Why Mexico City Is the Dream Destination for Foodies and Design Lovers
Lesley Chen · Jul 29, 2018, Brit + Co (
link)
Please add your comments, experiences and suggestions for visitors to CDMX below.
Mexico City (CDMX) is having a moment. Mexico‘s sprawling capital city has quickly become an “it” destination as travelers have wised up to its irresistible charm, burgeoning food and design scene, abundance of museums (second in number only to Paris), rich culture, and relative affordability.
Mexico City was named 2018’s World Design Capital, the first city in the Americas to receive the honor, a designation to showcase how design and creativity are used as tools for economic and social development. There are numerous events and exhibitions at universities, galleries, and public spaces leading into Design Week this October. Design lover or not, here are just a few of the reasons why there’s no better time to experience this gem of a city.
A very informed guide on splendid places to stay, eat and sightsee in CDMX. Links to all of these place descriptions in the article. My family agrees with these choices, and we’ve recommended some of these to visitors to CDMX.
Distinctive
lodging descriptions include the following:
Camino Real: Housed in an impressive pyramidal structure designed for the 1968 Olympics by renowned architect Ricardo Legorreta, this is a favorite CDMX Classic.
Condesa DF “modern hotel housed in a 1928 French Neoclassical-style mansion... minimalist rooms have handwoven Mexican blankets. Lounge in the restaurant’s open courtyard for a nosh, or enjoy sunset sushi on the terrace overlooking Chapultepec Park.”
Las Alcobas: Condesa DF. “...located in the ritzy neighborhood of Polanco on Avenida Presidente Masaryk, a tree-lined street filled with high-end shopping and Mexico’s answer to the Champs-Élysées. ... herbal baths, mini-fridge stocked with beverages and local snacks... exceptionally warm service ... on-site spa ... or refuel at one of the two fine dining restaurants, Anatol (the margaritas are a must) and Dulce Patria.
El Patio 77: “...eco-friendly B&B in a renovated 1890 mansion... eight rooms... with recycled vintage furniture and crafts from fair-trade Mexican artisans. Mexican breakfast is served daily in the courtyard, and an art gallery displays local art.”
Ryo Kan: A minimalist bit of Japan in CDMX complete with rooftop onsen with Mexican spa treatments.
Dining and drinking: (I’ve added a few with suggestions from friends and family.)
Asai Kaiseki Cuisine Top notch Japanese restaurant (Chef Yasuo Asai) offering kaiseki meals in Polanco.
Link
Chapulín: “...contemporary Mexican cuisine and is located inside the Intercontinental Hotel in Polanco.”
Comedor de los Milagros: Latin America, including “bites from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico,Peru, Uruguay... inventive cocktails”. Medellín 221, Roma Sur. No website.
Contramar: “...a seafood lover’s dream...” Very top seafood by Gabriela Cámara.
Dulce Patria: “modern Mexican dishes by Chef Martha Ortiz... sweets are served on wooden toys made by Mexican artisans.”
El Moro (
churreria, several locations)
Eloise French-Mexican cuisine at 1529 Avenida Revolución in San Ángel.
Link
Licorería Limantour: “...Roma and Polanco districts)... extremely skilled mixologists... forefront of craft cocktail culture in CDMX.”
Mercado Roma: “...three-story gourmet food hall in the Roma district is a culinary delight, with numerous stalls serving a wide variety of treats such as tapas, tacos, Mexican-made macarons, coffee, and wine... Mexican craft beer.”
Pujol: “Arguably Mexico City’s best restaurant, Pujol is worth the splurge and possibly the trip to CDMX alone. Chef Enrique Olvera...”
Quintonil: Chef Jorge Vallejo, a Pujol alum, serves super modern Mexican food in this Polanco restaurant.”
Rosetta: “...one of the city’s most romantic restaurants... Mexican/Italian dishes... standalone sister bakeries (panaderias) with mouthwatering handmade breads and pastries.”
Salón Ríos: “...big cantina — a large wooden bar... Tuesdays and Thursdays, there is live music and salsa dancing on the second floor.”
Tetetlán: “...Jardines del Pedregal in southern Mexico City... the building also has a shop, cafe, artist residence, yoga studio, and library. ational origin.
Zeru Basque, tiny in size, Avenida de La Paz. Reservations necessary.
Street Food: “While there is no shortage of fine dining options in CDMX, sometimes a good dose of street food can really hit the spot. Stop by one of the numerous food carts located throughout the city, where you can find fruit seasoned with lime, chili, and salt; tacos; tortas; fried chapulínes (grasshoppers); or escalote (corn on the cob covered in mayonnaise, cheese, and chili -
sic).”
To do
Bosque de Chapultepéc: “This 1,700-acre city park is the second largest in Latin America and once was an important site for the Aztecs. ...a variety of museums, a zoo, aqueducts, a castle, and man-made lakes. (Chapultepec is fascinating, and a great place to wander on Sunday to get in touch with how local
Chilango - CDMX denizens - families enjoy their Domingo.)
Museo Nacional de Antropología is across the street and “has the world’s largest collection of Mexican artifacts spread across 23 rooms; the minimalist architecture of the building is just as impressive as the rich cultural education inside.”
Museo Soumaya: Blvd. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 303, Granada, CDMX, fabulous art collection spanning 30 centuries.
Link
Zócalo: Formally, Plaza de la Constitución, is the huge square in the heart of the historic center of the city... bordered by the presidential palace and Catedral Metropolitana... with many events held here. Beware of pickpockets, avoid large demonstrations.
Templo Mayor, nearby, the Aztecs’ principal temple .
“For a bird’s eye view, grab lunch at
Balcón del Zócalo, a restaurant on top of the Zócalo Central Hotel overlooking the plaza, and watch the bustle below while a waiter prepares guacamole tableside.“
Just off the main square is
San Ildefonso, a former Jesuit boarding school turned museum and considered to be the birthplace of muralism. The halls are decorated with murals from some of Mexico’s notable artists. Rivera’s first mural, Creation, (1922-1923) in the Bolivar Amphitheater.”
Casa Luis Barragán: “...the country’s only Pritzker Prize winner (architecture’s highest honor), has design influences all throughout CDMX. His former home and studio in the Miguel Hidalgo district, Casa Luis Barragán, was built in 1948 and has since been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is frequented by architects and students as a study of contemporary forms, light, and color.”
Pedregal neighborhood “covered largely by lava fields and developed by Barragán in the mid-’40s, visitors can also visit Casa Pedregal, a private home designed by the architect.”
There’s also a small section on
shopping mentioning several stores and the La Lagunilla Flea Market. It’s okay, but don’t expect anything special. If you find a bargain, be aware of cleverly made knock-offs. . (And as to the often-discussed “thieves market” at Tepito, though Tepito has allegedly been cleaned up a bit, I’d recommend it only for the adventurous and aware. Petty thieves abound, and more than some of the goods are fakes or poorly made knockoffs.)