-3938; casalamm.com.mx; beautifully landscaped 1911 mansion & cultural center in Colonia Roma & short walk to art galleries.
●Condesa Neighborhood – lush neighborhood; start at Parque Mexico (intersection of Avenidas Mexico & Sonora); Atlixco is side-street that is boutique hub.
●Kiosco Morisco de Santa Maria la Ribera – Calle Salvador Díaz Mirón (Cuauhtémoc); 011-52-55-7269-9414; theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-kiosco-morisco-mexico-city; designed in fanciful Moorish style; domed bandstand originally built for Mexican Pavilion at 1884-1885 New Orleans World’s Fair.
●Lucha Libre – 197 Calle Dr. Lavista (Cuauhtémoc); 011-52-55-588-0266 (Arena Mexico); cmll.com; also go to Ticketmaster; take Metro Linea 1 to Cuauhtemoc station, walk east on Avenida Cuauhtemoc to Dr. Río de la Loza; go block east on Loza, turn south on Dr. Carmona y Valle; Arena less than block down on street’s east side.
●Museo Experimental El Eco – 43 James Sullivan (San Rafael); 011-52-55-5535-5186; eleco.unam.mx; historically significant; founded in ‘50s; from open-air Godard screenings to modern installations.
●Museo de Geologia – 176 Jaime Torres Bodet; 011-52-55-5547-3948; geologia.unam.mx; open since 1906; dinosaurs, gems & rocks.
●Museo Universitario del Chopo – 10 Doctor Enrique González Martínez (Santa María la Ribera); 011-52-55-5546- 8490; chopo.unam.mx; set in cast-iron structure that dates from 20th Century’s turn; contemporary art museum; among hottest art spaces in town.
●Zócalo – on Zócalo’s northeastern corner, Templo Mayor; flanked by Metropolitan Cathedral & National Palace; note Diego Rivera mural inside National Palace.
Ecatepec
●Fundacion/Coleccion Jumex – 303 Boulevard Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Colonia Santa Maria Tulpetlac); 011-52-55-5395-2618; fundacionjumex.org; by private appointment only; among South America’s largest private collections; housed in factory building on city’s outskirts.
Miguel Hidalgo (Chapultepec, Del Bosque, Escandon, Polanco, San Miguel Chapultepec & Verónica Anzúres)
●Casa Barragán – 12-14 General Francisco Ramírez (Ampliación Daniel Garza); 011-52-55-5515-4908; casaluisbarragan.org; home & studio of famed architect, Luis Barragan; built in 1949; now gallery & museum; declared World Heritage site in 2004; make sure to visit Ortega Gardens next door; check website to visit Casa Prieto (in Pedregal) and/or Cuadra San Cristobal.
●Casa Gilardi – 82 General Antonio León (San Miguel Chapultepec); 011-52-55-5271-3575; en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/gilardi-house; last house built entirely by legendary Mexican architect Luis Barragán; now home of Martin Luque & family; constructed after Barragán formally retired; Barragán, who originally didn’t want to take on project, found himself inspired by astonishing jacaranda tree around which house is built.
●Castle Chapultepec – Bosque de Chapultepec; 011-52-55-5286-9920; castillodechapultepec.inah.gob.mx; visible reminder of Mexico’s bygone aristocracy; stands atop Chapultepec Hill; begun in 1785 but not completed until after independence, when it became national military academy; when Emperor Maximilian & Empress Carlota arrived in 1864, they refurbished it as their residence.
●Museo Rufino Tamayo – 51 Paseo de la Reforma (Polanco, at Gandhi); 011-52-55-4122-8200; museotamayo.org; must see stop.
●Museo Soumaya – 303 Boulevard Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra; 011-52-55-1103-9800; soumaya.com.mx; Carlos Slim Helu’s museum; art.
●National Anthropology Museum – Paseo de la Reforma (Polanco, at Gandhi); 011-52-55-5553-1902; mna.inah.gob.mx.
Tlalpan
●San Agustin Church – 2 Plaza Constitucion; 011-52-55-5573-2373; tlalpan.gob.mx/index.php/turismo-tlalpan/35-iglesias/339-parroquia-de-san-agustin-de-las-cuevas; Tlalpan Chapel (designed by Barragan) nearby.
●Tlalpan Chapel – 2 Plaza Constitucion; 011-52-55-5573-2395; floornature.com/luis-barragan-tlalpan-chapel-mexico-city-4427; by appointment only or through Casa Barragan; Capilla de las Capuchinas Sacresteria.
Xochimilco
●Canals of Xochimilco – de facto floating market on weekends; rent covered punt & spend afternoon poled through traffic jam of drifting mariachi bands, quesadilla vendors & picnicking families.
●Museo Dolores Olmedo – 5843 Avenida Mexico; 011-52-55-5555-0891; museodoloresolmedo.org.mx; former society art collector’s museum; includes some interesting Frida Kahlo works.
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