While Colonia Roma is getting a lot of attention from tourists thanks to Alfonso Cuarón’s 2019 Oscar-winning film “Roma,” the northern neighborhood of Roma, Colonia Juárez, is the center of Mexico City’s youth scene. Located in Cuauhtémoc, it was the city’s wealthiest neighborhood in the 1900s, when Mexico’s elite left the central old town for country homes near the Chapultepec forest. Though rundown, Colonia Juárez was later revived when artists and intellectuals moved in in the 1960s, laying the foundation for today’s neighborhood. Now, the elegant French colonial mansions are being renovated to host everything from family-run cafes serving up local food to trendy bars for young Mexicans.
Accommodation
For a true Colonia Juárez experience, stay at the Varsovia, a three-story building that can accommodate up to eight guests, offering hotel comforts and the privacy of home. Sip your morning cappuccino on the airy balcony or nap in the living room’s woven hammock. Or check into the Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City, a luxury hacava-style hotel located near Paseo de la Reformam, which features an orchard with chirping canaries.
Shopping
Take a Wild Terrains tour to get behind the scenes with top Colonia Juaréz designers like Mariana Villarreal (Sangre de mi Sangre), and learn how to make your own metal pendant in a jewelry workshop. Stop by General Prim 30, which has hosted many contemporary art and photography exhibitions, or Planta, a building designed to green the city. Nearby, Filia, a modern boutique, stocks independent Mexican brands like Toronero’s mariachi-inspired belts and Alysta’s sustainable handbags made from recycled cans.
You can also head to Querencia to see paintings by Mafer López and sample a range of skincare products like AlSenseia's clay masks. Next door is Loose Blues, a Mexican-Japanese fusion store with brands like Softmachine and Robin. Utilitario Mexico sells Mexican kitchenware like coral vases, enameled tin bowls, marble plates andjicara- a Mexican gourd-shaped water container that retains heat perfectly, perfect for enjoying traditional Mezcal. The last stop is Librerí Jorge Cuesta, be careful not to get lost among the shelves of hard-to-find classic literature (in both Spanish and English).
Cuisine
The most famous restaurant in Colonia Juárez is Café Nin. Try the boiled eggs marinated in leaves.epazoteMexican food served with bread,conchaand guava stuffed with creamricottaright here. Next door is Havre 77, a French eatery known for its handmade pasta and delicious fries. New to the area is Niddo, with a menu that includes dishes like eggsShakshukaand grilled cheese. But capturing the neighborhood spirit best is Lucio's, a cafe that often hoststacoevery Tuesday, drink withtepache -a homemade fermented pineapple juice. You can also drink cold beer, eat kale saladtahiniand cream scones at Cicatriz Cafe. LB Bar also serves Japanese coffee with sushi and teriyaki. Other dinner options include Amaya, a Mediterranean restaurant with the first exclusively natural wine list in Mexico, or Alba Cocina Local, which serveshuauzontlefried is extremely popular. But don't forget to save room for dessert at Joe Gelato, the signature dish here ismaizGelato topped with corn liquor, once used by the Mayans in religious ceremonies.
Colonia Juárez's nightlife is also vibrant. La Rifa, an outdoor cafe specializing in handmade Mexican chocolates made with cacao varieties and specialty desserts liketamal de nat tocadowith chocolate foam and berries. Order now.terruño, made with a secret recipe that blends mezcal and chocolate. For some of Mexico’s finest wines and rare spirits like Nami (Mexican sake) and Xila (agave liqueur), head to Sótano. For something a little more raucous, sip pisco and dry martinis at Hanky Panky, one of the city’s hipster hangouts (message them directly on Instagram to secure a reservation and directions).
Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City also regularly hosts lively parties, where you can enjoy a cocktail at Fifty Mils; go a little light with Bugs Bunny, a gin cocktail made with carrot juice and Fernet, or go all out with Ant Man, a traditional Mezcal made with ants, egg whites and leaves.hoja santaMore local is Xaman Bar, a mystical medieval-themed bar that uses pre-Hispanic native plants to make cocktails likeMayaj, a glass egg of absinthe and whisky, sweet vermouth with raspberries, cacao and maple syrup. Move to the beat, in Colonia Juárez you can dance until dawn like in an ancient Mayan dance.
