Colonia Roma Norte is considered one of Mexico City's coolest neighbourhoods, with its bohemian atmosphere and creative crowd. Walking along the pastel-coloured streets you will see Art Deco mansions turned boutique hotels, vintage stores, artisanal shops, quirky cafes and bars around every corner. With its thriving art scene and food culture, you can expect to discover exciting contemporary art and standout Mexican cuisine.
See where to shop, eat and socialize in our list of fun things to do in Roma Norte Mexico City. We cover what to do in Roma Norte, from unique spots to hangout to must-visit street food stalls and world-class restaurants.
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What to do in Roma Norte, Mexico City
1. Go on a taco crawl at big-name taquerias
Carinito Tacos
Try tacos at all three of these top-notch taquerias, each having their own unique style:
Taqueria Orinoco
This red-and-white taqueria chain is a favourite with locals and tourists, who like to chow down on their three signature tacos, chicharron, al pastor and bistec, which come on a small flour tortilla. Skip their smashed potatoes, and order another taco instead!
El Califa
Try El Califa's delightfully simple steak tacos made with high quality ingredients. We tried their sirloin and ribeye tacos, which came thinly sliced on a corn tortilla.
Carinito Tacos
For a nice twist on the taco, try Asian-inspired tacos at Carinito's. Their unique pork belly tacos come in four styles: Cantonese, Thai, Criollo and Issan. See what type is your favourite - ours was the Cantonese!
Or, leave your taco crawl in the hands of a local on a guided street food tour. Both Viator and GetYourGuide have highly rated food tours.2. Shop Roma's unique boutiques and weekend bazaars
Start your walk down leafy Colima Street and branch off on side streets to discover quirky boutiques and concept stores throughout the constantly evolving neighbourhood.
Check out Metate and Tana Karei for artisanal Mexican housewares, 180 degrees for clothing and jewelry from emerging local designers, and Revolver Vintage for cowboy boots, leather jackets and handbags from Mexican brands.
Our favourite store, Esculturas Vivas, sells funky vases and sculptures with carved faces that make it feel like you're bringing an amigo home.
On weekends, two bazaars happen on Colima Street, Bunker Bazaar and Casa Bazaar, where artisans and independent vendors gather to sell accessories, jewelry, beauty products and vintage clothing.
3. Have lunch in the chic courtyard of Blanco Colima
Blanco Colima
The sophisticated bistro in a historic mansion is the perfect setting for a refreshing lunch and mezcal cocktail. Arrive when they open at 1 PM, and ask to sit in the impressive light-filled courtyard.
🍽️ Must try: the mushroom tostada
4. See the latest exhibition at Gallery OMR and MAIA Contemporary
Pedro Friedeberg shown at MAIA gallery | Gallery OMR
Visit these two prominent contemporary galleries just a 3 minute walk away from each other. Gallery OMR and MAIA Contemporary exhibit contemporary works from emerging and established Mexican and Latin American artists.
See our list of 17 Mexico City art galleries you should visit.
5. Try Jenni's blue corn quesadillas
Stop by Jenni's Street Quesadillas on the corner of Colima and Merida for their quesadillas made with freshly pressed blue corn tortillas. Pick your toppings of choice (like shredded chicken, chorizo, beef, or zucchini flower), add stringy Oaxaca cheese, and watch them grill it on the plancha.
6. Dine at Meroma, one of the city's best restaurants (for those in the know)
Meroma
After hearing stellar reviews for Meroma, we had to check it out... and are we ever glad we did. Every dish was so good that we immediately made a reservation afterwards to try everything else on the menu.
Find your way to the back of Meroma's hip and sceney street level bar and take the stairs up to their intimate restaurant. The mid-century modern space offers creative farm-to-table dishes that will surprise your taste buds. Make your reservation far in advance.
🍽️ Must try: Merguez orecchiette and fish collar. Start your meal with a glass of their AUS Pét-Nat Rosé wine.
7. Sip cocktails at one of the world's best bars
Once you take a sip of Licoreria Limantour's cocktails, you'll see why it's ranked #7 on the prestigious World's 50 Best Bars List.
Their cocktails are unbelievably complex and the best we've had to this day. You can't go wrong with any of their signature concoctions featured at the front of their menu. We've tasted all of them.
Reserve your table in advance.
8. Stay in a historic mansion turned boutique hotel
La Luna suite at La Valise
Roma Norte is one of the best neighbourhoods to stay in in Mexico City for its proximity to happening spots and central access to other neighbourhoods in the city.
Stay in one of the neighbourhood's historic mansions, like La Valise, a three-suite boutique hotel that beautifully combines custom Mexican furnishings and art with luxurious amenities. The hotel feels private, although you're in the middle of all the action in Roma Norte. Browse more places to stay in Roma9. Eat fresh pastries at Panaderia Rosetta
This chic European-style bakery by acclaimed chef Elena Reygadas is very popular, so try to avoid peak times during breakfast and lunch. Their pastries are worth it - we recommend the cardamomo!
10. Drink cocktails at one of Roma's coolest bars
Clockwise from top left: Bar Las Brujas, Maison Artemesia, Cafe Tacobar, Cafe De Nadie
Roma Norte has a happening cocktail scene that goes beyond renowned Licoreria Limantour. These 7 cocktail bars stand out for their unique atmosphere and creative cocktails made by expert mixologists:
Best for music: Cafe De Nadie
Located on a quiet street, this happening cocktail bar has a fun neighbourhood vibe, thanks to its sociable crowd of locals and tourists, and groovy tunes playing from a collection of over 1500 vinyl records.Best for the concept: Bar Las Brujas
Located in the historic Casa de las Brujas building, which translates to "House of Witches", Bar Las Brujas plays on this concept with its witchcraft/shamanism themes and unconventional herbal ingredients. They also name their concoctions after notable Latin American women activists.Best for personality: Cafe Tacobar
Get shipwrecked with eccentric bartender Chris, at this quirky ship-themed spot off the tourist trail. Chris makes the experience fun with a few surprises.Best for an intimate atmosphere: Maison Artemesia
Sip absinthe cocktails up the stairs at this dimly-lit moody space that feels like a seductive apartment bar in Berlin or Beijing.Best for a mysterious setting: Sombra Speakeasy
Synth-wave music, crimson lighting and an edgy crowd give Sombra Speakeasy an alluring atmosphere. It feels like you're drinking in the depths of a volcano.Best for cocktails made with agave spirits: Tlecan
Stepping into Tlecan feels like entering a pre-Hispanic temple, where dim lighting, natural materials, ochre hues and Mexican folk music set the tone. This mezcaleria stands out as the prime spot for mezcal-based cocktails and lesser-known agave spirits.Best for an elegant vintage feel: Bar 686
Hidden away behind a discreet door beside buzzy restaurant, Em, lies Bar 686. The dimly lit space has a chic, vintage ambience, with textured walls and soft backlighting that elegantly spotlights the cocktails.See our list of the 14 best cocktail bars in Mexico City
11. Find authentic Latin American music at a record store
We were excited to bring back some traditional Mexican/Latin American records for when we host our taco nights. Our favourite we found was a Latin-funk album by Los Moonlights, a famous Tijuanaese group from the 70s. Roma has many record shops to check out - our two favourites were Revancha D.F and Georgetown Records.
12. Have a lunch date at Maximo
Maximo Bistrot
This French-Mexican bistro is one of the hottest spots in Mexico City to dine and is best visited during the daytime when sunlight fills the charming space. Their farm-to-table dishes made from fresh, high-quality ingredients are a real treat. It's the kind of place where you eat every morsel of sauce on your plate.
Maximo was the perfect spot to dine for Valentine's Day. Ranked #28 on the 2022 Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants list, make your reservation online in advance.
13. Browse exquisite antiques at Chic by Accident
Browse this gallery of exquisite antique and contemporary pieces for the home. Even if you don't plan to buy, it's fun to look.
14. Try the tuna tostada at Contramar
Contramar may be in every single Mexico City guide, but once you taste their tuna tostada you'll see it's not just all hype. As one of the best seafood restaurants in the city, make your reservation a month in advance, or show up around 5 PM to try to snag a table.
15. Switch up Mexican cuisine with Neapolitan-style pizza at Pizza Felix
Pizza Felix is known to have the most authentic Italian pizza in the city. Open late until 12 AM on weekdays and 2 AM on weekends, it's great for a late-night bite. The edgy industrial interior with a living wall gives the space a hip appeal for late night drinks as well.
16. Hang out with friends at Paramo
Paramo is our go-to spot for socializing with friends. The upstairs cantina has a fun party-like atmosphere that doesn't feel touristy, and the music is the right volume. We weren't surprised when we heard it was one of Rita Ora's favourite secret spots in the city.
17. Eat a seafood tower at Mi Compa Chava
At Mi Compa Chava, traditional music echoes through the beachy warehouse space as plates of fresh seafood hit every table.
After starting your seafood journey with an amuse-bouche shrimp taco, share their famous seafood tower, which comes with raw and cooked shrimp, scallops, yellowfin tuna, cucumber, avocado, onion and morita chilli sauce.
Each table also presents a selection 5 hot sauces to use to your liking.
18. Go dancing at Departamento
Dance with friendly locals to the latest Mexican-inspired house music at this two-story venue with a nightclub and rooftop lounge.
19. Eat late-night cheeseburgers at Hamburguesas a la Parrilla
Want a break from late-night tacos? Hamburguesas a la Parrilla is an excellent choice. The food stall on the corner of Colima and Morelia serves up juicy cheeseburgers at an excellent price. It's now our go-to spot for a late-night bite.
We hope you enjoyed these fun things to do in Roma Norte!
Bonus: Our top hotel picks in Mexico City
For location, we recommend staying in the Condesa or Roma neighbourhood. All four 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 Day Mexico City itinerary
- 4 Days in Mexico City for food, art & culture
- 2 day Mexico City itinerary
- 9 Unique things to do in Polanco
- 11 Fun things to do in Condesa
Check out our full list of 33 cool things to do in Mexico City
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