Where to eat in Mexico City
After a mere three hour flight, Mr. Sweet and I landed in one of the world’s most stylish and colorful cities, Mexico City. I had dreamt of visiting for so long so unlocking our Airbnb in the hip Roma Norte neighborhood was a sweet moment. So was standing in front of original Diego and Frida paintings, spending a few hours at the National Museum of Anthropology, and getting thousands of steps in walking through unfamiliar but stunning neighborhoods and architecture hand in hand.
With more than a week on our side, we were able to eat at some of Mexico’s best restaurants and eateries. Some were planned with the guidance of Mark Weins’ YouTube videos, most Mr. Sweet looked up, and a few we stumbled upon serendipitously.
From street tacos to elegantly designed restaurants, taking a bite anywhere in this multifaceted city will change the way you see and taste food, at least Mexican food, forever.
Here’s where to eat in Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX)
1. Sting Tacos
Roma Norte neighborhood, intersection of Chihuahua and Jalapa
The guy who owns the taco stand looks eerily similar to Gordon Matthew Sumner from Sting; hence, the name, Sting Tacos! A banner of the singer hangs smack dab above where the taco chef grills. There’s no denying the resemblance. We ate a few 29 cent tacos with grilled onions and came back for more the next night.
We were back in our neighborhood and almost home from dinner at Rosetta Restaurant when we encountered a taco stand that piqued my curiosity. The name of it is probably what got me to sit down in an open chair and encourage Mr. Sweet to do the same right next to me. A taco stand called Sting Tacos? Sounds cool!
2. Limantour
Av. Álvaro Obregón 106, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 | 50 Best feature | @limantourmx
Mr. Sweet's drink was served with chopsticks so he could pick up its spiraled zucchini garnish. The bartender shook our drinks to finesse and tasted his concoctions until perfection was reached. No wonder why this place is listed as one of the World's Best Bars. The vibe here was so novel and cool that we got a copy of its menu as a souvenir, signed by our perfectionist bartender, of course.
3. Pasillo de Humo
Av Nuevo León 107, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 | @Pasillo de Humo
The dish I was eating had the look of a pizza, had avocado on top but upon closer inspection, the black things on top weren't peppercorn but crickets. Whoah. But the restaurant is jam-packed and we waited around 45 minutes to get seated. I say come here but if you're not craving crickets, try something else.
4. Eno
Various locations | Website | @eno_mx
Eno comes to us from Pujol’s Chef Olivera Enrique. The bakery is in the Roma Norte neighborhood and is so good, we ate here twice during our stay. Prices are touristy but the ingredients and craftsmanship are high quality.
The best part about eating here: Mr. Sweet ordered jamón thinking it was jam on bread. He had a puzzled look on his face when he was served a croissant with ham…
5. Rosetta Bakery
Colima 179, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 | @PanaderíaRosetta
If you’re not a fan of granola, you will be after coming here. It’s so delicious that when Mr. Sweet’s sister went to CDMX for a visit of her own, I asked her to bring a bag back home for me. There's usually a line but after tasting their pastries, you’ll see why this place is muy popular.
6. Churrería El Moro
Varios locations | Website | @churreriaelmoro
Maybe it’s the sugar or oil used or the smell of the air when you take a bite into something crunchy in a different country, but the churros here will eventually create nostalgia for you. You can’t leave CDMX without going to El Moro. And with a couple of locations sprinkled throughout the city, you have no excuse, not even if you want to cut back on carbs.
7. Pujol
Tennyson 133, Polanco, Polanco IV Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11570 | Website | @pujolrestaurant
Featured in Netflix’s Chef’s Table, Pujol is dreamy both on-screen and in person. Dining at Chef Olivera Enrique’s brainchild is like stepping into another world. The interior is airy and elegant. The architecture is flawless, just like its customer service. You’ll notice a lot of couples from NYC and LA here, so you know you’re doing what all the cool kids are doing.
When you’re visiting, come for the experience but stay for the churro surprise in the end. I’m not sure if they do this with all guests, but we pretended we were the special ones.
8. Nicos
Av. Cuitláhuac 3102, Claveria, Azcapotzalco, 02080 | Website | @nicosmexico
I nominate Nicos for breakfast in Mexico City. The staff put out a whole spread of sweet pan, Mexican coffee and breakfast for us. We were treated like royalty. The best part? Our entire breakfast cost no more than USD 23. If I were to fly to Mexico City from California for a weekend trip, Nicos and Sud 777 is where I’d eat first.
9. Sud 777
Blvrd de la Luz 777, Jardines del Pedregal, Álvaro Obregón, 01900 | Website | @sud777mx
This place should be called whatever cutlery is in Spanish because they give you new cutlery for every new dish. The cutlery (not pictured) was made by artisans with pride for designing forks and spoons because each one was exquisite, just like each juice paired with our meals. I’ve never had this experience before but the cutlery, and of course, juice pairing is why you should check this place out.
The only drawback was indoor smoking. We went late at night, probably when the kids are in bed and parents can leave their kids at home with a babysitter as they enjoy a night out in a city of glamour, glamorous food and cigarettes.
10. Tlacoyos (stuffed blue corn tortillas)
Colima 115, Roma Nte., 06700 (On the corner of Colima and Merida) | Mark Weins’ blog
Mr. Sweet and I watched all of Mark Weins's food videos in Mexico City. He highlighted these pretty blue corn tortillas stuffed with beans, so that’s where we had to go…right after our big breakfast at Nicos. We were already so full but how often are you in Mexico City to explore a city with bomb-ass street art and food? After finding the blue corn tortilla cart, we dug in, all in. We somehow had room left to eat!
11. Limosneros
Ignacio Allende 3, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06010 | Website | @limosnerosmx
A food vlogger was sitting in the table next to us. His camera crew was ready to film him digging into the restaurant’s specialty—salsa with crickets for an extra crunch. This place is also big on Mezcal, a good way to rinse after eating crickets maybe. I remember us saying no to the crickets and alcohol, yes to a few samples, and digging into and loving all the other food here.
12. Azul Historico
Isabel La Católica 30, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 | Website | @azulrestaurantes
If you’re looking for romance or a vibrant way to experience Mexico City’s history, Azul Historic is where to go. The lights above illuminate your dining experience. The restaurant may be touristy but it’s so pretty! Not even a camera phone photo could capture how pretty your surrounding is here.
13. Quintonil
Av. Isaac Newton 55, Polanco, Polanco IV Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11560 | Website | @rest_quintonil
Our final night in Mexico City was concluded by dinner at Quintonil, a restaurant started by wife and husband Alejandra Flores and Jorge Vallejo. The food was colorful, light, and creative.
Thanks for reading!
With glamour,
Rizzy