Let’s taco bout Mexico City • Girl Goes Global

Five days of Mexico City’s best bites, beverages, and beyond

Mexico City is world-renowned for its incredibly vibrant food culture. From street food like tacos al pastor and elote (grilled corn) to high-end restaurants showcasing creative takes on traditional dishes, the city is a true gastronomic capital. We decided to head to CDMX on my spring break from school and spend our five days eating and drinking as much as possible (so much so that I only have one picture of us from the entire trip…oops).

Day 1: Arrive in CDMX

Stay at the Hampton Inn Centro Historico: We decided to save our hotel splurge for the second part of our trip at the Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya, so we booked the Hampton Inn as a cheaper option for Mexico City. The location was unbeatable: in the middle of Centro Historico, just steps away from the Zócalo, or main square. The hotels 1800s architecture was also beautiful.

Drinks at Hanky Panky Cocktail Bar: In addition to following the World’s 50 Best Restaurant List, I also love visiting the World’s 50 Best Bars. Luckily, Mexico City has several that grace the list! We started off with Hanky Panky, a true (but poorly kept secret) speakeasy. The entrance is hidden inside a fully operational – and very good – taco restaurant (pictured below). The bar is small, so reservations are a must. The cocktails were fantastic and – if the speakeasy concept wasn’t already cool to you – you exit through that soda refrigerator in the photo :).

Dinner at El Vilsito: Auto repair shop by day, incredible taquería by night. El Vilsito was featured in Netflix’s Taco Chronicles and serves up some of the best al pastor tacos in the city. Absolutely a must-go!

Day 2: Explore the Historic Center and La Roma Neighborhoods

Breakfast at Restaurante El Cardenal: An old-school Mexican City institution that has been around since 1969. There are a few different locations, but head to the one nearest to downtown on Calle de la Palma. There will likely be a bit of a wait, but they serve up a great breakfast. Don’t miss out on the Mexican hot chocolate at the end (*chefs kiss*).

Free Walking Tour: We started off with a free walking tour of Mexico City’s Historic Center. Free tours a great because you can tip the guide directly at the end based on what you thought the tour was worth. This one covered all of the main landmarks and well-known buildings, including Metropolitan Cathedral, Teatro de la Ciudad, Palacio de Bellas Artes, and National Palace.

Lunch at Masala y Maíz: While we had some exceptional dining experiences in the city, my *hot take* is that Masala y Maiz wins the award for coolest concept. Located in the Roma neighborhood, they serve up a fusion of Indian, Mexican and African cuisine. I had no idea I needed a Mexican samosa in my life until I tried one. Game changer.

Drinks at Licoreria Limantour – La Roma: Our favorite of CDMX’s World’s 50 Best Bars, with highlights like the Fluffy Paloma and Margarita Al Pastor. When we were there, the bar’s special creative menu drew on native Oaxacan ingredients – the mezcal clarified milk punch was the standout. Again, reservations are critical.

Dinner at Quintonil: If you’re kicking around a trip to Mexico City, odds are you may have at least heard of Quintonil. Quintonil is considered one of Mexico City’s premier fine dining experiences. The restaurant is named after a green herb that is featured in some of its dishes and drinks, and it sources many ingredients from its garden (which is like, 30 meters from the dining room). The tasting menu changes seasonally. When we went, we had a dish of charred avocado with escamoles (ants) and Mexican herb chips that was mouthwatering. It’s a splurge meal, but if you’re going to hit Quintonil or Pujol (discussed below), I would pick Quintonil 1,000 times over.

Day 3: Museums

Breakfast at Panaderia Rosetta: Drop everything and get yourself a cardamom bun! But actually, this La Roma-based bakery has heavenly fresh breads and pastries and delicious quiches, which were all great for breakfast. It’s the sister bakery to the popular restaurant Rosetta, which we didn’t have time to try out but would on another trip back.

Visit the Frieda Kahlo Museum: The Frida Kahlo Museum, known as La Casa Azul (The Blue House), is the former home of the iconic Mexican artist where she was born, lived, and passed away. It has a collection of her personal belongings, artwork, and memorabilia, including a collection of her dresses. Make sure to get tickets online in advance because it can get super crowded.

Lunch at Nicos: Another Mexico City institution! Nicos was founded in 1957…and it probably hasn’t been updated since. Stylish, it is not. Delicious, it absolutely is. Located in the Azcapotzalco neighborhood (a 20 minute taxi/Uber from the Historic Center), it’s a little off the beaten path. But it’s worth the trip for delicious, traditional Mexican cuisine and excellent service.

Tequila and Mezcal Museum: In terms of size, this museum is more equivalent to an exhibit in a larger museum – it’s not a huge stand-alone experience. However, it is very informative about the process and history of the manufacture of tequila and mezcal and includes a free tasting of each at the end!

National Museum of Anthropology: The National Museum of Anthropology contains the world’s largest collection of ancient Mexican art. When you enter the museum, the rooms on the right show the cultures that developed in Central Mexico and are organized in chronological order. You can make your way around counter-clockwise to get a feel for how the cultures changed over time, culminating in the Aztec exhibit. There, you can find a number of monumental stone sculptures, of which the most famous is the Aztec Calendar, commonly known as the “Sun Stone” (pictured below).

Drinks Reservation at Baltra Bar: You guessed it, another World’s 50 Best Bar. Baltra feels like a neighborhood bar. The atmosphere is laidback and cozy, the hospitality is warm but understated, and the music was on point.

Dinner at Maximo Bistrot: Chef Eduardo García is one of the stars of Mexico City’s culinary scene, and his restaurant Maximo Bistrot is widely recognized for its unique French-Mexican cuisine. It’s a true farm-to-table restaurant, a relatively new thing for Mexico City. The dining room in La Roma is sleek and simple, and the food was delicious but with a bistro-like simplicity.

Day 4: Street Food and Markets

Chow down on a street food tour: The street food tour through Club Tengo Hambre was one of the highlights from our trip. The tour included six stops at a variety of street vendors, ranging from taco stands to incredible bakeries (whatever you do, DO NOT miss a trip to Pastelería Ideal). It was fun to see how locals rely on and enjoy grabbing their meals on the go from these favorite, neighborhood food vendors.

Walk through Mercado de San Juan: San Juan Market is actually two buildings, located a block apart. One focuses on fruits, meats, and veggies, while the other is filled with stalls serving full meals (expect plates like flautas or birria), juices, and pastries. Don’t miss the unique offerings of the wild meat markets: deer, alligator, iguana, wild pig, and scorpion.

Walk through Coyoacán Market: Another one of Mexico City’s iconic markets. It’s a massive two-story complex, with a maze of stalls selling everything: textiles, art, woven bags, fruits, vegetables, and handmade trinkets.

Drinks at Handshake Speakeasy: True to name, Handshake Speakeasy’s confidential location is difficult to find, which makes it all the more fun (just make sure you have a reservation). Don’t miss the “Once upon in Oaxaca,” which contains mezcal espadin, mint, whey, absinthe and is served with flaming steel wool on top!

Dinner at Pujol: Pujol is chef Enrique Olvera’s first restaurant and has become famous for its next-level Mexican tasting menu. I made a reservation months before our trip (before I even booked flights and hotels, actually) for the six-course tasting menu. It was lovely and absolutely the world-class dining experience you would expect. HOWEVER, with the benefit of hindsight, I have two general observations. First, Pujol’s signature dish is the mole madre, a dish consists of two moles: a “mother” mole which has been aged for almost 3,000 days and a “new” mole. The problem? I personally can’t stand mole (I know, *booo, *hisss), so I think the experience and the “wow factor” were lost on me. Second, Pujol was incredibly creative with their dishes, but I didn’t enjoy the flavors. I found the taste of the dishes and the use of local ingredients more impressive at rival restaurant Quintonil. That being said, it was still an incredible dining experience.

Day 5: Day Trip to Teotihuacan

Breakfast at Churrería El Moro: Founded in 1935, El Moro is a Mexico City institution cranking out sweets 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The specialties here are the churros and hot chocolate, which are the perfect breakfast treats, if you ask me.

Day trip to Teotihuacan: Teotihuacan was a major pre-Aztec city, reaching its peak around 500 CE with an estimated population of 125,000-200,000 people, making it one of the largest cities in the world at the time. Today, you can visit the monumental pyramids, temples, and plazas, and an organized tour – like this one through Viator – is the best way to go (getting there on public transportation is challenging).

Drinks at Bar Las Brujas: A female-led cocktail bar that takes its name from the building it’s in, the Casa de las Brujas, or House of the Witches! Their cocktail list is constantly changing and drinks are prepared with a variety of ingredients that are made in the bar’s lab. Something I loved: drinks honor female Latin American writers and activists (like the Vesper Dolores, named after Mexican Revolution-era teacher, journalist and poet Dolores Jiménez y Muro).

Dinner at Taquería Orinoco: THE BEST tacos in Mexico City. There will most definitely be a lengthy wait, but it’s worth it. The tacos al pastor (marinated pork cooked on a spit) and the tacos de chicharrón (finely chopped crispy fried pork skin) are a must-try, and all orders are served with a variety of different salsas and sauces. While the wait for a seat wasn’t exactly short, I did appreciate the quick service once we got in.