A complete guide to Condesa, Mexico City

With a bohemian spirit, art deco buildings and quiet tree-lined avenues, Condesa is one of Mexico City’s most charming and cosmopolitan enclaves. It is also packed with gorgeous restaurants, bars, bookshops, boutique hotels and leafy parks. Stretching between Chapultepec Avenue and Veracruz Street, the historic neighborhood is so-called after Miravalle Countess (condesa translates from Spanish to countess), whose land also included nearby Roma Norte, also noted for its creative spirit.

The area’s main thoroughfare is Amsterdam Avenue, an elliptical-shaped, former horse track now lined with shops, bars and local businesses. Compared to Roma Norte, Condesa feels more relaxed. Begin by exploring Parque México, Condesa’s central park, followed by coffee at Quentin Café and a rummage through the area’s vintage shops. Have a casual lunch at Botanico, peruse the local galleries and finish the day with a glass of natural wine at Niv bar.

The best hotels in Condesa

Condesa DF Hotel

Best for: one of the best boutique hotels in Mexico City, rooftop bar
Location: Avenida Veracruz 102, Condesa
Price: From 420 USD for a standard double room

Listed as one of the best hotels in Mexico City, Condesa DF Hotel is located across the street from Parque México. The luxury hotel occupies a 1928 French neoclassical building, while modern interiors by India Mahdavi bring it firmly into the present day. Rooms overlook Condesa’s art deco streets, while the top floor suite includes a terrace, living room and outdoor patio. Guests can make use of the large courtyard, framed in greenery, and a lively rooftop bar.

Casa Pancha

Best for: Solo travelers, remote workers on a budget
Location: Avenida Mazatlán 190, Condesa
Price: From 31 USD per night

Casa Pancha is a Condesa family home turned affordable boutique hostel. There are five shared bedrooms with spacious bunk beds and one private bedroom with a bathroom and amenities. Communal areas include a balcony terrace, a spacious rooftop and a patio with an equipped kitchenette. Casa Pancha is close to the neighborhood outskirts but still within walking distance of Condesa’s main parks and restaurant-packed streets.

Andaz Mexico City

Best for: Bleisure travel, rooftop pool
Location: Aguascalientes 158, Hipódromo Condesa
Price: From 168 USD per night

The most recent opening in Condesa is Andaz Mexico City, set in a historic art deco building designed by José Luis Benlliure Galán, which is listed among the city’s architectural masterpieces. Mexico City is an essential business capital for North and Latin America, therefore it is little surprise that the Andaz hotel group, noted for blending business and leisure travel, has moved in. Alongside 213 guest rooms, the hotel has a spa, ground-floor cafe, pet-friendly beer garden and, its crowning glory, a rooftop pool with far-reaching views of the city’s skyline.

The best restaurants and cafes in Condesa

Antolina

Best for: Lingering casual lunch with friends, homely Mexican fare
Location: Aguascalientes 232, Condesa
Price: small dishes starting from 135 pesos / 7 USD

This restaurant hits the mark for a casual lunch on a quiet corner of Condesa. Antolina works closely with local producers from Xochimilco’s chinampas – a unique agricultural system – to create a menu that showcases Mexican culinary heritage. Try traditional dishes such as cactus tartar and Oaxacan tlayudas (a crunchy tortilla), and while away an afternoon sipping mezcal-based cocktails, Mexican craft beer and wine.

Botánico

Best for: Sunday brunch or dinner on the patio
Location: Alfonso Reyes 217, Condesa
Price: Dishes starting from 200 pesos / 12 USD

Botánico is hailed as one of the best restaurants in Condesa right now, nested in a restored art-deco house on Alfonso Reyes Avenue. Dine on the serene patio, decked out with giant cacti, trailing greenery and a small pond. Chefs Alejandra Navarro and Ernesto Hernández work with locally-sourced ingredients to create a daily menu of dishes such as mussels with yellow curry, mushroom ceviche, and colourful, inventive salads.

Esquina Comun

Location: a hidden rooftop in Condesa
Best for: a unique, intimate dining experience, special occasions
Price: A tasting menu is priced from 250 pesos / 140 USD

The exact location of Esquina Comun is not revealed until a booking is confirmed. The discreet speakeasy-style restaurant from chefs Ana Dolores and Carlos Pérez-Puelles is designed to feel more like a private dinner party, with a concise, seasonal menu. Drawing influence from South America, Mexico and Spain, dishes are accompanied by natural wine and Mexican craft beer, served on a serene rooftop with neighbourhood views.

Mendl

Best for: cured and smoked NYC-style sandwich fillings, outdoor patio
Location: Citlápetetl 9, Hipodromo Condesa
Price: entrès and sides starting from 125 pesos / 7 USD

Led by chef Montserrat Garza, Mendl’s speciality is its bagels and pastrami sandwiches, with standout fillings including classic Reuben and smoked turkey. Don’t skip the latkes (potato pancake) with salmon roe and apple sauce or the white fish salad, best enjoyed on the outdoor patio. It is also worth pitstopping at this delicatessen for coffee and pastries on your way to Parque México, Condesa’s central park.

Quentin Cafe

Best for: coffee and brunch
Location: Amsterdam 67a, Hipódromo Condesa
Price: An americano starts from 50 pesos / 3 USD

Catch a whiff of Quentin Café as you stroll down Amsterdam Avenue. The natural light-filled back patio is the perfect setting for lingering with a morning cup of coffee, prepared with locally-grown beans from Chiapas and Oaxaca, among other specialty options. Staff are friendly and achingly hip, but be mindful of your laptop time and etiquette if you are working remotely.

The best bars in Condesa

Baltra bar

Best for: Predinner cocktails, Martini Tuesdays
Location: Iztaccíhuatl 36-d, Condesa
Price: Cocktails start from 200 pesos / 12 USD

Baltra is a cosy, intimate, and dimly-lighted cocktail lounge, so-called after the islands visited by Darwin while in the Galapagos. Listed as one of the World’s Best Bars, it is renowned for its mixology. Baltra also hosts Martini Tuesdays, when Mexico City’s hospitality industry gathers for drinks. Baltra fills up quickly, so get down early to secure your spot.

Caiman Bar

Best for: Mexican natural wine, cocktails
Location: Nuevo León 120, Condesa
Price: Bottle of pét-nat starting at 900 pesos / 50 USD

Located on the bustling Avenida Nuevo Leon, Caiman is a natural wine bar with an affinity for Mexican pét-nat (naturally sparkling wine) from Baja California, Mexico’s premier wine region. The space is anchored by a horseshoe-shaped terrazzo bar, where the area’s creative crowd gathers to indulge in Baja’s best bubbles and natural white and red poured by the glass. For a bite at Caiman, select from a menu based on imported tins – mostly mussels and sardines – and a collection of small but perfectly formed tapas.

Niv bar

Best for: Natural wine, live DJ sets
Location: Atlixco 132, Condesa
Price: Wine by the glass starting at 250 pesos / 14 USD

Mexico City’s obsession with natural, low-intervention, organic, and small-batch wine producers is reflected in its flourishing new bar scene. The latest addition to the Condesa neighborhood is Niv, a candlelit wine bar that focuses on small and independent wine producers from France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, and Mexico. The food menu combines global flavours, including duck rillette, handmade pasta or a Peruvian-style kampachi tiradito (sashimi-style fish in a spicy dressing). Find live DJs spinning vinyl in the backroom on Wednesday evenings.

Ololo

Best for: Hi-fi speakeasy-style bar, loud night out with friends
Location: Chicontepec 57, Condesa
Price: Cocktails starting at 140 pesos / 8 USD

‘Ololo’ translates from Maya to ‘gathering.’ This cocktail den is a local favourite, combining classic mixology with mid-century decor and vinyl music. The cocktail menu focuses particularly on campari and vermouth, and there is a regular programme of live DJs.

Rimessa

Best for: Natural wine, weekly wine tastings
Location: Amsterdam 26, Hipodromo Condesa
Price: Wine priced by the bottle

This former Condesa garage is now a diminutive wine shop, with a focus on (you’ve guessed it) natural and low-intervention bottles. A central communal table hosts by-the-glass tastings and petit comité dinner parties, collaborating with wine producers and some of the trendiest chefs in town. Follow Rimessa on social media to be notified about upcoming events.

The best galleries in Condesa

House of Gaga

Best for: Contemporary art, artists in residence
Location: Amsterdam 123, Condesa
Price: Free entry 

A visit to House of Gaga is a good starting point for exploring the world of contemporary art in Mexico City. The gallery and studio occupies a 1930s mansion on Amsterdam Avenue and is considered one of the most prominent contemporary art spaces in the city, founded by Fernando Mesta and José Rojas. It functions as their personal home, and also has a guest house for resident artists.

The best vintage shops in Condesa

Void

Note: Void is currently closed for renovations 

Best for: designer vintage
Location: Parral 5, Condesa

Void is a vintage boutique curated with designer pieces from luxury brands including Pierre Cardin, Prada, Balmain, Chanel, and Hermès. These are mixed in with one-of-a-kind Americana leather and suede garments, retro jackets, and rock memorabilia. Explore various rooms inspired by iconic artists such as David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and Mick Jagger The boutique has become a cult destination for local and international buyers and collectors. For serious shoppers, book a private appointment.

San Junipero

Location: Amsterdam 92, Condesa
Best for: Medium budget thrifting

San Junipero is a small, well-curated thrift shop, specialising in the fashion from the 1980s and ‘90. Denim, lace dresses and vintage t-shirts mingle in the racks, alongside cowboy boots, belts and accessories.

Discover more of the best boutiques in Mexico City on ROADBOOK.