My foodie inspired guide to Mexico City!

(This blog post was written in May 2018 from our April 2018 travels to Mexico City and edited in 2021-lots of things have changed starting with that first sentence ;) husband*)

**DISCLAIMER** MOST OF MY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOOD RELATED

#SORRYNOTSORRY (I live in San Diego aka Mexican food capital in the US so going to Mexico City was a culinary utopia for us. #drool)

My boyfriend's brother recently got sent to Mexico City on a photography assignment (peep his rad aerial photography) and asked me for recommendations since J and I went earlier this year. I posted a fulllllllll Insta story detailing our trip and must-do's (check out the Insta highlights on my page) but I figured such a memorable trip deserved it's own blog post.

First of all, before I get down to my list, I want to address some questions we got about our trip when we got back.

1. Did you feel safe?:

Absolutely! We felt safe 100% of the time. The only place we felt somewhat uncomfortable was the area outside of La Ciudadela (Artisan Market). The immediate area outside the artisan market was fine but a couple of blocks outside of it was where we felt the least comfortable the entire time.

2. Where did you stay and again, did you feel safe where you stayed?

We stayed in Roma and we loved it! It's an upscale, artsy, European inspired colonia. We had great food options nearby and it was a really adorable part of town. Another area we would stay next time would be Condesa which is around the corner from Roma.

3. How did you get around?

Uber! Best. Option. Ever. Accessibility and affordability all in one. We paid an average of $2 for every Uber we took and the most expensive one was about $8 for a 45 min trip.

Avenida Amsterdam in Condesa, one of our favorite neighborhoods in CDMX

My CDMX must-do list:

1. Eat at Casa de Toño:

Two words: Best pozole. They also have delicious rolled tacos but what really impressed us was the pozole. Perfect spice and flavor. They even bring you more broth if you still have the heart of the soup left. I definitely recommend ordering pozole and rolled tacos. I'm drooling thinking about it. There are several locations, we went to the Zona de Rosa location and afterwards walked to the nightlife area and Zona de Rosa and enjoyed some refreshing Mexican beers at a rooftop bar.

2. Visit Coyoacan:

Coyoacan is a colonial style neighborhood outside of downtown Mexico City. This was the longest/furthest Uber ride we took (mainly because of the crazy traffic in CDMX) and it was only $8. Unbelievable. Coyoacan is filled with cobblestone streets, colonial style houses and culture. Also, let's not forget, Frida freaking Kahlo was from Coyoacan. You must, must, must, must, MUST visit the Frida Kahlo house if you go to Mexico City/Coyoacan. The line was fairly long when we got there so here is a tip. Buy the tickets online, on your phone even if it's when you arrive. We bought them right then and there and skipped the line as we were let in with the next group (10 minute wait). Also another must while in Coyoacan? The Coyoacan Mercado of course. You will get a true sense of Mexican culture while visiting Coyoacan but especially visiting the mercado. We had some tasty quesadillas at a mercado vendor and were not disappointed one bit. We then explored the cobblestoned streets and ended up in the city center which was almost like a time machine. There were musicians on the street, children playing in the park with their abuelos and students walking to the local university in the evening. Do yourself a favor and make Coyoacan a part of your CDMX itinerary.

Mushroom and cheese quesadillas at Mercado de Coyoacan

Soaking in all the beauty at Museo de Frida Kahlo

3. Go to Mercado Roma:

One of the many unique mercados in Mexico City. This one definitely has a more modern/hipster vibe but there is several cool bars and unique food vendors. The best part is, they have the best churro company inside the mercado (to be completely disclosed in the next must do). You could spend a whole evening exploring all the different curiosities inside Mercado Roma.

4. Have your life (ok tastebuds) changed by eating churros from El Moro:

Like I said, I'm from Souther California and we have access to some of the best Mexican food within the US and south of the border (Baja California). Never in my 27 years of life have I had a better churro experience. We visited El Moro (several locations) every day we were in CDMX and sometimes more than once a day. The dipping sauces are heavenly and if you're a coffee drinker, they have an expansive coffee menu! I literally daydream about the churros at El Moro on the regular.

In case you were wondering what heaven looks like, feast your eyes on this.

5. Go to Comedor Lucerna:

We found this place by accident while we were trying to find a beer garden that was recommended online but had apparently shut down. A local told us to check this place out and we abided because let's be honest, locals usually know where the good stuff is. As we approached Comedor Lucerna, we were a bit hesitant to go in because from across the street/corner, you can't really tell what it is. The hesitation quickly disappeared when I noticed the Frida Kahlo mural on the side of the building. SOLD. Comedor Lucerna is basically a giant food hall/beer garden with lively music, bright colors and communal seating. We had a blast here and the mezcal drinks were delectable.

6. Visit Chapultepec Park/ Castillo Chapultepec:

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I'll let these pictures tell you why you should go to Chapultepec Park. Oh, and parts of Romeo + Juliet was filmed at Castillo Chapultepec (Capulet Mansion) which means Leonardo DiCaprio roamed these corners. Swoon.