Mexico City: Culture & Cuisine

Hola, Mexico City!

We’ve been dreaming of visiting this mega metropolis for what feels like forever – not just for the art, culture, history, and cool neighborhoods to explore, but also for the FOOD. There are a lot of perks to living in Europe, but decent Mexican food is definitely not one of them. Just in the last few years, we've seen more trendy taco spots open up, but most are anything but authentic. So, in short, we’ve come hungry. With only four days, and a mission to devour as many tacos as humanly possible, we arrived jetlagged in the warm chaos of Mexico’s capital, ready to explore, experience, and eat. Vamos!!! 

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First Stop: Tacos!

​Mexico City, or CDMX (Ciudad de México), is a sprawling capital with a population of over 9 million, making it one of the largest cities in the world. It’s a place where modern life and rich history blend seamlessly – with centuries-old buildings sitting alongside buzzing neighborhoods, hip cafés, and vibrant street markets offering everything from handmade crafts, fresh fruits like the sweet and tangy *sabra* (cactus fruit), and sweet hibiscus (jamaica) and tamarindo agua frescas. It's also the birthplace of iconic Mexican dishes like the taco, tamale, and mole.

​Mexico City is known for its cuisine, offering everything from cheap and delicious street food, to Michelin Starred dining. As the largest city in Mexico, it draws people from all over the country, so most of the regional specialties are available and highly represented. It also is home to innovation, with restaurants by some of the world’s best chefs and gourmet food trucks with creative takes on Mexican classics. Bottom line - four days is not enough. 

​For this adventure, we’re meeting up with Megan’s Dad, Mike, a fellow taco enthusiast and one of our top travel buddies. On our first morning, we walk along the uneven sidewalks of tree-covered streets to a nearby cafe for a bike and food tour. One of our all-time favorite activity combos, there are few things we like more than being active between stopping to taste (and learn about) new foods. Over the next four hours, we buy hot corn tortillas right off the grill, and lose count of how many tacos, quesadillas, and tlacoyos we consume. We opt for the (somewhat limited but still delicious) veggie options, while Mike represents the carnivores of the world, tasting the famous al pastor (the famous spit-roasted pork), carnitas (slow-cooked pork), and suadero (beef) tacos. Armed with the knowledge of which foods we love, how to order and what accompaniments not to miss, we’re ready to continue our adventure. 

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A Michelin Dining Experience

​We’re new to the fine dining scene. We fought it for a while - feeling like it wasn't totally us and disliking the stuffiness, pretentiousness and (obviously) price tag of it all. But our intrigue won out, because we also really love and appreciate really good food, especially food that’s prepared with care, artistry and precision. So here we are. Our second ever Michelin Dining experience in a beautiful wood paneled open-air dining room on the outskirts of Mexico City. 

There are a plethora of Michelin-stars to seek out in this foodie city, and after a fair amount of research by Ryan, we choose Sud 777, by Chef Edgar Nuñez, mainly for his shared love of vegetables and ability to craft them into delicious works of art. We also like that the tasting menu isn’t required and we can pick and choose our favorite dishes off the menu. And that we do, enjoying four courses of shared plates that are representative of Mexican cuisine and ingredients, with the surprise show-stopper being a chilled green melon with yogurt, dill and finely sliced chilies. As we have with nearly every meal, we rank the dishes 1-10, and have some laughs picking, choosing and sharing. It’s what a Michelin starred dinner should be like, we think. 

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A Quick Cultural Pause: The Frida Kahlo Museum

​Between all the tacos, we decide to venture over to the Frida Kahlo Museum, aka Casa Azul, which tops nearly all of the Mexico City must-see guides. Located in Coyoacán, one of the most charming neighborhoods in the city, it’s where Frida grew up, lived with her husband Diego Rivera, and created most of her iconic art. We’ve always admired Frida from afar, but getting to step inside her world was a totally different experience. 

​Learning about her life – from the polio she had as a child to the horrific bus accident that nearly killed her at 18 – gave us a whole new perspective on her work. The way she turned her pain into vibrant, emotional art is nothing short of inspiring. In fact, many of her most famous self-portraits were painted while she was bedridden, staring into a mirror mounted above her. The museum offers an intimate look into her life, from her personal letters to her colorful wardrobe, and you can almost feel the strength and spirit she poured into her work.

​Frida’s home is filled with some of her best-loved works and artifacts, but it’s also surrounded by the vibrant charm of Coyoacán – a bohemian neighborhood where cobblestone streets are lined with cafés, art galleries, and lush gardens. We spent a bustling Sunday afternoon wandering around the area, popping into one of the local markets for a plate of enchiladas, walking between stalls of art and paintings and watching older couples salsa dancing in the plaza before hopping in a taxi back to Roma Norte.

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Adios, CDMX!

​After four whirlwind days of tacos, cycling, culture, fine dining, we say a heartfelt adios to Mexico City. We ate enough to feed a small army, and we saw enough colorful murals, museums, and mercados to last at least a few months until we start to have the Mexico itch again. Yes, we love tacos, but what keeps us coming back to this incredible country is the celebratory culture and the consistently warm and welcoming people. We will never stop loving Mexico, and never stop coming back. 

Hasta luego,
Megan & Ryan