Condesa is a beautiful neighbourhood with hip eateries, art galleries, green spaces, Art Deco treasures, artisan boutiques, and a fashionable crowd. We found Condesa to have an easy going neighbourhood vibe - a contrast from its lively next door neighbour, Roma.
Soak up the chic neighbourhood atmosphere in our list of 17 fun things to do in Condesa, Mexico City.
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What to do in Condesa, Mexico City
1. Walk Amsterdam Ring aka "Art Deco Ring"
Walk along Avenida Amsterdam, a leafy pathway in the middle of a quiet street circling Parque Mexico. The shaded walkway gives a great viewpoint on both sides of Art Deco buildings built in the 20s/30s, sidewalk cafes and quirky boutiques. There are so many unique buildings to look at, that we now call it "Art Deco ring".
2. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast overlooking the park at Maque
Snag a table outside of Maque overlooking Parque Mexico and order a traditional filled pastry and coffee. Live music played on the street as we enjoyed our breakfast.
3. Shop emerging Mexican and Latin American designers
Top: Aurelia Concept Store | Bottom: Ocelote (left) and Columpio (right)
Condesa is home to many unique concept stores, artisan boutiques and showrooms. Don't miss our favourite boutiques in Condesa:
- Aurelia Concept Store - amazingly curated selection of handmade artisanal brands from Mexico. A must go!
- Cardon - shop unique clothing from emerging Mexican and Latin American designers. There is a women's and men's store beside each other.
- Columpio - right beside Cardon, this boutique sells stylish clothing in vibrant colours and unique prints.
- Ocelote - sells contemporary minimalist clothing.
- Tienda Cuchita vintage store - located at Amsterdam 275, browse their selection of vintage clothing and leather jackets.
- Casa Melibea - this coffee shop sells minimalist jewelry at great prices.
4. Eat satisfyingly crispy shrimp tacos at El Pescadito
Shrimp tacos at El Pescadito
El Pescadito is known to have the best shrimp tacos in the city. Crispy little morsels of deep fried shrimp go perfectly with the house made coleslaw and corn tortilla. Dress it up to your liking, with white onions, shallots, pico de gallo and sauces, and take your first bite to see why they are so famous. The treasured institution opened its first location in 1997!
5. Sip cocktails at one of the World's 50 Best Bars
Ranked #32 on the World's 50 Best Bars list, Baltra Bar is a favourite with both tourists and locals. Here, you'll find evolution-themed cocktails inspired by Darwin and the Galapagos Islands. The chic bar hosts "Martini Tuesdays", where regulars come to sip the perfect martini.
See our list of the best cocktail bars in Mexico City
6. Eat brunch outside at CIENA and people watch
CIENA
Ciena is a newer opening in Condesa with a chic neighbourhood feel. The Art Deco cafe and restaurant serves farm-to-table cuisine and attracts a fashionable crowd. Make a reservation for a sidewalk table, so you can people watch. We enjoyed their fresh and generously sized sandwiches.
7. Stay in a beautifully restored mansion
Top: Casa Dovela | Bottom: Casa Comtesse
Staying in a boutique hotel in a restored mansion is a great way to feel at home in the neighbourhood. Both of these hotels were a great stay:
Casa Dovela : best for location
Stay in a 1940s Californian-style house that has been beautifully restored and designed by Mexico based architect, Ludwig Godefroy, and the creators of Chic by Accident and Taller LU'UM. Casa Dovela beautifully blends traditional Mexican design with contemporary features in its three suites. Located on a quiet street in the heart of Condesa, the best of the neighbourhood is just a walk away. See rates.Casa Comtesse: best for price
The Neocolonial-Californian style mansion built in 1943 has been beautifully restored into a boutique hotel with 8 rooms. The hotel features a courtyard, breakfast room and a small bar where you can taste mezcal. Its location may not be as prime as Casa Dovela, but it's more affordable. See rates.8. Get messy with an extravagant torta from La Esquina del Chilaquil
Passed down through generations, this former tamale street vendor became famous once they started selling tecolotas (tortas de chilaquiles) based on their grandmother's recipe.
Get your hands on one of their tecolatas - a bread roll spread with beans, a scoop of chilaquiles, crumbled cotjia cheese, crema and your choice of flattened, breaded chicken milenasa, beef or pork. It's absolutely messy, so don't forget to grab some napkins!
This breakfast spot can have long lines. We walked past a couple times and the line varied significantly depending on the time and day of the week. Don't forget to bring cash - it's around 50 pesos (~$2.65 USD) for each torta, an outstanding value!
9. Dine at Hugo, one of Condesa's buzziest restaurants
After the success of Cafe Milou, sister restaurant Hugo opened, offering natural wines and small delectable sharing plates. The buzzing bistro & wine bar has a hip locals' vibe and is one of the most sought after spots to dine in Condesa at the moment - so make your reservation far in advance!
Must try: Boqueron toast and Crudo de Esmedregal
10. Buy your favourite piece of art from MOONI's wall collage
Browse MOONI's colourful art wall, where artworks by emerging artists are for sale. We bought a piece by Nicole Matta Santos.
See our list of the 17 best contemporary art galleries in Mexico City.
11. Taste authentic tacos at Taqueria Orinoco or El Califa
These famous taco joints are perfect for a midnight snack after going out to the bars:
Taqueria Orinoco
Try Taqueria Orinoco's three signature tacos (al pastor, chicharron, bistec) on a flour tortilla. The red-and-white restaurant chain is famous for its authentic northern-style tacos and you'll see locals and tourists wolfing down tacos until the wee hours of the morning.
El Califa
Try El Califa's satisfyingly simple and savoury steak tacos, made with high quality ingredients. We tried their sirloin and ribeye tacos, which came thinly sliced on a corn tortilla.
12. Treat yourself to a tranquil lunch at Botanico
Nestled within an art-deco mansion, Botanico greets you with towering cacti in its serene garden bistro. The restaurant offers an upscale and tranquil setting for a lavish lunch. If you want a break from Mexican cuisine, it's a great place to get international favourites.
😋 Must get: their mouthwatering braised beef sandwich with a perfectly caramelized buttery sourdough crust. It comes with a plate of pickled veggies that pair perfectly with your sandwich.
13. Order bespoke cocktails through a Rubik's cube at Bijou Drinkery Room
Bijou Drinkery Room is a hidden gem tucked away behind a restaurant in a gastronomy university. While having a bar inside a school is essentially not allowed, there's an exception here because it's a culinary school.
Upon arrival, you wait briefly before being escorted via elevator to the bar. The journey continues through the restaurant to a discreet door adorned with a jewel. Inside the door is the intimate speakeasy that feels like you've been invited to an exclusive party.
The standout feature of Bijou Drinkery Room is its bespoke cocktails tailored to your personal taste. To create your drink, you're handed a Rubik's cube and asked to choose from a variety of descriptors like creamy, vegetables, berries, bubbles, umami, picante, or dulce. Pick a weird combination and see what they come up with - our cocktail was fantastic!
14. Get a late-night bite from Tortas Al Fuego
We found out about this taqueria from a local we met at a music festival outside of Mexico City. I asked him, "If you could have one last meal in Mexico City, what would it be?", and he said Tortas Al Fuego.
The 24-hour spot offers different kinds of tortas (Mexican sandwiches) and al pastor tacos. We couldn't believe the price of 5 al pastor tacos for 60 pesos ($~3.65 USD), especially in the Condesa neighbourhood. The tacos were delicious and similar to what you get at the renowned taqueria, El Vilsito.
There is also a separate cart outside of the restaurant where they whip up your torta to your liking. It's a satisfying way to finish your night.
✔️ Top Tip: Next door to the taqueria is an OXXO, where you can easily pick up water or electrolytes to bring back to your hotel.
15. Enjoy brunch among a creative crowd at Malcriado
Malcriado is a popular neighbourhood spot that attracts a creative crowd for meetings and collaborations. The cafe's laptop-friendly atmosphere spills out onto the sidewalk with wood chairs and stainless steel tables. They played funky blues music when we were there, which was a nice touch.
Their menu features dishes with Mediterranean flavours and breakfast favourites like chilaquiles, shakshuka and avocado toast. My pesto chicken sandwich was very good. At night, they transition into a wine bar.
16. Decipher clues in an escape room to gain access to a speakeasy
Sod's speakeasy entrance takes it to the next level. Instead of the unmarked door you typically see at other speakeasies, they have an actual escape room you must solve to get inside. A host greets you at the front you leads you into the room where you decipher clues to get access to the Middle Eastern-themed bar.
The best part is that they switch up the escape room regularly, so it's a fresh challenge. You won't be able to find the answer online!
The cocktails are also top-notch, designed by expert mixologist, Claudia Cabrera.
17. Get your afternoon pick-me-up from Chiquitito Cafe
Swing by the charming coffee nook for a taste of fair trade artisanal coffee straight from Mexico. Treat yourself to one of their premium coffees, like their flat white or cold brew, and enjoy it at a sidewalk table or take it to go.
We hope you enjoyed these fun things to do in Condesa!
Bonus: Our top hotel picks in Mexico City
For location, we recommend staying in the Condesa or Roma neighbourhood. All three of these places offer a boutique feel with a unique design:
- Best in Roma: La Valise & Ignacia Guesthouse
- Best in Condesa: Casa Dovela & Casa Comtesse
Get started on booking your trip to Mexico City
- 🌃 Book your accommodation: Booking.com is our go-to for finding places to stay. Sort by top reviewed.
- 🌮 Browse tours with local guides: through GetYourGuide or Viator
- ✈️ Compare flights: with Skyscanner
- 📆. Track flight prices: with Hopper
Don't forget about travel insurance
👩⚕️ For affordable travel insurance: go with SafetyWing - it's budget-friendly and you can even buy it while abroad, but note the max medical coverage is $250,000 USD. 🏥 For comprehensive travel insurance: go with World Nomads - it's more expensive, but the max emergency medical coverage is $5-10 million, depending on the plan.Don't miss our other Mexico City guides:
- Ultimate 7 day Mexico City itinerary
- 5 Days in Mexico City for food, culture & architecture
- 4 Day Mexico City itinerary for food, art & culture
- How to spend 2 Days in Mexico City
- 9 Fun things to do in Polanco
- 17 Best things to do in Roma Norte
Check out our full list of 33 fun things to do in Mexico City
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