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We've compiled the best of the best in Juárez and Anzures with La Zona Rosa - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Bagels are not common in Mexico, but luckily Bagels Lepu single-handedly satisfies many a craving in the city. While it might just be the most expensive sandwich you'll find here, these homemade bagels are delicious, and the desserts and coffee are both delightful.
An immediate success since it opened on a quiet side street in Colonia Cuauhtémoc, tiny Rokai is perhaps the most authentic Japanese restaurant in a city where cream cheese, chipotle mayo, and bottled hot sauce adorn many a sushi roll. Japanese chefs Hiroshi Kawahito and Daisuke Maeda use immaculately fresh fish brought in daily from Mexico's various coasts, primarily Baja California and Oaxaca, and turn it into sushi and sashimi, as well as cooked dishes. There's also a ramen restaurant next door, bearing the same name and ownership.
This cherished Zona Rosa spot (open daily from 1 pm to 7 pm) has been in service for more than 100 years and its partially covered hacienda-style courtyard at the back, set off by an ivy-laden wall and fountain, is still a midday magnet for executives and tourists alike. A veritable army of waiters scurries back and forth serving tried-and-true Mexican favorites. Two slightly more luxe branches don't have the same historic charm, but the closest, Casa Bell (Praga 14, Zona Rosa), a courtyard restaurant ringed by dozens of caged chirping birds, is a must on a sunny afternoon.
Here you'll find everything you would expect from a petite bistro: an intimate environment open to the street, comforting food, good music that's not too loud, and excellent French wines. Start by ordering the house specialty, hailing from Lyon, France: fish quenelles with your choice of various sauces. A popular main dish is the carne bourguignonne, beef cooked in red wine and butter with bacon and mushrooms. If there's room for dessert, try the clafoutis, a French custard with cherries.
This exquisitely designed eatery feels like entering a mansion. A bit like a labyrinth, the service is quick and the menu extensive with breakfast through dinner options specializing in fresh ingredients. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options will appease travelers who have eaten one too many orders of chilaquiles.
Depending on when you visit, this hip hangout can serve as a cheerful breakfast nook for chia pudding and egg sandwiches, an afternoon coffee or teahouse with light salads and a delicious smoked-eggplant-harissa dip, or an evening lounge with craft cocktails and well-curated (though pricey) wines. Whatever the time of day, there's almost always a crowd that tends toward the fashionable, artsy side. The vibe is a bit self-important, but it's a reliably nice space with good food and drink options.
The former ambassador to China was so impressed by El Dragón's lacquered Beijing duck that he left behind a note of recommendation (now proudly displayed on one of the restaurant's walls) praising it as the most authentic in Mexico. The duck is roasted over a fruitwood fire and later brought to your table, where the waiter cuts it into thin, tender slices, though it's served with flour tortillas instead of the traditional Chinese steamed pancakes. Most of the cooks hail from Beijing, but they mix up their regional cuisines.
Established by wife-and-husband chefs Norma Listman (born in Mexico) and Saqib Keval (born in the U.S. to Indian farmers from East Africa), this intimate bistro presents an intriguing fusion menu of dishes that reflect the owners' diverse heritage with a special focus on exploring social justice through the medium of food. In the morning, you might try heirloom beans in a tamarind adobo sauce with a fried egg and puffy bhatura bread, while lunch favorites include the signature masala fried chicken with Indian and Mexican spices, cardamom sweet potato puree, and herb chutney. Reservations are recommended.
Strategically positioned a few blocks west of the U.S. embassy and close to the Japanese embassy, this spot is notable for its varied sushi and teppanyaki options. A fine Japanese chef and a cheerful mix of Japanese embassy workers and young Mexicans also make Mikado a real treat.
Indian and Pakistani cuisine are not easy to come by in Mexico City, much less of the high quality variety, but Tandoor is a welcome exception. The exquisitely decorated space, featuring items from India and Pakistan, is welcoming and intimate with plenty of space between tables. Mirrors line the ceilings, and the large windows on the first floor face out to a lovely residential street. Upstairs is romantic and even quieter.
