“Lately, having a list of the best places in Mexico City has become like a national sport,” jokes Rafael Micha. He would know: as chief marketing officer and managing partner of Grupo Habita, which has set the pace for local hospitality since opening buzzy boutique properties like Habita Hotel and Condesa DF in the early aughts, he’s watched firsthand as the city has transformed into a global tourism hot spot in recent years.
Rather than sending visiting friends to the usual Michelin-starred suspects, Micha prefers a more low-key itinerary. “For me, it’s all about places that have a personality, that have a sense of place, where I can really feel at home,” he says. Even for first-timers, he adds, “the city can be very easy to navigate. The secret is to stick to one neighborhood for the day—and plan ahead.”
Juarez
“Juarez is a very up-and-coming neighborhood right now—it’s where the new Soho House is. Around the corner is Supplì, a restaurant with amazing Italian fare. It’s very small—probably 10 tables—and very cool. Try the supplìs, small breaded rice balls that are the namesake of the restaurant. Nearby, Héctor Esrawe, an architect and furniture designer, recently opened a second outpost of his perfumery, Xinú Perfumes Marsella. They have really unique scents you won’t find anywhere else, inspired by indigenous plants like Mexican tube-rose, torito orchid, and copal resin.”
Laid-back chic at Italian restaurant Supplì.
Courtesy of Supplì
A former car mechanics shop transformed into Xinú Perfumes Marsella.
URIEL SANTANAPolanco
“Polanco is home to many high-end restaurants, like Er Rre Un Bistró, a neighborhood French spot for locals in the know. Their potato with crème fraîche and caviar is to die for. Reservations are a must—book a table for a leisurely lunch, which in Mexico City will often start at 2 p.m. and end at 7 p.m. For seafood, go to Agua & Sal Cebichería, where chef Rodrigo Estrada brings the Yucatán Peninsula to Mexico City with informal ceviches and his own twist on esquites with shrimp. Polanco is also where you’ll find Museo Tamayo. The Mexican art scene is hotter than ever right now, and it’s also attracting big names like Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson and Petrit Halilaj from Kosovo, who recently had exhibitions here.”
Tacos at Agua & Sal Cebichería.
Courtesy of Agua & Sal Cebichería
Bar seating at Er Rre Un Bistró.
Courtesy of Er Rre Un Bistró
Museo Tamayo offers contemporary art in Chapultepec Park.
Courtesy of Museo TamayoDoctores & Roma Norte
“Street food is king in Mexico, and Tacos Los Alexis, owned by chef Alexis Ayala, is one of the best places to find it. It’s a favorite of Eva Longoria—she always comes here when she’s in town. Personally, I love Contramar. It’s a real scene, but it has great food and has been a staple for nearly 25 years. For contemporary art and home design, head to Ballista, which is owned by former Travesías editor Mario Ballesteros.”
Tacos Los Alexis puts a stylish spin on street food.
Courtesy of Tacos Los Alexis
The famous red and green grilled snapper at Contramar.
Courtesy of Contramar
Modern design reigns at Ballista.
Leandro Bulzzano/Courtesy of BallistaSan Miguel Chapultepec & Condesa
“Plan a day of architecture with tours of two Luis Barragán–designed spaces—Casa Estudio Luis Barragán and Casa Gilardi—near Chapultepec Park. Afterward, have drinks on the rooftop terrace at Condesa DF. In the spring, when everything is in full bloom, it’s covered in purple jacarandas. The hotel, which was designed by India Mahdavi, was one of Grupo Habita’s first properties and has been a staple of the city for almost 20 years.”
Casa Estudio Luis Barragán, built in 1948.
Courtesy of Archiref
A room at Condesa DF.
Juan Hernández/Courtesy of Grupo HabitaCentro
“Our newest hotel, Círculo Mexicano, is in the historic downtown, across from the cathedral. It’s where the photographer Manuel Álvarez Bravo lived—his masterpiece, The Reverie, hangs in the main entrance—and is really an homage to the circle of artists, writers, and poets who lived in Mexico City in the 1920s and ’30s. In Centro, you see 500 years of history piled on top of each other—Art Deco on top of Baroque on top of Pre-Hispanic. Take a walking tour of the area with a local guide who will point out what everything is. Be sure to go to Café de Tacuba to eat chiles en nogada while you are serenaded by mariachi. It’s the best, because it has that sense of place.”
The facade of Círculo Mexicano.
Sergio López/Courtesy of Grupo Habita
Café de Tacuba is a Centro mainstay.
COURTESY OF CAFÉ DE TACUBATHIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN VOLUME 15 OF FREDERIC MAGAZINE. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE!
