Fueling tourism in its own right, Mexico City’s world-class landscape scene runs the gamut from fine-dining destinations like Pujol and Quintonil to a diverse array of casual favorites, vibrant street stalls and even the world’s only Michelin-starred taco stand. If you’re planning a visit to CDMX for the FIFA World Cup, haute cuisine may not be in the cards, but there are plenty of delicious options for a range of budgets and palates.
Get caffeinated like a local in Mexico City
Mexico City boasts a wealth of homegrown coffee shops, which means you have no excuse to default to Starbucks. With locations all over CDMX, Tierra Garrat serves up all the usual suspects along with artisanal chocolate drinks, frappes, pastries and sandwiches. A local micro-chain, Boicot Café complements its coffee offerings with a diverse menu and a funky, vintage-inspired atmosphere. Catering to digital nomads with communal areas, enclosed booths, coffee and snacks, Chez Vous Time Café is a fully-functional spot to work and has multiple locations around the city. True coffee nerds will likely be charmed by Buna, which has earned a cult following with responsibly sourced espresso drinks served at locations in Roma, Condesa, and an airy roasting facility in Laguna, a repurposed textile factory in Colonia Doctores.
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Avoid the obvious
Reservations can be elusive at Mexico City’s buzziest restaurants, with your best bets being early weekday slots or a walk-in with plenty of time to wait for a table. Another option is to skirt around the hype and seek out an alternative in the same restaurant group. Named the World’s Best Female Chef in 2023, Elena Reygadas helms the insanely popular Italian-Mexican concept Rosetta and the holy-grail bakery Panadería Rosetta but is also behind the slightly more approachable standouts Lardo, Bella Aurora and Café Nin. One of the toughest reservations in town, Chef Enrique Olvera’s Pujol laid the groundwork for Eno — a casual staple with multiple locations and a crowd-pleasing menu. Something of a rite of passage in CDMX, snagging a table at Chef Gabriela Cámara’s institution Contramar can be a tricky affair but her mastery with upscale seafood can be experienced in her less-trafficked Entremar and Caracol de Mar. A stylish brunch favorite in Condesa, the Jewish-style deli Mendl doesn’t even take reservations, but its older sister Quentin Café works wonders with a tight menu of breakfast and lunch staples at multiple locations.
Food stalls are worth a shot! Just make sure to look for long lines and satisfied diners.
Jess Elizarraras/MySA
Keep it casual in Mexico City
Planned-out meals may not be a priority for World Cup tourists — and that’s perfectly fine. Mexico City is one of those rare places where even an unsuspecting hole in the wall can turn out amazing food. Some would even argue that the best tortillas in town are cranked out of the diner-like fondas that serve economical comida corrida (essentially food on the run) for breakfast and lunch. As they’re abundant, a good rule of thumb is to approach one with a crowd. A go-to with an understated bicycle theme, La Cadencia Lonchería in Roma Norte is known for hearty Mexican breakfast and lunch standards like chilaquiles, molletes and burritos. More intimate but no less approachable, Farmacía Internacional’s locations in Condesa and Colonia Juárez specialize in egg dishes but also serve up tasty sandwiches, soups, salads and homey pastries like cinnamon rolls and housemate pop tarts. Beloved for its generous portions of super-fresh seafood, Mi Compa Chava Marisquería draws hungry crowds to its locations in Roma and Coyoacán, but the large dining rooms ensure a quick turnover. Easygoing but with a romantic vibe, the local chain Cancino is a dependable lunch-and-dinner mainstay for pizza, pasta, salads, and libations.
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Although street food is a scene unto itself, eating at stalls doesn’t always agree with the tourist tummy. If you do decide to partake, local know best, so look for a line or a crowd — and be prepared to pay in cash. Arguably less risky and definitely more comfortable after a long day of walking, the tried-and-true brick-and-mortar chains El Califa and Tacos Orinoco lure late-night crowds with tacos al pastor, cheese-wrapped costras, quesadillas and other street-style favorites.
A cocktail from Handshake Speakeasy.
Jess Elizarraras/MySA
Raise a glass: Cocktail must-haves in Mexico City
In keeping with the culinary landscape, Mexico City’s cocktail scene is expansive and comprises everything from historic cantinas to dimly lit mezcal bars and world-famous speakeasies. Inaugurated in 1895, the storied bar La Ópera in Centro Histórico once hosted famed literary figures and politicos but is now a family-friendly restaurant distinguished by Art Nouveau flourishes and an opulent Baroque ceiling famously punctured by a bullet fired by Pancho Villa. Named the World’s Best Bar in 2024, the consistently awarded Handshake Speakeasy in Colonia Juárez offers a decidedly different trip back in time punctuated by exclusive, 1920s-era vibes and what many consider the best cocktails in CDMX.
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Although it’s available in nearly any full bar, mezcal is perhaps best experienced in a dedicated establishment such as the candle-lit favorite La Clandestina in Condesa and the hidden gem Bósforo in Centro. While it may resemble silver tequila, mezcal is meant to be imbibed slowly in besitos (little kisses) in order to appreciate its nuances. If it burns going down, you’re probably drinking it too fast.
While most of these destinations offer an escape from the world outside — including World Cup fever — the games will be front and center at bars on any given corner, including the casual chain La Cervecería de Barrio and the British-inspired Doghouse Pub in Roma.