An Unforgettable Saturday in Mexico City
Intro
If you’ve been to Mexico City (also coined CDMX) before, I don’t need to tell you how transformative it is. As an American, its an absolute shame how long it took me to come here. I spent years flying all around the world, as far as the Middle East, India, and Japan before I finally made the 4.5-hour journey to the Mexican capital from DC. And now that I’ve been, I can confidently say it’s high and low my favorite food city in North America, if not the world.
There are endless things to do. You can certainly take a deep dive into the historic and deeply rich art and culture scene. The Frida Kahlo Museum and Chapultepec Castle are definitely highlights in that domain. But you know us by now. In a city with the overwhelming quantity of quality culinary must-hits that only rivals Tokyo in my book, it’s a borderline crime not to center your trip around satisfying your inner foodie. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you.
CDMX is such a staggering food city that it can make your brain hurt just looking at a single day’s itinerary. We’re here to make the decisions easier for you, starting with the perfect Saturday. Below you’ll find a step-by-step guide to making the most out of a precious weekend day, with plenty of mouthwatering bites to go around.
Morning – Authentic Breakfast, Local Markets
This trip, you’re staying in the heart of Condesa, one of the city’s most picturesque and charming neighborhoods, at Hotel San Fernando. The Hotel, which perfectly matches the Art Deco inspired charm of Condesa, serves as the perfect home base. The welcoming staff compliment the cozy charm that this boutique property emits. They recently were awarded a Michelin Key, which only emphasizes the quality of service you’ll get here.
Calm, but at the same time alive, Condesa is littered with beautiful park spaces and curbside coffee shops. This neighborhood emits the chill vibes that you expect to find in Latin America, but with the obsessive food and cafe culture of Southern Europe. However…that’s not where you’ll be spending time this morning.
Time to hop in an Uber (preferred mode of automobile transportation) 20 minutes down to Benito Juarez to experience a local’s breakfast that’ll force you to rethink what you consider your favorite morning meal to be. That mouthwatering transformation will happen at La Fonda Margarita. Located across from a quiet park in another idyllic neighborhood, La Fonda is a rustic establishment serving a simple menu of traditional items.
You’ll most likely find a line outside for a table, but it moves quickly. If you’re extra hungry and cannot wait, take a stroll over to Jardin del Arte Tlacoquemecatl, where you may find a few street food vendors serving homemade blue corn tortillas, used as a vessel for tacos and quesadillas. Grab a light snack to hold yourself over for a bit. Consider this “pre-breakfast”.
When you snag your table at La Fonda, start off with a café de olla, a traditional clay pot coffee sweetened with a special Mexican sugar called piloncillo and boiled with spices like cinnamon and clove. If you’re a coffee fanatic, this may change your life.
For your food order, opt for their well-known favorites like chicharrónes in salsa verde and chilaquiles. But absolutely do not miss out on their house specialty frijoles, which can only be described as the best black bean dish I’ve ever had. The cherry on top can be found in the live music coming from the corner of the restaurant, which should only make your smile bigger when digging into your meal. Wrap up here by thanking the friendly staff and calling your ride to the Bazar Sabado, or Saturday Market.
The Bazar Sabado, located in Plaza San Jacinto, is a once-a-week market dotted with stalls selling handmade arts, goods, and of course, food items. You’ll find an “indoor” and “outdoor” portion to the market. Inside the market itself, there are strict rules for the type of goods that are sold, so you know you’re getting the real deal when you buy from the vendors here. Think everything from hand-painted pottery and art pieces to local Mexican chocolate small batch agave spirits. This is one of the most diverse concentrations of authentic goods sold in the whole city. There’s enough here both inside and out to spend 2 hours here.
Enough shopping, it’s time to find tacos. Luckily, some of the best tacos you’ll ever have can be found just a 10-minute drive from the Mercado Sabado at Los Milanesos. IYKYK about this place. A roadside stand behind tennis courts and an apartment complex, Milanesos delivers a life-changing taco experience. Choose from thin slices of beef, breaded and fried ham & cheese (wow), or the classic namesake chicken milaneso. Or you can go AWOL by mixing and matching. Each are served with 2 warm fresh corn tortillas that perfectly stand up to the hefty portion size of meat they pile on. Finally, top your taco at the plastic folding table of goodies next to the ordering station. Don’t miss this unforgettable, must try taco stand.
Mid-Day Cocktails & Bites
Time to make your way back into the heart of Condesa. Next stop on our Saturday culinary crawl is at Botanico for some banging pre-dinner cocktails. Botanico’s patio space defines al fresco dining in my book. A serene garden dotted with native plants and plenty of shady trees, you’ll think you’ve been transported to a cocktail bar in the jungle. No need to book ahead of time if you’re just here for drinks. Come early enough and the staff should be able to find you a spot without much of a wait. No matter where you settle, this is the perfect space to grab a carajillo or any of their rotating refreshing drinks to kick off the afternoon.
Optional pivot: The food at Botanico is not to be missed either. If you’re feeling it, make this your final food resting place instead of moving on after drinks. Up to you!
Now that you’ve got a little buzz going, it’s time for some grub. Take a leisurely 35 min stroll from Condesa to the Roma Norte hot spot Fugaz. Fugaz is the epitome of well executed food in a casual space. No reservations here but snagging a table here should be simple if you’re strategic about it. Pro tip: The earlier the better. Chef changes the menu constantly and features only the freshest local ingredients with an emphasis on fish and veggies, served up via a small plate style which allows you to try a little bit of everything. Pair it with a few more cocktails or glasses of wine and you’ll be more than satisfied. Keep an eye on their Instagram page for info about collabs they do with other chefs across town.
Evening Agave Spirit Adventure
I hope you’re jazzed up for what’s about to go down. Time for a transformative and immersive agave spirit tasting at Ahuehuete. This is one you’ll need to book a few weeks in advance. Ahuehuete cannot be found on a map, so don’t try. In fact, it’s so hush hush that, upon booking, you’ll be given the rough location of a meeting point roughly 100 meters from where the experience is held. Show up on time (preferably early) and wait to be approached by a stranger that in a few hours will be your best friend. Partners Jason Fritz and Natalia De La Rosa have teamed up to create one of the most beautiful collections of spirits I’ve ever witnessed.
You’ll be taken on a “spiritual” journey through the world of distilled agave. You’ll learn about the climate and conditions in Mexican states (some you’ve probably never heard of) that make each specific spirit unique. Your curators will then serve you more than you previously thought possible to drink in one sitting, even a little extra via some surprises along the way, so strap in. As the night progresses, you’ll begin to really believe that you can taste all the delicate notes that influence the nose of that 2024 lechugilla from Chihuahua. When the night is over, quietly stumble out of the space and call yourself an Uber back to Condesa.
Conclusion
Wow, what a day. From morning chilaquiles to an unforgettable evening journey through the world of small-batch agave spirits, you found yourself fully immersed in the diversity of Mexico City’s food and culture scene. I’d call that a success worth having a lazy Sunday for.
