Weekend in Mexico City
overview
I’ve been to Mexico City twice; however, our first trip in April of 2017 was not successful. So when Nizar had to go to Mexico City for work, we decided to take advantage of it. Before I get into details on our eats, hotels & things to do, a few notes on the city…
Logistics: The airport is about a 25 - 45 minute Uber ride into the main city center, depending on traffic. Ubers are ridiculously cheap and easy to use. For example, an Uber XL cost us 360 pesos, so around $18, to go nine miles from the airport to our hotel. And a regular Uber was even cheaper (maybe $8 - $10).
Neighborhoods: Like every city, Mexico City is divided into several neighborhoods. Our favorites were Polanco, Condesa & Roma Norte. A lot of the restaurants we went to were located in Roma Norte / Condesa.
Payment: We didn’t exchange any pesos since everywhere we dined took credit cards. The hotel staff and concierge also accepted tips in USD, so it was fine. But there were a few places we didn’t eat at that were cash only, so maybe you could exchange $25 - $75 for two people.
Restaurants: Some of the restaurants on our list were either closed on Sunday or had shorter hours, so just be mindful of that. I would recommend arriving early Thursday afternoon and leaving Sunday evening to have time for all the best meals. With regards to tipping, we only tipped at the nicer restaurants (10% to 15%), not at the taquerias.
Safety: We felt pretty safe but did hear from Nizar’s coworker of some robbing & gunpoint incidents. Just don’t walk alone at night in sketchy areas and you should be fine.
Weather: We got really lucky the weekend we went (June 8th), because the air was clear and there was very little pollution. It can get really bad, so just be aware.
Happy zdapproved travelS! save the condensed travel guide for future travels to mexico city!
travel guide
condensed travel guide
eats
desserts & pastries
panaderia Rosetta
extremely likely
Don’t leave Mexico City without stopping by this pastry shop. There are two locations, but I prefer the one in Havre which shares a space with Cafe Nin. The pastries are the same (to my understanding) but the Havre location has a lot more seating options, perfect for a peaceful breakfast, a place to work from, or a quick grab & go. Think of this place as a French bakery with a Mexican influence.
I ordered their most well-known pastries, the cinnamon roll, the guava roll and the rosemary bun. The rosemary bun was my absolute favorite…covered in a tad bit of sugar made it the perfect little bite. The guava pastry was unique. It’s paired with what I think was ricotta, but made for a delicious/tart bite. However, it’s definitely something that should be shared. What I didn’t get to try were the donuts I read about, so look out for those if you have a chance. FYI: They also serve coffee & the Havre location even has a full lunch menu.
Pricing: $4.44 for all three pastries (total)
What to Order: Guava Roll & the Rosemary Bun and if you want more the Cinnamon Roll
Vibe: Fast casual bakery with “garden-esque” patio & upstairs/downstairs seating indoors (at Havre location).
Churreria el moro
extremely likely
Can you go to Mexico City without having churros? Probably yes, but you shouldn’t! Churreria El Moro has 12 locations in Mexico City. We went to the one that was closest to our hotel in Polanco, which was more of a grab & go joint but there are sit down locations as well. The original location is in the Historical District.
Churros are best paired with hot chocolate for dipping. You order churros at the counter and then hand your ticket to the person bagging/plating the churros. They then ask you what kind of sugar you want (vanilla or cinnamon) & then you eat.
Pricing: $4.00 for one hot chocolate + four churros (enough for the two of us)
Reservations: No - Fast Casual
What to Order: The churros package: Spanish Chocolate (for a thicker consistency) + 4 Churros or the Mexican Chocolate (for a lighter consistency) + 4 Churros and the condensed milk dip
Vibe: Fast casual vibe.
casual dining
Less than $40 per person
Taqueria Orinoco
Likely
While we didn’t eat any street tacos, this place probably has a similar taste but with a sit-down vibe. It’s a fast casual place where you order first and then grab your number and a table. There are three types of meat, Res is beef and I believe the other two are pork. You can order the following things with your choice of the three meats.
Tacos Sueltos - These are tacos, but you get to choose if you want it on flour or corn tortilla or tostada style. We chose corn of course.
Costras - The taco "shell" is made of cheese instead of flour or corn, etc. that seemed overwhelming so we passed on this.
Especiales - This seemed to be larger versions of the Tacos Sueltos with additional cheese & a side of fried potatoes
In addition to the above, on the back of the menu they have two vegetarian options, drinks, extras & dessert.
Pricing: $3.44 for two tacos + half order of potatoes
Reservations: No - Fast Casual
What to Order: Res Taco on Corn Tortilla, Cheese Quesadilla & Half Order of Potatoes
Vibe: Very casual with metal chairs. There is no handicap access (you have to walk up ten steps to get inside).
Rosetta
Extremely Likely
This was my favorite meal of the trip. I loved eating this Italian-Mexican meal in an indoor garden. Perfect setting & delicious food. I would notate on the reservation that you want to sit in the atrium by the tree or just get the first reservation of the day (1:30pm) like we did. This would be a great place for either lunch or dinner.
With regards to the food, for a party of two I would recommend ordering a 2-3 starters, a few pastas & multiple desserts. We didn’t try any of the “main” dishes, because we read so much about the pastas but I’m sure it would be great. We asked the waiter for the crowd favorites and one of the dishes he mentioned were the smoked beets - it was out of this world. The smoked beets are served with a beet sorbet, mint & goat cheese. Refreshing and not as weird as it sounds. The other really interesting dish was the mamey dessert. Mamey is some type of fruit (similar to papaya) and was served with a meringue & sorbet. The perfect salty/sweet dessert. I wish we had two more people so we could have ordered 5 - 6 more dishes, so go with a group if you can!
Pricing: $35 per person for 2 Drinks, 3 Starters, 2 Pastas & 2 Desserts (we probably over ordered a bit)
Reservations: Yes - Open Table
What to Order: Grapefruit with pink pepper agua fresca, Beet salad, Corn tamal, Gnocchi & the Mamey meringue (just note that the dishes change frequently)
Vibe: Feels like you are eating in an indoor garden. Fancy food with a casual feel. Don’t need to dress up, but you could.
Contramar
Likely
This is probably one of the most well-known restaurants when you think of Mexico City. Probably even more now with Netflix’s special A Tale of Two Kitchens, which compares Contramar and its sister restaurant in San Francisco, Cala. We actually dined at Cala in December of 2018 and preferred it to Contramar, but Contramar was still a good experience.
First off I loved the blue & white decor of this place and the friendly service. Our server didn’t speak English, but he was super friendly and since the menu was in English, it was fine. Our favorite dish was the Tuna Tostada followed by the Whole Fish. The aioli and crispy leeks made the tuna tostada the perfect bite. For the fish, you get to choose what kind of sauce you want or go half/half as we did. The fish must be ordered by the gram. The pictured fish is 550 grams which is the smallest one they had that day.
I wouldn’t order the black bean sope again, it was a little bland. If I were to go back, I would probably order the aguachile and maybe some of the shrimp or octopus tacos.
Pricing: $35 per person
Reservations: On weekdays - Via OpenTable | Weekends - Call or Ask Amex Concierge
What to Order: Tuna Tostada & Whole Fish (half with red chilli marinade rub and half with parsley rub)
Vibe: Very casual restaurant with a laidback beach type of vibe. Dress however you like.
Zanaya at the four seasons hotel mexico city
Likely
Our flight into Mexico City was delayed, so instead of going out our first night, we decided to have dinner at our hotel. Plus, our rate included a free lunch or dinner at the Four Seasons (more about that in the Stay section below), so why not?
It wasn’t the best meal of the trip but everything was still tasty. The highlights of the meal were the complimentary chips & salsa, the squash blossom soup & the whole fish. The squash blossom soup was topped with chicatana ants. They added a crunchy texture but not one that I particularly liked. The whole fish was prepared al ajillo style and served with tortillas. We ordered the fish for two people, but honestly it could have fed four. I feel like the fish could have used some more flavor, but to counteract that we just added the salsas. We did not enjoy the guacamole we ordered.
I would be more likely to go to Zanaya for breakfast rather than dinner (see below).
Reservations: Yes - OpenTable
What to Order: Whole fish prepared Al Guajillo style (Tomato, Pepper and Chile Guajillo)
Vibe: Literal garden vibes with a casual feel. No need to dress up.
Zanaya Breakfast/brunch at the four seasons hotel mexico city
Likely
Breakfast at the Four Seasons was included in our room rate and we took full advantage of it. Like any other hotel, breakfast was served buffet style. They had all the American favorites but also a lot of traditional Mexican dishes as well. Custom quesadilla stations, traditional coffee, tamales & more. The best part was all the fresh fruit & juices. Try the green juice, which I believe had kale, celery, cucumber & green apple.
But what you can’t beat about this place is the ambience. It’s like you are dining in a mini forest. Brunch was packed on Sunday since people outside of the hotel also make reservations, so go early or see if they can reserve a table for you outside. Otherwise you may end up eating brunch indoors.
Reservations: Yes - OpenTable
What to Order: Custom Quesadillas (I liked the Squash Blossom Ones) & Fresh Juices
Vibe: Literal garden vibes with a casual feel. No need to dress up.
upscale dining
More than $40 per person
Quintonil
Likely
I will do a full post on Quintonil, dissecting it bite-by-bite, but for now all you need to know is that it was a memorable meal. Quintonil was #11 on The World’s 50 Best List for 2018 when we went a few weeks ago but recently moved down to #24 on The World’s 50 Best List for 2019. Unlike most “fine dining” places I’ve been to, Quintonil allows you to pick between a tasting menu and a la carte, which is nice if you don’t think you can handle 10 courses. We decided to go all out, because why not? But next time I would stick to a la carte so that I could have picked some of the dishes I had read about prior to coming here.
Pricing: Tasting Menu: 2,350 pesos per person (roughly $120 per person - excluding drinks & gratuity) | A la Carte: Prices range from 145 - 595 pesos per dish (roughly $7 to $30 per dish - excluding drinks & gratuity)
Reservations: Yes - Quintonil Website (we booked three weeks out)
What to Order: While the dishes on the tasting menu and a la carte didn’t really overlap, I would recommend ordering anything with the mole & the guava dessert.
Vibe: Quintonil is a quaint little space and on their website they notated “Not recommended for children under 12”. You don’t have to dress up, but a lot of people did.
stay
Four Seasons hotel Mexico City
The Four Seasons in Mexico City is a little piece of garden paradise in the middle of a busy metropolitan city. All the rooms, from what we could tell, face inwards towards the courtyard, so you are guaranteed to have an amazing view.
Booking: We booked through American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts which gets you i) free breakfast for two people ii) one free lunch or dinner (typically you just get $100 spa or dining credit) & iii) a room upgrade. We received all three on our trip.
Dining & Amenities: The hotel has three restaurants and one cafe. They also have a gym and a mini pool.
Rooms: The rooms were decent, not as spacious as I would have liked but comfortable, especially the bed.
Other: The hotel is right next to Chapultepec Park, which is a great place to get in a morning walk or to see some historical sites/visit a museum.
Would I Stay Here Again: Yes!
jw marriott polanco
The JW Marriott is what you would expect, a hotel catered towards business travelers. The rooms were a bit outdated but not terrible. The Executive Lounge had a great view of the city (as well as our room), but the food was lackluster. The gym and pool facilities were acceptable. The most attractive part of this hotel was that it was within walking distance of a lot of great restaurants.
Would I Stay Here Again: Probably not!
st regis Mexico City
I don’t think there is a St. Regis I haven’t liked, but this one was pretty luxurious. The rooms were spacious (even the regular rooms) and the butler service (a trademark amenity of St Regis properties) was superb. We stayed here on our trip in 2017.
Would I Stay Here Again: Yes!
things to do
Things we did
Frida Kahlo Museum
The Frida Kahlo Museum, also known as Casa Azul, was the home of Frida Kahlo & her husband Diego Riviera. Frida was born and later died at Casa Azul. The museum holds a lot of her and Diego’s artwork as well as her clothing items. but some of her most well known pieces are in museums around the world. I would say you need no more than two hours here. We spent around one hour.
Location: The Museum is located in Coyoacán, about a 20 - 25 minute Uber ride from Polanco. We didn’t explore the neighborhood, just the museum but there seem to be a lot of walking tours that explore the area and eats.
Photography: You are not allowed to take photos inside the museum (outside is fine) unless you have a photography permit. I forgot to add it to the ticket, but it’s only an extra 30 pesos (roughly $1.50).
Ticketing: I would recommend buying your tickets in advance ($12 - $13 for visitors) to avoid waiting in a line at the box office. FYI, even if you buy tickets in advance you still have to wait in line for 5 - 15 minutes to get in (but way less than the box office alternative). This can probably be avoided though if you get tickets for the first or second time slot of the day.
Zocalo | caSA DE LOS AZULEJOS | Palacio de Bellas Artes
I visited the above three places on my first trip to Mexico City in 2017. These are great places to get a feel of the history of the city and to understand the culture. Definitely worth the visit, even if you just observe from the “outside”.
For Next Time
A few other sites that we didn’t have time for, include:
Casa Gilardi - This would be your chance to experience a Barragán-designed home. The house is painted with bright colors and looks like a work of art. You have to make a reservation via phone or email in advance.
Museo Jumex - If you don’t have a chance to spend a lot of time in the art museum, it may be worth going just to see it from the outside. The architecture of the building alone is stunning.
Teotihuacan - Teotihuacan is a historic city well-known for its pyramids. It’s about 25 miles outside of Mexico City. We were too lazy to make the trip / were more focused on making our meal reservations and decided to skip it. But there seem to be several different tour options.
Xochimilco - Xochimilco is often referred to as the “Venice” of Mexico City. People ride on colorful boats through the channel of canals. It seemed really similar to the floating market we did in Bangkok, where vendors sell you food and other goods on your journey through the canals. If we had more time we probably would have done it, but it also seemed like something that would be more fun with a large group of people.
ON MY RADAR
PLACES TO EAT ON MY NEXT TRIP
We were supposed to tackle three more spots but got sick one of the days. Stay away from the agua frescas! Hope this list helps!
Aiko Pizzeria | Polanco | Good for Italian Pizzeria with Japanese & Mediterranean Influence
El Califa | Juarez & Other Locations| Good for Fast Casual / Cheap Tacos | Nizar went with his coworkers and liked the mushroom & steak tacos
Emilia | Cuauhtémoc | Good for Upscale Dining with Mexican / Japanese Influence - Tasting or A la Carte
Enomoto Coffee |Cuauhtémoc | Good for Coffee with Japanese Influence
La Boheme | Roma Norte & Polanco | Good for Pastries / Croissants
Joe Gelato | Juarez | Good for Gelato with all Natural Flavors | Chef used to be a line cook at both Pujol & Quintonil
Masala y Maiz | Condesa | Good for Mexican-Indian Casual Dining
Maximo Bistrot | Roma Norte | Good for Upscale Farm to Table Dining
Molino El Pujol | Condesa | Good for Quick Bites & Tortillas | Same owner as Pujol
Neveria Roxy | Polanco & Other Locations | Good for Ice Cream
Nomada Heladeria | Polanco & Other Locations| Good for Ice Cream
Pasillo de Humo | Condesa | Good for Sit-Down Tapas in a Food Hall
Pujol | Polanco | Good for Upscale Mexican Dining - Tasting Menu | #11 on The World’s 50 Best List 2019
Sartoria | Roma Norte | Good for Italian | Chef used to work at Osteria Francescana in Modena
Quentin Cafe | Roma Norte | Good for Coffee
Quesadillas Maria Isabel | Polanco | Good for Casual Deep-Fried Quesadillas | Cash Only