My Mini-Guide to Mexico City

Pyramids, chicharron tacos and a breakfast spot that plays Kali Uchis

Feb 14, 2024

Welcome to another edition of Love, Peace, and Tacos, a weekly newsletter where I share what I’m currently feeling, loving, and eating. New episodes of my podcast We’re Never Doing This Again will return later this month.

Hi Aunties and Uncles,

I just returned from 15 days in Mexico City and a week in Nicaragua (where I learned to surf —more on that soon!) and I am still riding the high of everything I saw and experienced.

Visiting Mexico City has been a dream of mine for several years — quite literally, I had nighttime dreams where I was wandering the streets of the city, despite never having been there IRL (strange, I know) — and I booked my ticket in hopes of experiencing the holy trifecta (aka the title of this newsletter): love, peace, and tacos.

For the most part, I found what I was looking for — with a few unforeseen twists.

Mexico City (CDMX) is known for its food and I was looking forward to eating my way through the city. Unfortunately, mid-way through my time there I came down with a nasty case of food poisoning, so there were a few days where I wasn’t able to eat or do much at all.

Despite feeling unwell for most of my trip, I still had plenty of memorable meals and experiences.

Mexico City is a metropolis of 22 million people. It’s massive and chaotic (with traffic that makes LA’s freeways seem “chill”), but also incredibly beautiful. You can be in the center of urban activity, turn a corner, and suddenly find yourself on a peaceful tree-lined street amongst locals leisurely walking their dogs and enjoying coffee with friends.

With ample parks and endless cafes, CDMX is a city made for strolling. Instead of trying to micro-manage my itinerary, I went with the flow and lived in the moment, allowing the day to take me wherever it was going to take me.

Over two weeks, I fell deeper in love with Mexican culture.

It’s also worth noting that while researching my trip, I quickly got overwhelmed. There’s so much to see and do! You could easily spend several days exploring one neighborhood.

With that in mind, here’s a super non-overwhelming guide to Mexico City that includes a *very* edited list of things I loved.

Museums

CDMX has 170 museums (!!) that you can visit. This makes it the second-largest city in the world in terms of museums. I went to a couple and barely scratched the surface (Joe the Intern is still mad at me that we didn’t make it to the toy museum.)

Museo Frida Kahlo. Located in Frida Kahlo’s childhood home (“the blue house”) that she later shared with Diego Rivera, this museum is dedicated to the life and work of Frida Kahlo. Go to see all the artifacts and artwork, and stay for the dreamy gardens (as seen above in the first and second photos). FYI, tickets must be purchased in advance online and it’s best to get them a few days/weeks in advance because times tend to sell out. The museum is located in picturesque Coyoacán, so leave time before/after to explore this area and grab a bite to eat in & around the market.

Museo Nacional de Anthpologia (National Museum of Anthropology). Fun fact: I have a BA in Anthropology! If you have time, this massive museum is a must-see for my fellow anthropology and museum nerds.
While you’re in the area, swing by Chapultepec Castle (seen above). Located on top of Chapultepec Hill in Mexico City's Chapultepec park, this stunning 18th-century palace provides an incredible view of the city.

Tacos

Want to make your head explode? Google “best tacos in CDMX” and then try to map them all out on Google Maps. Trust me, I tried!

If you’re going to try any taco, let it be the chicharron tacos at Tacos Orinoco — the slaw + salsa combo was to die for. Wash it down with a 1/2 liter of Jamaica (Hibiscus).

Maiz Tinto

Overwhelmed by the sheer number of amazing restaurants in CDMX? Head to Maiz Tinto, a new gastro bar in Roma Norte. Every meal I had here was phenomenal (& very reasonably priced)— and I went back 4 times! The garlic shrimp and the Esquites were standouts. I also loved the shrimp tacos.

Breakfast/Brunch

There’s no shortage of amazing breakfast and brunch places in CDMX. Here are two that I went back to again and again (4+ times!)

BAD! (breakfast all day) There’s so much to love about this adorable and delicious breakfast spot. The pancake logo/mascot. The perfectly fluffy pancakes that fed me when I couldn’t stomach anything else. The fact that Kali Uchis always seemed to be playing whenever I was there…consider me smitten! (And yes, I bought this souvenir swag print for my kitchen!)

Buenos Diaz. Inspired by former President, Porfirio Díaz, this charming breakfast/lunch spot features servers in vintage military garb and cheques that arrive in music boxes shaped like typewriters. There are also lots of different food options if you or your travel companions all want something different.

Shopping

Casa Dinamarca (address: C. Dinamarca 64, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Ciudad de México) I love this boutique that exclusively carries Latin American designers, including a new fave streetwear brand, MITS (Mexico is the Shit). I mean, this hat…
Casa Mandarine This concept store features items/designers from Mexico and has one of the dreamiest collections of handmade jewelry I’ve ever seen.

Tianguis La Lagunilla

Described as a “flea market on steroids” this Sunday shopping event is a must-do for people who love all things vintage, collectible, and antique (including clothes and accessories). I loved it so much, I went back twice!

Pro-tip: there’s another similarly named market nearby, so type the full name into Uber to get the exact drop-off location. We tried to find it on foot and while we eventually found the right spot, it took a bit of trial and error!

El Pendulo

Located in Polanco — a ritzy neighborhood that looks like a Wes Anderson version of Mexico — El Pendulo is the most gorgeous bookstore I’ve ever seen. They have several locations throughout the city and they’re all really lovely. And yes, they do carry some English books.

Teotihuacan Pyramids

I hemmed and hawed over whether to visit the pyramids but I’m glad I made the 1-hour-long trek to see them. I took public transportation and went on my own, but I wish I’d taken a tour so I could have learned more about the history.

Neighborhoods

I stayed in the Zona Rosa (Gayborhood) and then later, in Anzures (both good locations!) My favorite neighborhoods and where I spent the most time in were Roma Norte, Roma Sur, and Juarez, which are all within walking distance. The mix of trendy and gritty reminded me a lot of Berlin, which I loved.

I loved Condesa for its gorgeous parks and art deco buildings. Also, the cafes and restaurants in Polanco were jaw-dropping gorgeous (this is true for so much of Mexico City).

Coyoacán was lovely and feels like you’re in small-town Mexico.

I would also recommend visiting Centro (the Historic Core) where Tianguis La Languilla is located, but to do it during the day. I was told by several people that it’s not the safest area after dark.

Next time, I look forward to exploring further afoot (hopefully sans stomach issues) because this is far from an exhaustive list!

Have you been to Mexico City? What are you curious about?

Drop me a line and ask me anything!