The Hollywood Guide to a Perfect Weekend in Mexico City

“People from all over the world fall in love with Mexico City as soon as they see the dimension of this beautiful capital,” says actress Eiza González, star of Extrapolations and Godzilla vs. Kong, of her mile-high hometown. With top-flight restaurants, a thriving cocktail scene and some 150 museums, Mexico City — or el DF, for Federal District, as it’s called locally (though in 2016 it was officially renamed Ciudad de Mexico, acronym CDMX) — is one of the hottest global cities of 2023. “What people don’t expect is how cosmopolitan and diverse it is and how many trendy and cool spots it has,” says Schmigadoon! star Jaime Camil. “Mexico City has to be one of the most energizing and fascinating cities in the world.” Or as Eva Longoria (who has a home there) describes the city in her 2023 CNN series Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico, “It’s crazy. It’s crowded. It’s noisy. And I love it,” adding, “Mexico City is going through a major makeover … to emerge as one of the world’s greatest food destinations.”

An easy four-hour flight from Los Angeles, Mexico City is divided into 16 districts, with hundreds of neighborhoods (among the most popular with travelers are Condesa, Polanco and Roma) — and lots of dense cosmopolitan traffic between them. “It took us two hours to go 6½ miles at rush hour one day,” says Conan O’Brien of his own experience in the city, who spent time filming episodes of his talk show in 2017.

Legendary traffic aside, CDMX has never been more attractive. In late September, the members-only club Soho House (C. Versalles 28, Juárez) opened its very first Latin America club and four-bedroom hotel (from $675 a night), in an historical casa in Colonia Juárez that was painstakingly restored to lean into its Baroque and French architectural references. In a city that never sleeps and where parties often begin around midnight and stretch well beyond daybreak, it’s no surprise Soho House Mexico City features multiple bars, including one dedicated to tequila. Cuisine comes from the creative mind of James Beard Award winner chef Christopher Kostow (who has also earned three Michelin stars for Napa’s The Restaurant at Meadowood). There’s a vinyl bar for listening parties, a 62-foot swimming pool (and grill-focused Pool House restaurant) and a vast art collection focused on Mexico-born, -based or -trained artists.

Beyond the city’s big Soho House debut, the past few years have seen plenty of excitement in the form of additional luxury boltholes and restaurants. On the latter tip, husband-wife chefs Israel Montero and Karina Mejía’s 2022 opening Siembra Comedor (Av. Ejército Nacional Mexicano 314, Polanco) has attracted attention for having its own onsite corn mill, ensuring drool-worthy tacos.

And in 2021, the current “best female chef in the world” — according to World’s 50 Best — Elena Reygadas debuted the 35-seat Salon Rosetta above her popular Colonia Roma eatery Rosetta (Colima 166, Roma Nte.) as a place to cultivate relationships and conversation over craft cocktails.

Andaz opened its first hotel in el DF this year, while the first Kimpton arrives on Jan. 1. They’ve joined independent boutique properties in building further buzz for one of North America’s most dynamic and artistic metropolises. 

Here, top actors and industry insiders — including Salma Hayek, Guillermo del Toro, Demián Bichir, Karla Souza and Alfonso Herrera — offer The Hollywood Reporter tips for an immersive weekend in the city.

What to Do in Mexico City: Fridays

DINNER Make advance reser­vations for one of the city’s two top tasting-menu gourmet spots, which regularly appear on lists of the world’s best restaurants. Salma Hayek recommends Pujol (Tennyson 133, Polanco), currently No. 13 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

Actress Karla Souza is a fan of innovative Quintonil (Av. Isaac Newton 55, Polanco) — No. 9 worldwide — where an 11-course tasting menu is about $225.

DRINKS At La Clandestina (Av. Alvaro Obregon 298, Condesa), “enjoy dozens of mezcals from the heart of Oaxaca soil,” says Oscar-nominated actor and Mexico City native Demián Bichir (Chupa, The Midnight Sky). “It’s a hipster mezcaleria that looks like a set from an El Indio Fernandez movie.”

What to Do in Mexico City: Saturdays

BREAKFAST “I always take visitors to El Cardenal for breakfast,” says producer Nicolas Celis, who filmed Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma in the city. Of the eatery’s six locations, he prefers the one inside the Hilton in the Centro neighborhood (Av. Juarez 70), while Bichir likes the location in the town of San Angel (Av. de la Paz 32), which is “in a beautiful 100-year-old house,” says the star. “What’s unexpected for visitors is how pre-Hispanic, colonial and modern Mexico share time and space in this amazing city.” Bichir recommends the escamoles: “They are ant larva eggs cooked in butter and epazote leaves. Be brave — you will never regret it!”

CULTURE The vast collection at the National Museum of Anthropology (Av. Paseo de la Reforma, Polanco) includes major Aztec archaeological finds. “It’s a must see,” says Mexican actor Alfonso Herrera (Sense8, The Exorcist).

The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Av. Juarez, Centro) has floors of murals by Diego Rivera and more. “The art scene is as energized as any city that I have been to, steeped in ancient traditions,” says Priority Pictures producer Lizzie Friedman, who shot Paul Weitz’s Bel Canto in Mexico City. “All the murals by Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siquieros are truly awe-inspiring and cannot be missed. My favorite murals were at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, La Secretaria de Educacion Publica (Republica de Argentina 28, Centro), and of course Palacio Nacional de Mexico (Plaza de la Constitución S/N, Centro). There are a vast number of art galleries throughout the city. You can spend hours walking around the art galleries in Condesa, Roma and now Juarez.”

For deeper history, she adds, “If you have time, visit Teotihuacan Pyramids 25 miles northeast of the city. Built in 300 B.C., they were the centerpiece of an ancient Mesoamerican city. The ruins are incredible and the pyramids are among the largest in the world — scary to climb up and terrifying to climb down but well worth it.”

LUNCH With more than 60 vendors and cheap eats ($4 for breakfast), Mercado Roma (Calle Queretaro 225, Roma) lets you “pick a separate place for each part of your meal, from tacos, gorditas, chilaquiles, to fresh fish and wine, ending with amazing gourmet coffee with delicate macaroons or Mexican candy for dessert,” says Souza.

SHOPPING “Don’t miss, every Saturday, El Bazaar Sabado (Plaza San Jacinto 11) in San Angel,” says Bichir. “You’ll find art and crafts from all over Mexico in a beautiful colonial sector.”

COFFEE “We have a lot of Starbucks,” says Camil, who recommends searching out small independent coffee houses like Chiquitito Cafe (three locations, Alfonso Reyes 232, Condesa, Calle Rio Lerma 179, Cuauhtémoc, or Prado Norte 421, Lomas de Chapultepec). Herrera gets his fix at Cafe Passmar (Mercado Lazaro Cardenas, Adolfo Prieto 250, Colonia del Valle Norte).

DINNER Rojo Bistrot (Av. Amsterdam 71, Condesa), a French bistro co-founded by Bichir in 1999, is a draw for such classics as duck confit and tarte tatin, and its “very relaxed and cozy atmosphere,” says the actor.

COCKTAILS “The ‘It’ spot is Limantour,” says Gonzalez of this bar with two locations that is currently ranked No. 7 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list (Oscar Wilde 9, Polanco; Av. Alvaro Obregon 106, Roma). One recent drink, the Margarita Al Pastor, was a take on the popular taco with cilantro, chile and pineapple.

What to Do in Mexico City: Sundays

BREAKFAST One of O’Brien’s favorite spots is Restaurante San Angel Inn (Calle Diego Rivera 50), in a former Carmelite monastery in San Angel. Hayek recommends its traditional offerings such as “lengua [tongue] a la veracruzana.”

BIKE “On Sundays,” says Souza, “the city closes car access to the main avenue, Paseo de la Reforma, and only allows bikes. It quickly becomes the best Sunday activity you can do. Bike rentals are set up throughout the city.” Stay hydrated with “fresh, one-of-a-kind Mexican juices,” at Ojo de Agua (Citlaltépetl 23, Condesa), says Souza.

LUNCH Contramar (Calle de Durango 200, Roma) “is the most happening seafood restaurant,” says Hayek of the spot known for its tuna tostadas with chipotle mayo and whole fish with two sauces. “Everyone who’s anyone is there and the food is insanely good,” adds Gonzalez.

CULTURE O’Brien cites as a highlight the Leon Trotsky House Museum (Av. Rio Churubusco 410, Coyoacan), the radical’s home after he fled Stalinist Russia. The TV host didn’t get to see the Frida Kahlo Museum (Calle Londres 247, Coyoacan), even though “I took maybe 150 selfies in front of it — people even came out of the museum,” he says, but he couldn’t get in. “I said, ‘I just want a quick peek.’ And they said no. Go to the end of the line. They are really serious about their line.”

STREET FOOD Stop by an authentic taco joint like Los Cocuyos (Calle de Bolivar 54-56, Centro) or El Farolito (Isaac Newton 130, Polanco), which Camil calls “the best!” Or get adventurous, suggests Guillermo del Toro, who is currently working on a Frankenstein adaptation. “You can go to any cantina downtown in El Centro and have some worms and crickets,” he says. “The crickets are great, but the worms are the best.”

On Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico, the host and actress goes to “sizzling hot” Tacos Los Alexis (C. de Chiapas 46, Roma Nte) to enjoy “gourmet tacos to die for” as well as a vegetarian version of chicharrón made with cheese and topped with huitlacoche.

DINNER Bichir suggests Máximo Bistrot (Av. Álvaro Obregón 65 Bis, Roma) for “French-Mexican fare. This little restaurant is owned by Lalo Garcia, who used to work at Le Bernardin in New York City, and, boy, did he learn his craft.” On her CNN show, Longoria and Garcia visits one of the farms from which the chef sources ingredients.

Camil recommends Amaya (Calle General Prim 95, Juarez), a spot with an all-natural wine list from the same chef behind the well-known MeroToro.

Other great restaurant options include contemporary Mexican spot Dulce Patria (Anatole France 100, Polanco), a favorite of Gonzalez’s, and oyster bar La Docena (Alvaro Obregon 31, Roma). “This spacious place originally from Guadalajara is lots of fun,” says Bichir.

DANCE Salon Los Angeles (Calle de Lerdo 206, Guerrero) is a traditional Mexican dance hall that’s been open since the 1930s. “I had the wrap party for Roma there,” says Celis. “We had the band Sonora Dinamita playing and it was a huge success.”

The Best Hotels in Mexico City

At the top of the luxury scale are the Four Seasons (Paseo de la Reforma 500, Juarez; rooms from $600; more booking options at Hotels.com and Priceline) and St. Regis (Paseo de la Reforma 439; from $500; more booking options at Hotels.com and Priceline), which O’Brien recommends for the “absolutely spectacular service.” The latter also is releasing new garden suites in December.

Reservations begin Jan. 1, for Kimpton Virgilio’s 48 guest rooms in Polanco (Virgilio 7, Polanco; from $316), where the custom art and design references the Roman poet Virgil and there’s also a rooftop bar and Spanish-inspired restaurant, Pepe. Andaz Mexico City Condesa (Aguascalientes 158, Colonia Condesa; from $218; more booking options at Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com) bowed in January 2023 with 213 rooms featuring mosaic-tile headboards, piñata-like figurines and locally made alebrijes. The pool is one of the city’s highest and there’s a Tulum-inspired rooftop bar.

Vibrant and funky, the coolest new boutique hotel in town is Hotel San Fernando (Iztaccihuatl 54, Cuauhtémoc; from $225; more booking options at Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com), by Austin’s Bunkhouse Group, in a 1947 Art Deco apartment building across the street from Parque México. There are 19 rooms, a locally sourced art program and lobby lounge and bar serving natural wine and seasonal cocktails.

Intimate options include the previously three-room, now eight-suite-plus spa La Valise (Tonala 53, Roma; from $458; more booking options at Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com) and Mexican art–filled, new-in-2023 Colima 71 (Colima 71, Roma Norte; from $400; more booking options at Expedia and Hotels.com). Guests of the latter’s 14 guest rooms and two studios — all with full kitchens and private balconies — can dial the bar for complimentary Midnight Mezcal turndown service.

With an emphasis on curated activities as well as site-specific happenings, Volga Hotel (Rio Volga 105, Cuauhtemoc; from $250; more booking options at Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com) is an immersive 49-room boutique hotel with rooftop pool, ethnobotanical mixology offerings and forthcoming subterranean speakeasy.

This year as well, Mosaic Hotel Group opened Campos Polanco (Campos Elíseos 361, Polanco; from $312; more booking options at Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com) with 12 residence-like suites and a rooftop designed for socializing creatives. 

Three additional recommended boutique hotels are Las Alcobas (Masaryk 390, Polanco, from $428; more booking options at Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com) — which Gonzalez likes for its “spacious and beautiful rooms” — and two places owned by Grupo Habita: the Condesa DF (Av. Veracruz 102, Condesa; from $380; more booking options at Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com) and Downtown Mexico (Isabel la Catolica 30 Colonia, Centro; from $240; more booking options at Booking.com), which Souza says “has a very relaxed vibe and some of the best views in the historic center of Mexico City.”

This is an updated version of a story that first published in 2017.