What I did + wore in Mexico City

Spaces that inspired me, the best street food, and my favorite vintage spots

Mexico City has been on my list for years. It’s a place that I’ve romanticized to be this creative hub filled with art, history, and culture, so when I got an opportunity to do some work there, I took it without a second thought. It’s been a while since I’ve travelled alone, my last solo-trip was in late 2024, so I was overdue for that quiet independence that only solo travel brings.

Since last year, I started setting intentions for every trip I take, a small ritual to make sure I’m not just moving but experiencing. This time, I wanted to give myself space to rest from work while still soaking in the creative buzz that the city offers. I wanted to get re-energized and creatively inspired so my itinerary definitely reflects that. So here’s every I did and wore on this trip.

Whenever I visit a place for the first time, I definitely think about the places that everyone recommends whether that’s restaurants, activities, or attractions. My algorithm tells me that CDMX is a great place to shop vintage and designer and while I love doing that I wanted more out of this trip. I was determined to find my own spots on this trip that catered to the type of trip I wanted to have.

Monday

I arrived on a Monday afternoon and checked into my first Airbnb in Hipódromo Condesa. The neighbourhood was beautiful and very quiet which was the perfect start to this trip. After dropping up my bags and freshening up, I wandered out to Molina El Pujol for dinner. This is the sister restaurant to the 2-star Pujol also in CDMX and focuses on corn-forward dishes (think tamales, tacos, chilaquiles, etc.) I definitely enjoyed my meal but it wasn’t anything to write home about.

I spent the rest of the evening walking around and creating a mental map of the neighbourhood. I also walked over to Parque Mexico to get a gist of Av Mexico and Av Amsterdam. Loved browsing Metta Running House for some niche running gear.

Tuesday

A friend of mine was also traveling CDMX and we only had one overlap day so we decided to grab some food and have a museum day today. Our first stop was Expendio De Maiz, a restaurant I’ve had saved for a while. They offer a unique food experience where you just let the servers know your food restrictions and the chefs will cook for you until you tap out. There’s no menu, you just eat until you’re full.

I only found out that they have a star days before the trip but that’s one of the joys of CDMX—it’s full of surprises. The food was phenomenal, one of my favorites of the trip. Definitely somewhere I would love to come again.

After brunch, we uber-ed over to Anahuacalli, a museum and arts center in the Coyoacán neighbourhood. The space itself is designed by Mexican Muralist Diego Rivera and contains an extensive collection of pre-Hispanic art. The space was incredible—definitely a must-visit.

We also checked out the Chapultepec Castle which houses the National History Museum. From the garden you get an incredible view of the city.

For dinner, we went to Mi Compa Chava, a popular seafood restaurant that has two locations in the city. They serve traditional seafood dishes with generous sizing. Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious but if I can recommend one thing, definitely get the grilled prawns.

Wednesday

One of my favorite finds of the trip was Another Café near my Airbnb. It’s a great brunch spot that serves food, coffee, juices, and drinks all day. I visited 3 times during this trip either to start my day there or to end. It seems like a go-to spot for laptop work. After breakfast, I headed to Biblioteca Vasconcelos to check off a bucket list visit. I love exploring libraries in different cities and Vasconcelos is definitely one for the books.

I sat here for an hour writing and admiring the space.

Fundación Casa Wabi was nearby so I headed there after. This was actually not one of main galleries I had saved by ended up being my favorite one. The foundation itself fosters interaction between contemporary artists and local communities in Puerto Escondido, Mexico City, and Tokyo. I could’ve spent all day in that space just watching the light change.

I decided to spend my evening wandering around Juarez because I had a few shops and restaurants saved there. I checked out the Estudio 1999 store and ended up picking up a few pieces after spending over an hour trying things on and just having fun styling outfits with Ileana, the owner and designer. I talk about the experience in another post but it just made me love the brand that much more. She recommended I try Tacos La Chula for al pastor tacos so that’s where I ended my night.

Didn’t end up picking up the skirt but wish I did.

Thursday

Up to this point I pretty much didn’t touch my laptop at all but I knew I wanted to spend some time writing on this trip so I started my day with pastries at Saint (it was just okay) and then headed to La Laguna, a former textile factory that has been reworked into a space for creative businesses whether it be architects, gastronomes, or artists. There are shops, cafes, offices, and a restaurant here. I sat at BUNA cafe for a few hours writing and editing.

Spaces inside of La Laguna

I was meeting a work friend for a late lunch so I decided to walk from La Laguna towards Parque Mexico where we were meeting. On the way I checked out Proyecto Rufina, Casa Ananda Vintage, Feria Americana, and a few other stores that looked interesting. I also grabbed an iced guava matcha latte from Rumor which ended up being the best matcha I had on the trip. Rumor is also a boutique that carries Mexican designers and had a lot of unique pieces you wouldn’t find elsewhere.

Tried on a few pieces at Proyecto but didn’t end up getting anything.

I met up my friend at Mendl Delicatessen—beautiful space and delicious sandwiches and then ended my night back at the Airbnb. Ordered some pasta from Cancino for a late night meal which was actually quite delicious.

Friday

Friday I checked into my second Airbnb of this trip which is in Roma Norte. I started my day at Another Cafe again, knowing that I wouldn’t be coming back to this neighbourhood. After I settled into my new spot, I just spent the day wandering around Roma Norte. Finally got to try Jenni’s Quesadillas which are completely worth the hype. Cardon had an amazing collection of both men’s and women’s clothing by Mexican designers. Colima 112 truly has the most unique sunglasses I’ve ever seen—also all by latin designers. I went into Golden Goose wanting to check out the store design and the employees there were SO snobby. Definitely the worse service experience I had during this trip. Just something to note if you’re visiting.

My Airbnb in Roma Norte

There are a TON of boutiques and vintage stores along Colima and the surrounding streets so Roma Norte is definitely the place to stay if you’re looking for that experience. My favorite find was probably Vintage HOE which had incredible curation. I found out that the store owner actually opened the very first vintage store in CDMX around 20 years ago and have been loving keeping his shop ever since. I picked up some low waisted trousers here as well as a rich brown vintage Armani suit.

After browsing around, I headed to Cafebreria El Péndulo to see if I can find some latin specific book covers. Ended up sitting here reading for a bit before grabbing dinner at Birria Estilo Jalisco. Another absolute must in my opinion. I loved the traditional birria over any of the Americanized versions I’ve had before. It’s also served with an herby, hearty broth.

Saturday

I got up at 6:45 am on Saturday so that I can get to Panaderia Rosetta for 7 to avoid lines. The guava tart was definitely the star of the show with the other pastries being just okay. I wouldn’t like up 45 minutes for it (which apparently is the average line time) but I’d wait 20 for it. I checked out El Bazaar Sabado, an artisan market in San Angel that only happens on saturdays and picked up quite a few silver jewelry pieces. I decided to continue with my street food journey and head over to the Caoyacan market to hunt down a sandwich recommendation. I love a good chorizo sandwich and Sr. Choripan makes a great Argentinian variation.

Wish I went back for this previous fish bottle opener

Sunday

Sunday was my last day and I started it strong at Cafe Trucha for brunch. Everything they serve is made with local produce and it was my favorite brunch meal of the trip. I got an open face sandwich with egg and butternut squash as well as a caprese salad. I’ve always heard amazing things about La Lagunilla market which happens exclusively on Sundays so that’s where I headed next. The market is sprawling and sells everything and anything. You can find antique furniture and decor, vintage clothes, records, jewelry, food, drinks, knock offs—you name it, you’ll probably find it here.

I’m glad I checked it out but it did feel a little overwhelming purely because of the size of the market. If you’re uber-ing to the market, keep in mind that it’s pretty hard to leave via uber because the surrounding streets are so busy.

For my last dinner, I checked out Madonna Pizzeria which had a standout Tiramisu. The pastas were also delicious.

Below the paywall you’ll find my full list of CDMX recommendations which includes spots I didn’t get to visit (but will come back for), my organized Google Maps, and everything I wore and packed for this trip.

Other Recommendations

My favorites are bolded.

Restaurants