Perfect Scenes and Sleeper Hits in Mexico City
Sir, the man in 23A is eating a guava roll
Today’s post is a longer one, with quite a few (really nice) images. For the best viewing experience, I highly recommend scrolling through on Substack’s browser or app.
Perfect Scenes
When I touched down in Mexico City last week, I felt a pressure start to build — a pressure to maximize my trip. With a few prior visits in the rearview, I could easily play the hits and fill my four days with repeats of my favorite spots. Factor in the ever-growing list of places I’m eager to check out — new openings, recs from friends, and lauded institutions outside the Roma bubble — and suddenly there’s way too much to do in too little time.
But as I got settled, I started to remember why I love this city so much — why I keep coming back. The food scene is wildly good, there’s no doubt. But it isn’t the restaurants, bars, cafés, or any specific place that keeps me raving about Mexico City.
It’s the to and from.
The trees arching over the streets, vines and leaves draping against the facades of pastel-painted buildings. The windows cracked open, ceramics perched on the sills, jacaranda branches nearly reaching inside. The unmistakable smell of tortillas frying, with no identifiable source in sight. The booming sound of banda music drifting from two streets over, gradually fading until it’s eclipsed by the chirp of birds or the roar of a motorbike with a fucked up exhaust.
The beauty of Mexico City is in the sensory experiences that greet you on every corner, and how it feels to be aimlessly strolling between them. The lush surroundings, the city’s embrace of nature and history, the contrast of vibrance and peacefulness — that’s what makes Mexico City pop.
Being reminded of the effortless beauty eased my desire to run around checking places off my list. That’s not to say there weren’t some great restaurant hits — a balance of new and tried-and-true. But just being in Mexico City is enough.
Here are a few shots that caught my eye — textures, angles, and shadows that, to me, feel distinctly Mexico City. The scenes that make this one of the greatest cities in the world.
Sleeper Hits
Mexico City isn’t immune to hype — or Tiktokification. As I hopped into a line on a shady Roma corner, a blue corn bean and cheese quesadilla was firmly on my mind.
In front of me, two girls in sundresses painstakingly reviewed footage from earlier at Panadería Rosetta, biting into a dulce de leche bun and nodding dramatically, “mmmmming” to express to their viewership the pastry was, indeed, “soooo good.”
Behind me, a couple expressed frustration that Jenni’s Quesadillas — the place we were standing in line for, and which operates as, mind you, a two-woman street cart — was a pesos-only operation. “They didn’t say that in the video,” she angrily exclaimed. They panicked to find an ATM before reaching the front of the queue. “You stay here, order me a chorizo and a pollo verde. I’ll get cash.”
“I wonder who blew Jenni up,” one of the girls wondered aloud.
I’m not going to pretend I’m better than a Panadería Rosetta hit (after all, I ate a guava roll at 30,000 feet on my flight home). I’ve engaged in spirited, tuna tostada and tamarind margarita-filled lunches at Contramar on each of my visits to CDMX. And dammit, I stood in line for Jenni’s blistered, cheesy quesadillas — and I’d do it again. The hits are hits for a reason.
But those aren’t the spots you need to hear about. At least not from me.
As a hip, major metropolis with a prolific dining scene, there’s plenty of coverage across blogs far and wide. All this to say: not much slips through the cracks in Mexico City.
As a visitor, I’m not looking to break new ground or make profound discoveries. I want to enjoy the well-known hits — especially the ones that feel uniquely Mexico City. And I also want to check out the lesser-known, new-but-buzzing spots off the main drag — the ones existing outside the hype and pandemonium. The latter felt particularly enjoyable this time around.
Here are three places you won’t see on Eater’s 38, or hear the gaggle of 60-something-year-old ladies gossiping about outside Pujol.
Comal Oculto San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico City
I came across Comal Oculto on a Thursday and was back again on Saturday. This special little place is tucked away in San Miguel de Chapultepec — not a neighborhood you’d likely stumble into, but one whose galleries, architecture, and easygoingness are worth going out of your way to explore. The breezy, shady, tree-lined streets set a serene backdrop for the communal dining experience: 12 seats at a single outdoor table, decorated simply with bowls of salsa at varying spice levels.
The menu isn’t groundbreaking — chilaquiles, quesadillas, gorditas, and enchiladas — and is made up of classics you’ve likely had before. But Comal Oculto is laying down the absolute best versions of the familiar. Every dish coming out of the tiny kitchen is on another level. High quality, deeply flavorful, and executed to perfection.
Chilaquiles lathered half rojo, half verde are topped with a runny egg and pickled onions. The gordita is epic — a freshly grilled masa pocket stuffed with crisp, tender chicharrón. Doctor it up with a spoonful of smoky, unapologetically spicy habanero salsa macha, and it’ll elevate you to a higher state of being. Every dish smothered in sauce was a winner — enchiladas, flautas, and most notably the enmoladas. The agua fresca del dia — a guava delight on my first visit, a coconut-mango sipper on the second — mellows the spice, and truly refreshes.
I loved it here. The warmth of the small but mighty staff. The conversations and connections made across the communal table. And most of all, the flavorful, craveable dishes.
post Roma Norte, Mexico City
Good news: My 2024 Café of the Year is still humming — and still wildly under the radar.
The café scene in Mexico City is booming. There seems to be a shop with a clean aesthetic touting cinnamon-dusted lattes and hand brews on every corner. But many are all flash, no substance.
Not post. Quiet, humble, perfect. The micro-roaster is doing something truly special toward the southeast edge of Roma Norte. It’s a simple, minimal café with a straightforward offering: light roast espresso, optionally con agua or con leche. Simple, in the context of coffee, means the product needs to be excellent — there’s no flavors or sugar to hide behind. Meticulous about every step in the process — from sourcing to roasting to brewing — post’s product is truly excellent.
Los Tacos de Homero Roma Roma Norte, Mexico City
Cochinita pibil is my favorite street meat. By a landslide, honestly. And that comes from a big-time lover of al pastor.
The citrus-marinated, slow-roasted pork is so impossibly tender that it hits flavor and textural notes that can’t be replicated. After a blurry Carta Blanca-filled night, my friends and I stumbled across Los Tacos de Homero and were jolted back to life by some of the best tacos we’d ever had. Pork juices streamed onto the handmade ceramic plates. The brine of pickled red onion cut through the fatty, richness. We had two each, but walked away wishing we’d went even harder.
A year later, I returned — in a much clearer state of mind — and can confirm: the cochinita pibil still delivers everything you could ever hope and dream for in a taco.
Flood’s Worldwide — Mexico City Adds & Updates
I updated the Mexico City section of Flood’s Worldwide — featuring new hits and a few changes to the star ratings. If you’re planning a trip, this list has everything you need to travel and dine well. Changes are included below, along with a link to the full Mexico City list and Flood’s Worldwide Google Map.
Flood’s Worldwide is the opposite of my longer-form writing. It’s a tight, concise list of hits for those who just want to know where to go (and, just as importantly, where to skip). Organized in a 2-star system, the major hits are the destination-worthy places to prioritize on your journey. But even the places with one or no stars, I still consider big winners.
If you have questions about Flood’s Worldwide, or any of the spots within it, send me a message here or on Instagram.