28 Best Restaurants in Condesa, Mexico City

This tremendously popular corner bistro, the brainchild of acclaimed Mexican-German chef Klaus Mayr, is a stylish candlelit space to mingle with friends and dine on well-prepared thin-crust pizzas and house-made pastas. The classic Caesar salad makes a perfect opener before tucking into plates of lasagna Bolognese, duck-and-corn-filled agnoloti, and the white pizza topped with bacon, caramelized onions, and honey. 

When it comes to authentic Mexican food, chef and food historian Ricardo Muñoz Zurita literally wrote the book with his Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana (Encyclopedia of Mexican Food). Here in his art-filled, elegant Condesa restaurant, you can sample some of his superb regional Mexican dishes, such as beef drizzled in a smoky Oaxacan mole that takes three days to make, Veracruz-style fish, or ancient Mayan dishes from the Yucatán. In addition, there is always a seasonal month-long menu highlighting cuisine from a different state of Mexico or some other theme related to the country's regional cuisine, with recipes by guest chefs as well as Muñoz. Azul has two additional locations in El Centro Histórico.

With tables neatly arranged in one of Condesa's most romantic gardens, this trendy spot showcases the creative international cuisine of chef Alejandra Navarro, formerly of world-famous Quintonil. The menu changes regularly and reflects seasonal ingredients, but typical fare includes flame-roasted beets with a chimichurri sauce, mussels steamed in a coconut-lemongrass broth, and organic smoked and roasted chicken au jus with new potatoes and a robust green sauce. 

There's often a slight wait for one of the marble tables in this chic, intimate wine bar on the border with Roma Norte—it has a loyal following among the city's trendier residents. Enjoy a glass of Muscadet or Grenache-Carignan—or perhaps an espresso and pan au chocolate in the morning—while savoring deftly prepared modern French tapas, like pork rilletes; Niçoise salad with tuna confit, egg, anchovies; and North African tagine with couscous and almonds.

There's often a pretty sizable crowd waiting for a seat at the long, narrow bar inside this hip ramen parlor, a fast-casual version of one of the city's most beloved Japanese restaurants, Diego & Kaito, in Del Valle. One of the only spots in town that serves food 24/7, Deigo has a fairly short but sweet menu of well-prepared dishes, with chashu (pork belly, egg, and wakame seaweed) and corn-butter-miso among the favorites. There's a second location in Zona Rosa. 

At this more casual and free-wheeling sibling to famed Rosetta restaurant and bakery, sit at one of the cozy café tables in the sun-filled, shabby-chic dining room and fill up on exceptional grilled, panfried, and oven-baked modern Mediterranean fare served on whimsical antique china. Highlights from the extensive menu include grilled rustic bread topped with tomato and anchovies, blistered-crust pizzas topped with eggplant and ricotta, and rabbit liver ravioli with a rabbit ragù. The bakery offers up different sweet and savory breads depending on the day of the week (the calamata olive bread on Thursday is notable).

The specialty of this trendy San Miguel de Chapultepec restaurant helmed by a veteran of famed eatery Pujol is food prepared with an open flame, such as grilled sirloin with an eggplant puree and roasted vegetables, but you'll also find a number of classic Mexican and Italian dishes, from shrimp aguachiles to house-made casarecce pasta with a hearty ragu sauce. Dining is inside one of the neighborhood's well-preserved 1930s homes, but there's also a pleasing sidewalk terrace bracketed by cacti and succulents.

Run by Santiago Muñoz, formerly of the famous regional Mexican restaurant Nico's, this casually stylish rooftop restaurant showcases the talented chef's devotion to traditional preparations and ingredients (including the centuries-old nixtamalization process of producing corn tortillas). Highlights from the creative menu include barbecue-duck tacos, huaraches (oval-shaped masa tortillas) topped with braised oxtail, and grilled striped bass with pasilla chiles and heirloom tomatoes. There’s always an interesting selection of pre-Hispanic-inspired desserts, too. Downstairs, an on-site shop sells salsas, handmade tortillas, and other delicious products, and a festive taco bar serves up big portions of sensational short-order snacks that you can embellish yourself with the bountiful array of salsa.

This simple, tiny taqueria is a favorite standby for tacos guisados, a completely addictive style with stewed and richly seasoned braised meats like higado (beef liver topped with avocado), chicken mole, and a tuna-sardine blend. Hola stands out from the pack for its variety of vegetarian and vegan options, including squash, Swiss chard, nopales, and quelites, a distinctive Mexican herb that's commonly used in soups and stews.

Part cute vintage store (with clothing, housewares, jewelry, and antique toys) and part café, this homey spot in Escandón is the sort of place you want to linger. The all-day breakfast menu features a number of hearty dishes, including the house dish: poached eggs over ham, bacon, and roast beef with hollandaise sauce; plus, there's a good selection of pastas, sandwiches, and other tasty fare available later in the day. It's also a nice stop for coffee and dessert.

Near several art spaces in San Miguel Chapultepec (and across the street from famed Kurimanzutto), this upbeat, stylish Italian restaurant has a lovely brick patio that fills with creative types after gallery openings. The roasted potatoes with truffle oil and Parmesan is a worthy starter, and there are some nice pasta and salad options, but the star is the pizza, including a distinctly Mexican-style pie topped with huitlacoche, Oaxacan cheese, corn, and jalapeños. You could check out the more traditional Diavola with Italian sausage, cured pepperoni, Calabrese salami, and a spicy tomato sauce. There are several other locations throughout the city.

In a gray house with red trim and awnings that are lit up at night brighter than a Christmas tree, this extremely popular restaurant near the border with Roma specializes in the distinct brand of Chinese food that's popular in the Baja city of Mexicali. Start with the chiles rellenos stuffed with ground seasoned pork, garlic, and ginger before moving on to flavorful main dishes, such as Szechuan-style dan dan noodles, beef chop suey, and shrimp chipotle.

A cheerful bakery-café near San Miguel Chapultepec's art galleries, Deli Lou serves crusty-baguette sandwiches with distinctive toppings (turkey with olives, goat cheese, Camembert, jamón serrano, and the like), plus freshly baked cakes, brownies, and cookies. There's also a small selection of jams, wines, artisanal juices and teas, and other gourmet goodies, plus a variety of espresso drinks.

A neighborhood favorite since 1962, this spacious taqueria with a striking black awning and red-and-white color scheme offers up hefty platters of delicious tacos and other classics. Try the costras crujientes, in which the meat is wrapped in fried cheese before being wrapped in a tortilla, or any of the alambres al carbón with bacon, onions, chile poblano, and any number of fillings.

Although there's a small indoor dining room, the big draw here is the expansive patio with a retractable glass roof, tall ivy-covered walls, and tables of varying sizes. It's a great place to relax or work on your laptop for a few hours, and there are enough tasty pressed-sandwich (try the Croque Madame), salad, and soup options to make a meal of it. Later in the day, the drinks of choice shift from espresso-related to beer, wine, and cocktails.

This cozy, well-established restaurant and wine bar is ideal for conversation and lingering over a light meal from the eclectic menu that shows Mexican, Spanish, and Italian influences. Try the wild mushrooms and goat cheese in pastry with brandy sauce, the steak tartare with curly french fries, and the cajeta crepes for dessert.

One of the newer and decidedly modern French restaurants that abound and, indeed, fit in perfectly amid Condesa's vaguely Parisian vibe, this dapper bistro is a charming option when you're seeking a slightly fancy but still unpretentious dinner out. You'll find all the classics here, well-prepared and artfully plated, including salade niçoise, filet mignon, duck leg confit, and beef bourguignonne.

Open from 8 in the morning until late every evening (it closes a little earlier on Sunday night), this unpretentiously stylish café with a covered sidewalk terrace fits the bill for a wide range of occasions. Early in the day, it's a favorite for well-crafted espresso drinks, shakshuka, and French toast, but as the day continues, patrons drop by for smoked-trout sandwiches, French onion soup, and to share a bottle of from the short but well-chosen wine list. Service can be on the leisurely—though still friendly—side, but for many who favor this spot, that's the point.

A modern, warmly lit neighborhood spot, Ostería 8 uses mostly organic, regional ingredients in its handmade pastas and thin-crust pizzas. The pie topped with jamón Serrano, mascarpone, and fresh arugula is a favorite, while tagliatelle pasta with guanciale, wild mushrooms, garlic, and white wine shine among the pastas. Save room for the warm chocolate pudding.

Dine at one of the sidewalk tables here when you're craving first-rate Argentinean-style steaks and other expertly prepared grills, such as grilled veal osso buco, pork shoulder with caramelized sweet potatoes, and sous vide confit of octopus with roasted potatoes and aioli. There's an excellent Argentina-focused wine list, and the desserts (including a cardamom-lemon crème brûlée) are impressive. The on-site shop sells yerba mate, chorizo, coffee, and prepared foods from Argentina.

The famous roasted duck with an apple-based stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a baked apple bathed in blueberry sauce has made Specia a wildly popular destination, but the refined Polish restaurant with 1920s-inspired Jazz Age artwork serves a number of other tasty dishes, too. Consider the lamb goulash, seasoned with paprika and tomato, or the slow-grilled rabbit loin with cabbage and beets. Service is attentive and the pace of a meal here is leisurely.

At this no-frills, old-fashioned take-out taqueria, shaved meat rotates enticingly on a spit before an open flame, practically daring you not to try a plate of the Árabe-style (wrapped in grilled pita bread) tacos al pastor, plus tortas, grilled meats, and a long menu of other short-order snacks. It's a great, cheap Condesa option when you're hungry and on the run.