For the second installment of BBN’s “24 hours in” series of blog posts, we’re heading to the wondrous Mexico City, where Paz Terluk, CEO & Country Manager, Mexico, MarketLogic, lives. Discover where the best tacos are, some of Mexico’s great artists, and what the heck, some more taco recommendations. And remember, there are more posts in the series.
It was back in 2008 that I moved to Mexico City from Buenos Aires, my hometown. I never planned to stay so long—my first job here was working for the Argentine embassy, and I thought I’d be working all over the world. But Mexico City captured my heart, and here I am 15+ years on. It’s such a vibrant, high-octane metropolis—incredible street food on every corner, glorious museums, life-changing tacos, and, of course, the wild and wonderful world of Mexican wrestling. Picking highlights is hard, but here are a few of mine.
Breakfast: Mexicans take breakfast very seriously, and, from spicy huevos rancheros to chorizo tacos, the options are anything but boring. I love the green chilaquiles at Lalo!, a relaxed café in the Roma neighborhood. There’s also great coffee, pastries, and people-watching on offer at Café Nin and Qūentin Cafe.
Midday: A must-see is the home of Frida Kahlo, the art-filled house museum in the Colonia del Carmen area of the Coyoacán borough. If you have time while you’re there, take the opportunity to explore Kahlo’s old neighborhood and pick up some delicious delicacies and souvenirs at the iconic Coyoacán Market, where Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera used to shop.
Other go-to places for creative inspiration are the vast, futuristic-looking Jose Vasconcelos Library and Lago Algo, a lakeside cultural hub and art space in the city’s Chapultepec Park, which also boasts an amazing restaurant.
If you’re exploring the city, a strategic option for lunch is Chapulín, as it’s right smack in the center. The restaurant’s striking architectural design emphasizes nature in the great outdoors. Most importantly, the food is incredible. Our favorite dish is the zucchini flowers stuffed with requesón, covered with sweet sauce—the flavor will blow your mind.
Late afternoon: Mexico is the epicenter of the taco universe, so don’t let the day go by without sampling one. The city is crammed with taquerías serving every type of taco you could ever dream of. Top spots include Taqueria El Compita in Roma Sur, Tacos Orinoco in Condesa, and Tacos de Armando in Colonia Cuauhtémoc.
If you’re feeling thirsty, Rayo, a cocktail bar in Condesa, offers a tasting menu where you can try 15 different designer cocktails. After doing the hard work for you and trying all 15, we can report they’re fabulous. Still, our favorite has to be number 7, a citrus-y, botanical drink with Jack Daniels and bacanora, an agave-based spirit from Sonora state.
Dinner: To seriously impress a client, dine at Pujol, Biko, or Quintonil, all of which have featured in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and are located in the city’s chicest area, Polanco. Or take in the incredible views of the city at the Cityzen bar in the Sofitel. We also love Blanco Colima, a one-of-a-kind restaurant in the Roma region, with Porfirian architecture and several private rooms perfect for business dinners. It also has an excellent tasting menu. You’ve got to try the salt fish with tomato sauce and artichokes, and the duck confit ravioli.
Round off your evening with a performance of the Mexico City Folkloric Ballet at the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
As a nightcap, if you tire of all the tequila on offer, try pulque, an ancient Mexican elixir made from the fermented sap of an agave plant, dubbed by the Aztecs the “drink of the gods”.
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