The first English post on Mexico City could only be dedicated to my favorite places, and when I say places, I mean, given my age, cafes. So here’s a post on the best cafes in Mexico City.
What is my goal? To point you to cafes that will make you never want to return to your hotel but just indulge in a caffeine soaked afternoon. But before we get to the nitty-gritty, to the list you’re interested in, there are a couple of necessary caveats.
First things first: Mexico City is huge, and if you’ve ever traveled through even part of its uninterrupted outskirts, you’ll have realized that more than just the best cafes in Mexico City, we should be talking about the best cafes in the city center. In fact, in this post, I’m primarily referring to establishments in Condesa, the historic center, Roma Norte and Sur, Paseo de la Reforma, San Rafael, and Colonia Cuauhtémoc. As you can see from the list, we’re talking about a very posh and truly unrepresentative fraction of the capital as a whole.
Why is it so unrepresentative? Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating, but we have to keep in mind that these are chic neighborhoods, frequented by a lot of Americans and some Europeans who have nothing better to do than spend 5 euros on a cappuccino, while for the same amount you could easily have lunch with one of those splendid tortas that are sold on almost every street corner.
Second. The best cafes in Mexico City, which I’ll list below, aren’t the best in an absolute and objective ranking (obviously, how could I possibly be the keeper of the truth?), but they’re undoubtedly the best for me, who set out to try several to narrow down a few. These places are generally quite relaxed and offer excellent customer service, which, in my opinion, is even more important than the quality of the ingredients (OK, I’ll say it, I’d rather have a bad coffee with friends and/or a friendly barista than a great coffee with assholes).
Detto questo, e lasciando eventuali discussioni e insulti ai commenti, direi di cominciare.
The best cafes in Mexico City: Roma njeighborhood
Roma … what can I say about this neighborhood divided into Roma North and South? Personally, I’m not a fan, and I understand why many other locals (meaning Mexico City residents) don’t put it at the top of their lists.
Lots of English spoken and written, some places are a bit too refined for my taste, concept stores mixed with shops where you can’t really understand what’s being sold, and lots and lots of tourists who look like they have a fake poor style, which I find, at times, absolutely indigestible.
Despite this, you certainly can’t say you’ve been to Mexico City if you haven’t been to Roma, because this neighborhood is home to: cafes, important souvenir shops, the Zona Rosa (officially in the Juarez/Paseo de la Reforma neighborhood but on the border, let’s say), Rio de Janeiro Park, as well as a number of Michelin-starred restaurants (later, I hope to be able to write a piece on Rosetta, the Mexican-Italian restaurant of chef Elena Reygadas).
My first choice in this neighborhood, however, is Quentin Caffè, a small, quiet café away from the prevailing fashion scene, located on Álvaro Obregón Street. Excellent coffee, excellent service, and usually not crowded.
I also can’t help but mention the Rosetta bakery and café, the little brother of the restaurant of the same name and very, very popular, to the point that you always have to wait in quite a long line before being able to sit down.
The third is a tiny place, where you basically can’t stop, except for a couple of chairs right outside the door. It’s a branch of the Sede brand, which you’ll often see in Mexico City.
In this particular case, I’m referring to Sede Caffè Monterrey. All Sede Caffè locations are known for their excellent ingredients, very small spaces where takeout is practically the only option, and finally, fairly low prices (it’s the only place in Mexico City where you can get a good espresso for 20 pesos, or about one euro). If you need a quick refreshment while you’re out and about, this is the perfect place.
The best cafes in the Paseo de la Reforma/Juarez and Condesa area
Here we’re moving on a more mixed and varied terrain than in Roma.
Offices, tourists, employees, guides, the pink zone (bordering Roma), and the occasional scammer. In short, the Paseo de la Reforma area (which is officially the Juarez neighborhood, but allow me to use this name) has room for everyone and everything. It is, after all, perhaps the most famous street in Mexico City, home to most of the skyscrapers, the Angel de la Independencia, and the Monumento a la Madre.
Part of my stay was on this very busy street, and I have to say, the location was excellent. Close to the Zona Rosa if I wanted to party hard, just behind the Roma and Condesa neighborhoods.
If we want to move on to coffee, because I think that’s more interesting to you, I’d say we should start with a very quiet place that serves a dessert I’d never heard of: babka. It’s called Sunday Coffee House, and I confess it was my favorite breakfast spot in the Paseo de la Reforma area. Why, you ask? Very quiet, excellent coffees and cappuccinos, and then the aforementioned babka, a dessert that can have a cinnamon or chocolate base and looks like a sort of braided muffin.
If we’re instead looking to the more sophisticated Condesa neighborhood, I’d suggest two:
- Cumbè Coffee Roasters. It’s a small place near Plaza Fonte di Cibele, on the border—if that makes sense for a tourist—between Roma Nord and Condesa. The coffee is Mexican, the desserts are delicious, the service is excellent, and if you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth a visit.
- Solovino, Plaza Popocatepetl. It might seem counterintuitive to list a place called Solovino as one of the best places for a coffee break, but here they are. Solovino doesn’t just offer wine, but a classic selection of food typical of a Mexican café. Salads, quick meat and pasta dishes, and of course, excellent coffee and desserts. There’s also a garden out back.
Before closing this chapter, let me say something about Condesa. So, at first glance, I liked it much more than Rome. The neighborhood has lots of trees, plenty of greenery, and a huge list of places to go, as well as two fairly large parks, Parque Mexico and Parque España, which are sort of the heart of the neighborhood. Many of the places I mentioned are located right around these parks.
For some reason, it’s difficult to pinpoint, Condesa is a well-to-do, chic neighborhood, yet it manages to retain a local, relaxed, typically Mexican charm.
It isn’t, at least not yet, a hub of gringos like Rome. Even though there are a significant number of foreign tourists, it still maintains its own distinct, relaxed personality, although the gentrification issues are essentially the same as Rome’s.
The best cafes in Mexico City, San Rafael
Here we are, in a neighborhood a little off the beaten path for a two- or three-day visit to Mexico City.
San Rafael isn’t a neighborhood you’ll easily pass through, and the most famous monument you’ll find in this area is the Monument to the Revolution (which, incidentally, isn’t very popular, but in my opinion, is definitely worth a visit, especially as it can provide a nice refresher on Mexican history, from independence to the present day. The monument also has an interesting history, as it was originally intended as the dome of the Mexican parliament, but construction stopped and the only built section was repurposed).
After spending about ten days there, however, I have to say that San Rafael is worth it, especially if your goal is to visit the attractions of the historic center without actually staying in the historic center (which, I admit, can be a bit chaotic and stressful).
In this neighborhood, the first place I’d recommend is Caffè Cosme. The owner is incredibly friendly and always available to chat, the sandwiches are truly superb, and the espresso is exceptional—the best I’ve had in the last five years, hands down.
The second place is Cronicas Caffè. Again, sorry, I repeat: excellent coffee, very friendly service, and some surprising dishes. Sure, there are croissants and chocolate cakes, but the pasta of the day really surprised me, with penne pasta cooked almost al dente and a rather interesting four-cheese sauce. Perfect for a lunch break.
Best cafes, Colonia Cuauhtémoc
Another interesting neighborhood, squeezed yet comfortable, between San Rafael and Paseo de la Reforma/Juarez, is Colonia Cuauhtemoc. This quiet neighborhood has a delightful open-air art market on Sundays in the aptly named Jardin De Arte Sullivan park, right behind the Monumento a la Madre.
This neighborhood is home to one of the most interesting streets for a tourist new to Mexico City, Calle Rio Lerma. It’s perhaps a kilometer or a kilometer and a half long, running parallel to Paseo de la Reforma, and is home to dozens of cafes and local restaurants where you can stop for a churro or pick up a souvenir.
When it comes to cafes in this area, I choose between two:
- Momo Coffee, right across from the Jardin de Arte Sullivan. It’s a modern, spacious place that offers excellent coffee, pastries, and even sandwiches and other savory snacks. A great advantage for someone like me, who’s used to a sweet breakfast, is that the place opens quite early, at 6:30 a.m., which isn’t particularly common in Mexico City.
- The second favorite is Boudega, a small place right on Calle Rio Lerma. Here too, excellent coffee, sweet croissants, and savory sandwiches, as well as juices and smoothies. The interesting thing about this place is that it opens onto Calle Rio Lerma, allowing you to relax and watch the hustle and bustle of this always busy street.
The best cafes in Mexico City, let’s go to the city center
My historic center is expensive. Expensive not in the sense of expensive, but emotionally expensive. It’s an area that’s extremely busy and crowded during the day, perhaps even too busy if you’re looking to relax. Despite this, the beauty and vitality of this part of the city cannot help but inspire something.
In this area you have the greatest concentration of museums and historical sites to visit, not to mention the majestic grandeur of the Plaza Zócalo and the imposing metropolitan cathedral, whose history literally overlaps with that of the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlán.
In this area, I turned to a classic that could perhaps be described as more of a restaurant than a café. It’s the quintessential Café de Tacuba, one of Mexico City’s historic café-restaurants and the inspiration for the Mexican rock band Café de Tacuba’s name.
It’s a classic, so expect tradition. Waiters and waitresses in perfect uniforms, stained glass at the entrance, vaulted ceilings, wood, and paintings of ancient nobles on the walls. The café opened in 1918 and has remained a benchmark of Mexican culinary tradition ever since.
For all these reasons, don’t expect low prices, but they do have a daily menu that will allow you to sample a good mix of Mexican culinary culture for around €22-24, not including tip. (I’m just saying that the tipping issue is a hot topic. Some say it’s not Mexican culture, but there’s no doubt the American model has arrived, and everyone, when paying, will ask if you want to leave a tip. Personally, if the service was good, I’ve always left 10%, but you can go up to 20% if you want.)
The second café is completely different from Caffe de Tacuba. It’s a very small place, seating perhaps three people, characterized by its simplicity, good service, and excellent products. The place is called En Breve and is located on Calle Republique de El Salvador, practically in front of the church housing the tomb of the bloodthirsty conquistador who brought the Aztec empire to its knees, Hernán Cortés (Templo de Jesus Nazareno).
As with Boudega, the seating opens onto the busy street and offers an interesting perspective on life in the historic center of the Mexican capital.
The post on the best cafes in Mexico City is over. You’ve reached the end and can congratulate yourself. If you still have the energy to continue, I’ll leave you with these links:
