CDMX Recs

eats, stays, shopping, and what I packed

May 29, 2026

Traveling is something that I always prioritize. It gives me the opportunity to see life in new ways. Eat new food, see new art, smell new smells, meet new people. It gives an invaluable perspective that you can only get my experiencing it. I had the opportunity to go back to Mexico City recently, and I fell more in love with the city than I already was.

For those unaware, CDMX is the largest city in North America. Yes, bigger than your beloved New York City. While most visitors don’t venture out of a handful of neighborhoods, those few neighborhoods make a huge impact. Now I can’t speak for anything outside of these neighborhoods, but I’m sure there are some really special places out there. Roma Norte, Condesa, Polanco, Centro Histórico, and Coyoacán are where people spend most of their time. Each one gives you something different, but I love being in Roma Norte.

There is this phenomenon that you notice when you travel enough, a lot of trendy areas look alike. Whether in Europe, Asia, Africa, the US of course. There is a look that is pretty consistent amongst new shops and restaurants. Think about the newest restaurant in your nearest downtown and you’ll get the idea. Weirdly enough in Mexico City is that I never felt that feeling. I felt excited and interested walking through every cafe, shop, or restaurant. Everything is intentional, colorful, tactile, lush, and artistic. There is something special going on there.

As I mentioned I spent a lot of my time in Roma Norte, I love the energy there and couldn’t get enough during my stay. Like other big cities you can spend a few days in one neighborhood and not even get to everything. With that said, a lot of the suggestions will be there or nearby. If you’ve ever had any desire to go to CDMX I give it the biggest stamp of approval 10x over. Do your own research of course, but here are some recs based on my last two trips.

Side note: if you’re afraid of Mexico (which I’ve heard from many people), there wasn’t a single time I felt uncomfortable walking around, even at night. Always be aware, but staying in these areas you’re fine. Also, know a little bit of Spanish before you go. Like America, most people only speak the native language.

Here’s what I loved and packed — a small but mighty list.

Food

La Once Mil - they just got a Michelin Star after we left, maybe we had something to do with it…kidding but incredible please go. Expect a wait, make a res early, go shop then come back.

Huset - Nice breakfast/brunch spot. Very vibey interior, the entire roof is trees which is cool. Food was solid, good for a big group and pretty easy to grab a resy.

Jenni’s Quesidilla’s - Worth the hype, line moves fast. Right in the mix in Roma Norte, great mid day snack while you’re shopping.

Maizajo - My favorite by far and away. So damn good. Please go, wait in the line, it is worth it I promise. The ribeye and brisket tacos changed my life.

Panderia Rosseta - Another one that is worth the hype, you should go. Everything is really good.

Rossetta - Worth going to if you can get a res. Really nice interior, I didn’t feel the need to go back a second time but I really liked it.

Odette - Wait in the line it’s worth it. I loved everything I tried, you really can’t go wrong.

Shopping

Casa Denim: Japanese Denim (Samurai, Momotaro, etc) , Looper Wheeler Tees, Masterpiece bags (insanely good quality). Small but mighty store, worth checking out.

Erre Vintage: You’ve probably heard of this one, but they have incredible stuff. Pricey compared to Chicago, but on par with NYC or LA i’d say. They have everything you can think of. Great store to get inspired in and shop. They also have Erre Garage across the street with more goods and coffee.

Goodbye Folk - 5 floors of vintage - great selections from mostly 70s-90s but some older stuff sprinkled in. The prices were reasonable compared to some other higher end vintage spots. For the ladies, they have some great reworked Ralph Lauren Pieces that I thought were really cool. Worth checking out!

Gramo - Made in Japan eyewear, thats interesting and different. Beautiful store and storefront. Go and try some glasses and take a picture in them or actually buy a pair.

Xinu - You’ve likely seen this one in you’re search as well. Great scent shop in a beautiful courtyard space surrounded by windows on all sides, worth checking out for that alone. It allows you take a piece of the city home with your through scent, which I love.

Concept Racer - Cool concept store with some really nice heritage inspired pieces. Everything here is new but looks old. Quality and a store deisgn is really nice, worth checking out.

Cosmopolis Market - CDMX is known for really great markets and this one is probably the most convenient to check out if you’re in Roma. Right by a lot of the stores above, I found some really solid vintage, handmade jewelry, and other wares.

Stays

Up to you, but I’d suggest staying where you plan to spend most of your time. Traffic in CDMX can get pretty brutal. We stayed in Condesa for two nights and spent more time than we wanted in Ubers, typically no longer than 15-20 minutes each way but still not ideal.

Casa Tenue: Stay here if you can, it’s in the perfect location, beautifully restored, such a great stay. Price wasn’t too crazy for a weekend trip. Free Mezcal, what else do you need? Check out this video I made if that didn’t convince you.

Hotel Volga - Very nice, rooms were really well decorated, moody. Breakfast was included and it’s actually good. They have a small lap pool on the roof with a nice view and day beds, a big TV playing sports and a bar. A really nice way to spend the morning before heading out for the day. Great staff as well.

Soho House CDMX - Hear me out….this place is beautiful. Like stunning. I haven’t been to a ton of houses outside of the US, but man this is worth going if you have a membership or a homie with one. Food is incredible too, surprisingly. It’s crazy expensive to stay here because they only have like 5 rooms. If you got it like that, it would be worth staying here but visit if you can, sit by the pool and hang out for a bit. It’s really great.

Brick Hotel: Another really nice, moody hotel in the heart of Roma Norte. This one can get a little pricey, but it’s really nice. Apparently if you have Amex Platinum you can get some solid perks here. I haven’t stayed just had drinks here and heard good things from a friend.

Condesa Airbnb: If you have a big group or just want a house to yourself, this one was very solid in Condesa. My group of 7 stayed here for 2 nights.