La Roma - Condesa Neighborhood, Mexico City

Prior to our plane touching down in Mexico City, Antonio and I decided that we would use this trip as a time to not only celebrate his upcoming birthday, but as a recharge for the both of us. A change of scenery, walkable streets, quaint coffee shops, and eateries, envious architecture, and well, the food. I mean, come on! Of course we were always going to include our social media following in on our adventures, but originally I didn’t think I would be writing all about it in detail.

When a city leaves you feeling refreshed, and inspired, how can you help yourself? We have also been receiving inquires on what some of our favorite spots are, where we stayed, and the like. A couple of years ago, we ventured to Mexico City with our littles in tow, and if you are looking for some more family focused suggestions, you can find them here. Oh, and a shameless plug for you, over at Club Tengo Hambre we offer excursions for those looking to see the definitive food and drink scene in Mexico City. If you travel with a sole purpose to eat and drink, we are your match.

Here is just a glimpse into our whirlwind of a weekender in Mexico City.

Day 1: Friday

Afternoon

We checked into Casa Decu located in the gorgeous Condesa neighborhood. With a touch of the bell, the black iron doors filled with frosted glass windows open up, and you are welcomed into their lobby/front desk area. The air smells of sweet florals, and there is complimentary water, coffee, tea, and fruit upon arrival. Before heading up the stunning spiral staircase to our room, we took a peek at the little courtyard on the ground floor, decked out in beautiful tiles, which remains thematic throughout the whole hotel. You guys, the fifth floor is where you will find their expansive rooftop. Dreamy is an understatement. A continental breakfast is included with the stay, but they also feature a few items throughout the day that you can order to be charged to your room.

Our room greeted us with wide open arms, crisp white linens, clean lines, and warm wood accents. We set down our luggage, and headed out to the quintessential first food stop.

We had dinner reservations with friends at Fonda Fina on the horizon, but a stop for al pastor tacos at El Tizoncito were a must. Tacos first, always.

Evening

Dinner at Fonda Fina was delightful. A table filled with an array of dishes, from squash blossom salad, to bone marrow. To end out the drizzly night, we tucked into by far one of my new favorite bars ever, Loup Bar. The dimly lit, and unpretentious bar houses an amazing list of natural wines, and small bites. Still plenty full from dinner, we decided on sharing a couple bottles of wine, and taking in the local scene. I still talk about those wines, almost every day, and I am constantly on a mission to meet the Gamay one that was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Day 2: Saturday

Saturday Morning

Pasillo de Humo was our breakfast spot of choice. Refreshing green juice, a piping hot chocolate con agua, and your choice of sweet bread, Antonio opted for pan de yema, which were the first to hit the table. The dishes were rich, and filled with the unique flavors of true homestyle Oaxacan cuisine.

I think one of the best parts of staying in the Condesa neighborhood, is just being able to stroll about checking out the shops and nearby parks. We walked through the lush greenery lined walkways, to the Churreria El Moro Condesa location. It’s an obligatory stop for us when in the city. The blue and white tiled interiors are iconic, and the crisp on the outside, but tenderly chewy cinnamon and sugar dusted churros beg to be enjoyed.

Churreria El Moro (Condesa), Mexico City

Afternoon

Strolling through the Museo Nacional de Antropología was intriguing, and a wonderful way to see so much history in one place. This city is chock full of incredible sights, and we were so happy to see this museum during this visit. We grabbed a quick bite and a glass of wine at the gorgeous Lardo. That restaurant and both its interiors, and exteriors are beautiful. Plant goals for sure! We will most definitely plan a full sit down meal there on our next visit to the city.

Saturday Evening

Antonio’s birthday dinner celebration at Enrique Olvera’s Pujol was truly unforgettable. We sat down at our intimate table for two, with the soft lighting behind the bar creating the backdrop. A glass of bubbly made it to our hands, while we decided on our choices for the courses ahead. I kid you not, watching the symphony of waiters flow in and out of the kitchen was quite intoxicating. I’m not going to get too far into detail on every dish we ate, or you will be reading this until tomorrow, but just know that this meal will forever be engraved into our memories. The baby corn snack with chicatana-coffee mayonnaise and mole madre were classic stand outs. Oh, and if you get the chance do yourself a favor and order the roasted cauliflower. I know you are probably thinking, why such praise on a vegetable. Believe you me, the salsa macha and a dusting of chicken chicharrón made this one of my all time favorite bites to date. Antonio also praised the duck dish, and the surprise churro before dessert was more than divine.

Day 3: Sunday

Morning

We headed up to the beautiful rooftop at Casa Decu, and had a taste of fresh fruit, and yogurt bowls that are offered in their continental breakfast. We scheduled a late flight out of Mexico City, back to Tijuana, so we were able to fit in some more exploring and another delicious lunch with friends. We spent the majority of our morning with coffee, and freshly squeezed juices in hand, just leisurely roaming the Condesa and Roma Norte neighborhoods, really taking the time to breathe it all in.

After check out we ventured to the Polanco neighborhood to Comedor Jacinta for our last meal in Mexico City. The streets were lined with families and their littles, racing sailboats in the water and asking for the most colorful of balloons. I know that our own two smalls, would be ecstatic about this area. With the wide variety of cafes, eateries, and shops, you could easily spend your whole day here. It’s so great when you are already planning a trip in your head back to a destination, that you haven’t even left yet.

We grabbed a table outside at Comedor Jacinta by chef Edgar Nuñez, and as always the table began to fill up with glorious plates of food. I ordered a dish that I had never seen on a menu before, ceviche de palmitos. I have been a fan of hearts of palm ever since I was a little girl, and absolutely love them in salads. Here, they prepared them like a ceviche, which is very reminiscent of the veggie version of scallops. Citrus laced, providing the perfect tang, and a light creamy sauce really bought these little gems to life. I have tried to recreate it since being back home, and I’m still on the way to perfecting it. Antonio raved about the bone marrow topped escamoles (ant larvae sopes), and the bistecs were a crowd favorite.

Although just a quick weekender away, Mexico City was more than good to us. We sit back and talk about the amazing bites, and sips that were had, and the incomparable architecture that was seen. This is a destination that you truly need to experience for yourself, whether it be a quick getaway, or a meticulously planned out week with the family.

Mexico City Weekender Travel Ideas

Day 1: Friday

Afternoon

Evening

Day 2: Saturday

Saturday Morning

Afternoon

Saturday Evening

Day 3: Sunday

Morning