If you are on the West Coast and haven't been to Mexico City AKA CDMX (Cuidad De Mexico), you must! Did you know that Mexico City used to be called D.F. (Distrito Federal)? On January 29, 2016 it ceased to be the Federal District (Spanish: Distrito Federal or D.F.) and is now officially known as Ciudad de México (or CDMX).
Mexico City is rich in history and culture. It is also flat and so it is walkable, Ubers are so easy to get, logistically it was the easiest international flight and trip I've had. It is also super affordable! I got a latte from a panaderia (bakery) in Roma Norte and it only cost $1.89! I managed to get a non-stop round trip flight on United with less than 30K miles and it was so worth it! The flight was just 4 hours and 20 minutes long. My favorite neighborhoods were Roma Norte and Polanco. You get to see colonial architecture and if you go to the center plaza (El Zocalo) you see some ruins.
My goal was to try some of the restaurants from The World's 50 Best Restaurants and Bars in Mexico City list. I stayed at an airbnb with friends in Roma Norte. If you get the opportunity to go to Mexico City, I recommend that you pack some lotion, chapstick, and wear closed toe shoes because for some reason it is dusty everywhere and very dry.
Day 1
I landed at around 5am and got to the airbnb at around 7am, took a nap, and went to a panaderia across the street from the airbnb. We then went to Taqueria Orinoco for lunch and then walked around Roma Norte. We also went to the Zocalo. El Zocalo is the large public square in Mexico City. There, you get to see actual locals being tourists in their own country. Not a lot of international tourists which was a bit shocking to me. We went to dinner at Siembra Comedor and went for drinks at Rayo. I would highly recommend going to Rayo because they offer a blind tasting experience before you choose your final cocktail.
Day 2
We went to Amamba coffee shop. This is such a cute cafe in a beautiful location. Had lunch at Botanico, one of my favorite restaurants during this trip! The cacti galore was on point and you feel as if you are in a cacti garden. We then went to Castillo de Chapultepec, mainly used as government residence. Do your research before purchasing your tickets because the castle is free on Sundays and so it was super crowded when we went because of the free entrance for residences. We then went to dinner at Carmela y Sal. Carmela y Sal was good, but I wouldn't say it was my favorite restaurant in Mexico City. It is high end and inside a large building.
Day 3
I went to Palo De Rosa Cafe which was so good and cute! I had their delicious orange confit pastry and a latte of course. I then went to Mercado Roma to see what a Mercado was all about. Mercados are super popular in Mexico City and so are little food stands and trucks. Mercado Roma was one of the most modern and newer mercado. Here you find drinks, food, and ice cream. We had lunch at Rosetta, a very good restaurant located right next to Blanco Colima on the cutest street called Colima. We then had dinner at Blanco Colima, which I also highly recommend.
Day 4
I saved the best for last! I got to visit Frida Kahlo's museum AKA Casa Azul and it surpassed all of my expectations! I've always admired and loved Frida Kahlo, but to be able to walk through her house and see where she lived, where she recovered from all of her injuries, and where she became an artist was mind blowing! I also loved the extra wing dedicated to her fashion! Before the museum, I went to a coffee shop around the corner called Croasan. I recommend purchasing the tickets to the museum ahead of time and getting to the museum 15-20 minutes before so you can go to a coffee shop and also stand in line. If you want to take photos inside the museum, you need to purchase a pass for less than $2.00.
We then went to the one and only Pujol restaurant. I recommend watching the Chef's Table episode before going. It was truly Mexican fine dining. The plate of just mole was a real thing and the service was on point. At one time my napkin had fallen and I hadn't noticed until a staff member came up to me with a new one. I really enjoyed the first dish with the corn inside a pumpkin and the Kanpachi dish. We did the tasting menu inside the main dining room but they also have an omakase menu as well for the Mexican dishes at the bar with a courtyard experience.
Are you planning on visiting Mexico City anytime soon? Feel free to reach out to me if you need anything! You can also find me on Instagram here.
XoXo,
Keily
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