Known for their incredible food and coffee, it is no wonder that Mexico City has been on our bucket list for so long! We were expecting to leave the trip raving all about the food, but we left with so much more than that. Mexico City is a vibrant city, filled with gorgeous green parks, bustling markets, and a friendly culture. Get ready to dive into a complete foodie itinerary. We have compiled a list of where to eat in Mexico City’s Roma Norte and Condesa neighborhoods that you will not want to miss!
Before we dive into a detailed foodie list, let’s go over some must-know tips before planning your trip to Mexico City.
How many days to spend in Mexico City?
While CDMX is a big city, there are just a few neighborhoods to focus on spending your time exploring. Because of this, it is very doable to spend just 4 days in Mexico City. This is ideal to spend a long weekend, while not taking too much time off work.
Where to stay in Mexico City?
We recommend staying in the neighborhoods of either La Condesa or Roma Norte. Both of these neighborhoods are surrounded by parks, as well as the best food spots in the city. We stayed in an Airbnb and loved it! Rest assured, both Condesa and Roma Norte are very safe areas.
When is the best time to visit Mexico City?
We recommend visiting Mexico City in the springtime, between March and May, to enjoy the cooler temperatures and lush green parks and jacaranda trees in full bloom.
How to get around Mexico City?
Luckily, getting around CDMX is super easy! We highly recommend walking or catching an Uber. Uber is widely used throughout the city and inexpensive.
The Ultimate Foodie Guide for Mexico City:
Where to Eat in Mexico City’s Roma Norte/Condesa Neighborhoods
Coffee, coffee, coffee
Mexico is one of the world’s leading coffee producers, which makes sense why Mexico City is home to some of the best coffee in the world. We were so pleasantly surprised to see that many coffee shops offered multiple pour-over selections and many shops are roasting their own specialty beans.
Almanegra Café
Almanegra was by far our absolute favorite of the coffee shops we visited! We were impressed by their pour-over coffee selection, kindness of their staff, and their generosity in giving us a complimentary coffee! They sadly closed their location in Roma Norte, but have another location just south of La Condesa.
Qūentin Café
Quentin Cafe has multiple locations throughout the city, including Roma Norte and Condesa. Their cold brew and espresso tonic were some of the best we tasted. We brought home a bag of beans and were so happy we did.
Cardinal Coffee House
Cardinal has two locations, one in La Condesa and another in Roma Norte. We enjoyed their espresso tonic to cool us off after a hot day exploring the city. And their affogato was to die for!
Other notable coffee shops that we did not get a chance to visit:
The best tacos in Mexico City
Arguably, one of the main reasons we were dying to visit Mexico City was to experience the tacos. Most of our days were filled with taco tours throughout the city, and our only problem was that there was not enough time in the day (or space in our stomachs!) to try all the tacos we wanted.
Taquería Orinoco
Orinoco ended up being our top favorite of all the tacos we tasted from the trip, which is saying a lot! It has multiple locations throughout Mexico City, including Condesa and Roma Norte. This is not your average taco stand. Orinoco has a fun, trendy, and retro vibe. They are known for their al pastor tacos and tacos de chicharrón (crispy pork rinds), as well as their side of smashed potatoes.
La Reyna de la Roma
La Reyna is known for their incredible barbacoa tacos, slow-cooked juicy meat tacos, which you do not want to miss.
Tacos Hola El Güero
Here you will find a selection of tacos de guisado, a variety of pre-prepared stews ranging from chicken and beef as well as vegetarian options.
El Pescadito Roma
Known for some of the best fish tacos in Mexico City!
El Vilsito
While a little out of the way, and not located in Condesa/Roma Norte neighborhoods, El Vilsito is a great locals taco spot. They are famous for their gringa de pastor.
Taquería El Califa de León
We unfortunately were unable to visit this taqueria as it is located in the San Rafael neighborhood. But it was recently awarded a Michelin star in May 2024.
Is it safe to eat street food?
Street food is a big part of Mexican culture! However, it is important to be aware that as tourists, our bodies are not as accustomed to the various viruses and bacteria that can often be found in these foods. It can be common to get food sickness while consuming these foods. While eating at these street vendors provides a truly local culinary experience, it is recommended to use caution when deciding where to eat.
The best restaurants in Mexico City
Contramar
Contramar is an absolute MUST, especially for the seafood lover! This is a great spot for either lunch or dinner. We still cannot stop talking about the tuna tostada, aguachile, red snapper fish, and guava cheesecake. The entree fish dish is called “pescado a la talla” on their menu. It is a whole red-snapper fish cooked in a red chili sauce on one side and a parsley sauce on the other. We recommended making a reservation a few weeks in advance via Whatsapp. If you are unable to secure a reservation here, you can also try their sister restaurant of Entremar.
Restaurante Rosetta
Rosetta was voted 49th on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and it is no surprise why. This intimate restaurant is tucked away in a beautiful courtyard in the Roma Norte neighborhood. We, of course, fell in love with their Mexican-Italian influenced menu. They have a rotating seasonal menu. For starters, we recommend the savoy cabbage tacos with romeritos and pistachio pipián. It might sound strange to try a cabbage taco, but trust us, it was phenomenal! For their homemade pasta, we definitely recommended the tagliatelle with italian sausage and chile. For entree dishes, we were all blown away by the pork shoulder.
Botánico
Botanico is a charming restaurant in the southern Condesa neighborhood. Your diner table will be surrounded by greenery – plants, palm trees, flowers. You will feel like you are sitting in a botanical garden. They offer a great selection of seafood and meat. We recommend their oysters, chimichurri cauliflower, pappardelle in gorgonzola, and tuna tostada.
Panadería Rosetta
As you have probably read already, Panaderia Rosetta has to be on the itinerary for Mexico City! This is the most popular bakery in the city, but truly is worth the lines. Once you get your pastry, go to a nearby park or fountain to enjoy rather than waiting in line for a table. Do not miss the guava ricotta pastry, chocolate concha, chocolate ricotta danish, and the fig leaf berlin.
Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre
Unfortunately, we did not have time to eat here, but it came highly recommended! This is a casual dining experience where the food is cooked over a big open flame. There is no menu, instead, the staff brings out a selection of dishes served on their homemade tortilla. They require reservations.
Other fine dining options:
- Quintonil (Polanco) – ranked 7th in the world’s best restaurants! While expensive, they offer a unique tasting menu experience
- Pujol (Polanco) – ranked 33rd in the world’s best restaurants! We would have loved to eat here, but unfortunately were unable to secure a reservation. We recommend reserving online at least 3-4 months in advance.
- Maximo Bistro (Roma Norte) – try their Mexican/French inspired tasting menu and enjoy their farm-to-table offerings
- Em (Roma Norte) – enjoy either a tasting or a la carte menu of a Mexican/ Japanese fusion in a very intimate dining setting
Where to enjoy a celebratory drink in Mexico City?
Handshake Speakeasy
Voted as one of the best bars in CDMX! It is a small speakeasy lounge known for their unique cocktails. We enjoyed the Matcha Yuzu, Once Upon in Oaxaca, and Mezcal Negroni. Reservations are required via Opentable. Located in Juarez, but a quick walk from Roma Norte.
📍 Roma Norte
This gorgeous wine bar is located in a bustling courtyard in the Roma Norte district. It is the perfect spot for a pre-dinner class of wine or cocktail. The courtyard is also a great place to take photos!
Salón Rosetta
This is the bar located above Restaurante Rosetta
Don’t forget the dessert!
Churrería El Moro
Watch them make freshly fried churros right in front of you! Choose your dipping sauces, including caramel, chocolate, and hazelnut chocolate and indulge.
Chocolateria
If you love chocolate, you have come to the right place. Mexico is famous for their chocolate selection, particularly dark chocolate. We recommend tasting (and bringing home) a variety of chocolates.
We absolutely loved tasting our way through Mexico City and we hope you find these recommendations helpful! Our biggest advice – go to CDMX hungry to eat and try as many dishes as you can!
Check out our Google maps to see all the locations.