Where to stay: any of the Viadora properties are top notch; we stayed at Casa Cleo in Condesa and hope to visit the XOMA property in Roma the next time around! The best part about the Viadora properties is that it allows you to feel like you are living like a local. You’re greeted by a friendly face, have a fully functional kitchen, and the best way I can describe it as is that it “feels like home”. We greatly enjoyed sitting on the balcony in the mornings listening to the birds chirp whilst eating our healthy fresh fruits and muesli breakfast. There’s also a lot to be said for the ‘comfort’ factor of feeling safe in a big city away from home… Viadora offers all of this and then some, with a 24/7 front staff and doorman to ensure you enter/exit the property well. And honestly, another sleeper factor? Air conditioning. I’ve stayed in other hotels in CDMX on hot weeks of the year and their air conditioning was minimal at best… this is the real deal, and I slept like a (cool) baby every single night.
Other favorite stays are Ryo Kan, Habita Hotel, Hotel Carlota, The Wild Oscar, and Casa Pani.
Where to eat: Masala y Maiz and Meroma are consistently at the top of my list. Pujol is the classic recommendation for a top notch meal, but requires reservations many months in advance. Others to have on your radar are: Contramar, Tr3s, Havre77, Quintonil, Rosetta (their bakery is great for breakfast as well!), Cicatriz, Expendio de Maiz, Por siempra vegana, Comedor Jacinta, and lastly La Pitahaya Vegana for some incredible veggie tacos. Note that it is best to book ahead at all of these on OpenTable as they do fill up fast and many do not take walk ins!
And don’t forget to chase down a paleta or 2 or 10! My favorites are consistently the pistachio and oreo ones! Just type into Google ‘paleta near me’ and it won’t let you down. I speak from experience whenever the sweet tooth hits!
One of my favorite dining experiences in CDMX was also a secret one: Esquina Comun is a pop up lunch, where you have to message them for location right before. It is so very worth it, and an incredible experience! It was even featured in the NYTimes!
Lastly, a very special mention goes to LagoAlgo, which is a cultural center/restaurant posted up on a lake not too far from the Chapultepec Castle. This place boasts huge floor to ceiling windows and some of the most memorable chilaquiles we enjoyed on our trip. Very instagrammable, and a great little escape from the hustle and bustle of the city!
Where to drink: Loup Wine bar, Baltra Bar (one of the world’s best bars in 2023!), Parker and Lenox (jazz!), Handshake Bar. But honestly you can get a really great glass of wine or margarita at most places around town. It is Mexico, after all.
Bookstores: Be sure to check out all of the many bookstores in CDMX, or cafebrerias - they are fantastic in that bookstores commonly act as a ‘third place’ in CDMX so most have a full service cafe/restaurant in them and are a great place to open a laptop or a book and just spend an afternoonn. My favorites: Cafebreria El Pendulo, Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Libreria Porrua, Casa Bosques, and Under the Volcano Books in Condesa.
Some other cool stuff to see: Chapultepec Castle, Mooni art gallery, Esrawe studio, Mercado el 100, Arca Tierra, Decada, Tetetlan Cafe, Museo Tamayo.
Honorable mentions for weekend trips out of Mexico City of you get a chance/have the time: San Miguel de Allende (and stop in wine country along the way! You can either hire a car, or work with a tour company) and Valle de Bravo (book a stay at La Casa Rodavento and do not look back… it is incredible!)
And of course if you are *really* eager like yours truly, you can always climb the Mexican Volcanoes, with the grand finale as Pico de Orizaba! I wrote more about that trip here - and be sure to always hire a guide. I recommend Climbing the Seven Summits, always!
And if you are willing to hop on a quick plane ride from CDMX, do not sleep on surfer paradise Puerto Escondido! Stay at Casa TO, and explore all that the incredible town has to offer. But most importantly, take the serenity here as an excuse to relax!
Excellent restaurants in PE include: Atarraya, Glou Glou, Spirulina, Espadin Restaurant, Fauna Coffee & Resto, Cocofam, Chicama, Sativa, Mar Y Sol, Punta Vida, Bello Puerto, Cafe Losodeli.