5 days in

Mexico City

A word of advice: come hungry! Many of our travels revolve around food, but Mexico City took it to a new level. We planned our days around our culinary escapades and the rest of the time walking around the colorful city to get hungry again. In winter months, the weather is clear, sunny, and consistently 75 degrees - perfect patio weather. English is pretty common around the city, but brushing up on your high school Spanish certainly will come in handy at some of the smaller restaurants and shops.

Be careful not to drink the water (even brushing your teeth), and be sure not to buy bottled water or beverages containing ice from any street vendors. Restaurants typically need to have permits and a purifying system and are generally safe for both water and ice but worth noting caution so you don't end up spending your trip in the bathroom!

GETTING THERE & GETTING AROUND

Once you land at the CDMX airport, call an Uber Black and you'll be short 20 minute drive from downtown.

Ubers are plentiful and so cheap! We "splurged" on Uber Blacks the whole time we were there, when we weren't exploring the city on foot.

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed in an AirBnB in the Condesa/Hipódromo neighborhood and it was awesome to be in such a cute neighborhood. We chose one with 24/7 security for safety which I'd recommend for piece of mind, and a balcony so we could enjoy our morning coffee in the sunshine overlooking the city and surrounding mountains.

Top neighborhoods to stay:

Condesa - there's a mile-long shaded running path loop around Parque Mexico that is lovely for a morning jog.
Hipódromo
Roma Norte
Polanco

Hotels are also incredibly affordable and a decent option if you're looking for the amenities you get with hotels - although most of these are on more of the main drags and less neighborhood-y. If going the hotel route, I'd suggest one in Polanco which is the higher end neighborhood with many restaurants and shops.

WHERE TO EAT

Top Restaurants (make reservations in advance!):

Pujol - #12 World's Best Restaurants 2019. They have a regular tasting menu, but we did the omakase Taco menu at the bar which got us 11 courses with drinks (mezcal shots, wine, or beer) included. I was so full I couldn't walk but it was so, so worth it. The infamous "mole Madre" was over 2,500 days old when we had it.
Quintonil - #24 World's Best Restaurants 2019. They have a waiting list for Lunch and Dinner if you can't get a reservation (and we got in off of it!) We went for a late lunch (2pm-5pm) and it was great - the tasting menu is pricey but worth it, or you can order a la carte and split a couple things at the table.
Maximo Bistrot - French/Mexican fusion great for lunch or dinner.
Rosetta Restaurant - The chef won top Chef in Latin America in 2014 and focuses on Italian cuisine with Mexican influence. We were honestly a little underwhelmed, but I didn't want to leave it off the list.
Yemanya - This place had just opened a week before our trip and we stumbled upon it late afternoon for some drinks and snacks and it was incredible! If we had another day we definitely would have been back for dinner. Also a great spot to grab a cocktail at the bar.

Lunch ("Comida") Only (12-6pm):

Contramar - you can't leave CDMX without getting Contramar tuna tostadas and a mescal margarita. You can email them for reservations, or insider's tip: just show up at 11:45 (they open at Noon) and you'll likely get a seat outside right away.
Entremar - Contramar's sister restaurant in Polanco. If you can't get a spot at Contramar, they should be able to make you a rez here.
Nico's - Classic spot with awesome environment. Table-side guac & mezcal cart!

Drinks:

La Clandestina - Mezcal bar with small menu of mezcal-based cocktails
Madré Cafe - Casual patio with a cocktail cart, drinks made tableside
Gin Gin (Condesa) - As the name suggests, gin based cocktails on the fancy/pricey side
Hanky Panky - speakeasy that you need to message on Facebook to get in
Condesa DF - Rooftop bar on top of Hotel Condesa with awesome cocktails and view. SPRITZ BREAK!
Limantour - two locations with large cocktail menu and good ambiance
Yemanyá (from above)

Breakfast / Brunch:

Churreria El Moro - The original is in Centro Histórico and has been open literally every day since it opened in 1935. In recent years, the sons in the family have opened many around the city and they are all just as good. 4 churros as big as your head for 24 pesos? YUP. I legit had churros every single day.
Molina el Pujol - The mill/tortilla maker for Pujol also has a little cafe outpost and features a small selection of tamales for breakfast and other snacks later in the day from 12-5.
Lalo! - Casual day time spot from the same chef as Maximo Bistrot
Freims - Walk through the record shop to an adorable patio with Mexican brunch classics
Fonda Fina - Causal spot by Quintonil chef. Great for brunch/lunch or a more casual dinner.
Panderia Rosetta (bakery) kitty-corner from the restaurant - Infamous baked goods and line out the door always. I opted for churros every day instead, but wanted to include.

Other/More Casual:

El Pescadito - Super cheap and awesome fish & shrimp tacos with outdoor tables
Tacos Hola - Vegetarian/vegan options
El Auténtico Pato Manila - Philippine/Mexico fusion with amazing duck tacos
Salon Tenampa - Reservation needed on weekend nights. In the middle of a plaza in El Centro, with local families and lively mariachi bands (more about environment than food)
Street Food!! - worth a trip to Centro Histórico during the day and getting some Tacos al Pastor from a street vendor or hole in the wall shop. Crowds of locals are a good sign.

WHAT TO DO

Canals of Xochimilco - A 45 min Uber down to a canal system full of colorful wooden boats full of tourists and locals alike. We did an AirBnB Experience for this which I HIGHLY recommend as this can be crowded & crazy - and this made it stress free plus the added benefit of home-cooked sopes, chicken mole tacos, and all the Tecate and mezcal you could ask for.

Frida Kahlo Museum - Buy a ticket online (mobile ticket) or be prepared to wait hours in line. It's super crowded but was pretty cool to walk through. It's a bit outside the city but we did this before we headed on to Xochimilco since it was on the way.

Lucha Libre! (Friday Nights Only) - We did an AirBnB Experience where we met a local at a bar beforehand who explains the rules/cheers etc. and got us into the stadium which was hassle-free and I highly recommend it. It's basically like 1992 WWE in masks with locals going crazy all around you.

Teotihuacán - About an hour uber outside of the city you can explore the ruins of the ancient city. Go early in the morning to avoid the crowds, and avoid Sunday as that day is free for locals and is even more crowded than normal.

Chapultepec Castle - On a hill with great views overlooking the park.

Anthropology Museum - We didn't make it here in our time but we heard great things if museums are your thing!

Mezcal Tasting (& Souvenir Buying!) - MisMezcales in Roma Norte is a small family-run shop with the original location in Oaxaca (Mezcal central.) You can sample and buy bottles to take home. If they aren't open, El Liquor Store is another great option where you can taste, learn, and purchase as well.

Cerámica Roland - the cutest little ceramic shop in Roma.