The Journal · Guide

Mexico City, beyond the hotel

The city we think we know always has another table, shop or house we haven’t seen. A selection for seeing it again.

Foto: Contramar · contramar.com.mx
01 · Classic restaurant · Roma Norte
Contramar
Since 1998, Gabriela Cámara’s long seafood lunch has been a city institution. The pescado a la talla, half adobo and half green sauce, is still ordered for the table.
Tip · Book ahead, especially on Fridays, and start with the tuna tostadas.
Durango 200, Roma Norte
Official site
Foto: Quintonil · quintonil.com
02 · Chef’s restaurant · Polanco
Quintonil
Jorge Vallejo and Alejandra Flores hold two Michelin stars. The menu changes with the seasons, and every plate shows the kitchen’s precision.
Tip · Book well ahead, and mention it if you’re celebrating.
Av. Isaac Newton 55, Polanco
Official site
Foto: Expendio de Maíz · Guía Michelin
03 · Corn kitchen · Roma Norte
Expendio de Maíz
There’s no menu and no waiters: Jesús Salas Tornés cooks corn-based antojitos to order. It holds a Michelin star.
Tip · No reservations, cash only; tables are shared, so arrive early.
Av. Yucatán 84, Roma Norte
More information
Foto: Onora · onoracasa.com
04 · Design and craft · Polanco
Onora
Maggie Galton and María Hagerman work with artisan communities across Mexico, bringing their techniques into contemporary pieces for the home.
Tip · Ask about made-to-order pieces.
Lope de Vega 330, Polanco
Official site
Foto: Handshake Speakeasy · the50.com
05 · Bar · Juárez
Handshake Speakeasy
No. 1 on The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2024 and No. 2 in 2025: precisely made cocktails on two intimate levels.
Tip · Book on OpenTable; tables are held for ninety minutes. Smart casual dress.
Amberes 65, Juárez
More information
Foto: Rosetta · Guía Michelin
06 · Restaurant and bakery · Roma Norte
Rosetta y Panadería Rosetta
Elena Reygadas’s Michelin-starred restaurant in a Roma mansion; steps away, her bakery, where the guava roll is the pastry people line up for.
Tip · Go to the bakery early on a weekday; seating is scarce.
Colima 166 y Colima 179, Roma Norte
More information
Foto: Casa Luis Barragán · casaluisbarragan.org
07 · Architecture · Tacubaya
Casa Luis Barragán
The house and studio Barragán completed in 1948 and lived in until the end of his life is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The light on its walls explains his work better than any book.
Tip · Visits are by reservation on the official site, several days ahead; confirm the tour language.
General Francisco Ramírez 12-14
Official site