January and February in the U.S. are two of the best months to escape the cold and visit Mexico City which, in contrast, hosts clear skies and temperatures in the 70s during these months. Mexico City has endless gorgeous streets to stroll down, parks in which you can people (and dog) watch, and so many gorgeous restaurants to dine at. It can actually be a bit overwhelming.

Here are some restaurants, taquerias, bakeries, and bars that I can recommend as worth it or to walk away from. Then, take a digestion walk down Calle Colima or through Parque Mexico to prepare for your next meal.

Restaurants:

1. Contramar – worth it!!

Contramar may be the most well-known restaurant in the city. It’s woman-owned and was featured on CNN’s “Searching for Mexico” with Eva Longoria. They are most well-known for their fish resembling the colors of the Mexican flag: a white fish covered in red adobo on one half and a green parsley rub on the other. It’s great, but the best thing here are the al pastor fish tacos, which were the best tacos on the trip if not the best dish all together. Oh, and the Contramar bartenders make a fabulous margarita – don’t skip it.

2. Restaurante Rosetta – walk away.

Rosetta is one of the more popular restaurants in Mexico City, and while it’s gorgeous, the food is too hit or miss for me to recommend it. We started off strong with some great appetizers, and the meal went downhill quickly with two completely bland pastas and an inedible piece of pork. Although the short rib was tender and flavorful, the cocktails went down in about two sips, and the desserts had an unpleasant mouth feel. 

3. Blanco Colima – worth it!

Blanco Colima is a huge, white building sitting right on the corner of Calle Colima, one of the most beautiful streets in Roma Norte. There are multiple different dining rooms with a handful of tables in each that all overlook the center where the bar and DJ are. The food is wonderful, the service is fantastic and friendly, and dining here feels like you are eating in a castle.

4. Ticuchi – walk away.

This restaurant in Polanco is a different vibe than the above restaurants which actually have a table that sits higher than knee level. At Ticuchi, you’ll be sitting on short bar stools and eating over a coffee table, and whether or not you can see what you’re eating depends entirely on how good your eyesight is in the dark. While there were some good dishes here, it was unmemorable for the most part.

5. La Casa de Toño – walk away.

This is another famous spot which you may find people raving about on social media. It’s somewhat of a Mexican fast food chain serving almost everything you could wish for, and for a good price. However, we got a handful of items and can’t vouch for any of them. You can probably get better Mexican food almost anywhere else.

6. La Coyacana – walk away.

This cantina in Coyoacan sounds like a tempting offer when you’ve just left the Frida Kahlo museum and have nothing else planned in the area, but there’s nothing worth going in here for. Not even a place to sit, as the chairs are precarious. 

Taquerias:

1. Taquería Orinoco – walk away.

These may be the most popular tacos in the city, with locations all around, but all I can say is they are completely overhyped. I wouldn’t say you should avoid at all costs because they are okay, just not the best you will find.

2. Cariñito Tacos – worth it!

These tacos are southeast Asian inspired and the best tacos in the city, behind Contramar. The pork is juicy and the different flavors and textures on these tacos is something else. They’re also served in corn husks to minimize waste. If you live in NYC, you may have seen the pop-up on University Place. They are incomparable – ours are greasy and bland compared to the CDMX spot!

3. Don Frank – walk away.

Walk away fast.

4. Taquería Los Parados – worth it!

These are the next best tacos in the city, in an unassuming little shop with tons of sauces. The tortillas are street taco size, filled with fresh meat and traditional toppings. This spot is actually featured on the Michelin Guide, as well.

5. Pollos Poncho – walk away.

This might be the only spot in the city where you can get chicken tacos, but it’s not worth it. The chicken is dry, the tortilla was dry, it’s just bland and dry. Remember, the tap water can’t save you, so do your mouth a favor and keep walking.

6. La Casa de los Tacos – worth it!

This is a cute little spot in Coyoacan where you will feel like a local, well, as long as you can speak Spanish. They have a great menu with juicy meats, and although these aren’t the best tacos in the city, it’s still a great bite and a cute place to rest and refuel.

Bakeries/Cafes:

1. Panaderia Rosetta – walk away.

Now, I know this is a hot take. On any given day there is a line down the block for this place. I had a great vanilla concha here, but everything else was sadly mediocre. They are most well known for their guava pastry. If you love guava, the line may be worth it. If you simply want some pastries, I would recommend another place. Also, they have two locations, so if you must try it, try the original one near the restaurant. Although there’s a line, it’s cleaner and has a better selection.

2. Odette – worth it!

This is now one of my favorite bakeries in the world. Their ham and cheese croissant is completely out of this world, as is the cinnamon bun and kouign aman. After we finished our first box of pastries while being serenaded by a mariachi, we got back in line for seconds.

3. Cayetana Panaderia – walk away.

The man working here was incredibly friendly, unfortunately, that didn’t distract us from the dry and lifeless cookies and bacon maple croissant. It’s a big skip.

4. Quēntin Cafe – worth it.

Quentin is first and foremost a coffee shop, but is also in the running for best pastries in Mexico City. The chocolate chip cookie, babka, and banana bread are three things that cross my mind on a weekly basis and which I’ve compared every pastry to ever since. This is an absolute must-visit in Condesa. 

5. Boícot Cafe – walk away.

This is one of the only spots open for breakfast on a Monday, but I would do yourself the courtesy of eating day-old pastries from Quentin rather than spend any time in this place.

6. Maque Cafe – worth it!

Maque has two locations in Condesa as it does get pretty busy, and for good reason! We didn’t try any pastries here, but we sat down for breakfast and the chilaquiles were killer. You can find rice and beans or pancakes on this breakfast menu, and it’s all great.

7. Churreria el Moro – worth it.

This is the most famous spot to get churros in the city, with locations all over. In true Spanish-influenced fashion, you order your churros and choose a chocolate on the side to dip them in. They are really good, although I have a sneaky suspicion they aren’t the best.

Bars:

1. Handshake Speakeasy – worth it!

If you can get a reservation for this bar, snag it! Otherwise, you’ll be waiting in a very long line of people, and I don’t think it’s worth the line unless you have absolutely nothing better to do (which you should if you’re visiting Mexico City). The drinks are super quirky and all delicious, and the beernuts come with crickets. It’s a fun vibe with a fun menu, albeit pricey, and they do give you a time limit on the table.

2. Licoreria Limantour – walk away.

This spot has locations in Roma and Polanco. While the vibe is nice and the drinks are fun, they aren’t super tasty. We found them to be overly sweet and the flavors just didn’t mesh quite right.

3. Diamanta – worth it!

This is a cute little bar we stumbled into off the main grid of Roma. The drinks were wonderful, everyone there was so friendly, and they love to dance. When we were there, the owner was handing out the most delicious hand-made tamales. 

4. Loup Bar – worth it!

This is a small, minimalist wine bar which plays unique music that may make you quite sleepy depending on how much wine you drink. Luckily, they serve cocktails too. 

5. Tlecan – walk away.

This is a popular mezcal bar that gets very, very busy. I found the vibe to be too chaotic and slightly demonic. We didn’t stay long as it was nearly impossible to even reach the bar tender.

6. Local 1 Wine Bar – worth it.

This is a super quiet and low-key wine bar. Not much going on here besides some good bottles of wine for a decent price. 

There are loads of bars, bakeries, and restaurants to choose from in this city, so my list is not exhaustive, whatsoever. But, the advice is solid if you’re considering any of these spots or don’t know where to start. I’d love to hear your suggestions as well! Enjoy your trip to this beautiful city.