Roma & Condesa

The twin neighborhoods of Roma and Condesa are the epicenter of modern Mexico City — a mix of Brooklyn, Kreuzberg, and the Marais. Here beats the culinary and creative heart of the city.

Roma Norte

Porfirian villas (from the Díaz era, around 1900) with Art Nouveau facades, converted into boutique hotels, galleries, and restaurants. Avenida Álvaro Obregón is the green main artery with cafés under jacaranda trees (blooming violet in March!). Some of Mexico's best restaurants are located here: Contramar (fish), Máximo Bistrot (farm-to-table), Rosetta (Mexican-Italian).

Condesa

Art Deco architecture from the 1920s-30s, arranged circularly around Parque México. The park is Condesa's living room: joggers, dog walkers, open-air yoga, street musicians. Surrounding it: cafés, brunch spots, bookstores, vinyl shops. In the evening, the liveliest bar scene in the city.

Street Food in Roma/Condesa

• Tacos al Pastor at the taco stand "El Vilsito" (at night) — a car workshop by day, the most famous taco stand in the city by night
• Tamales in the morning from bicycle vendors (10–20 MXN)
• Esquites (corn kernels in a cup with chili, lime, mayonnaise) on the street corner