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So, you've found yourself in Mexico City, a vibrant, verdant, positively vibing metropolis abundant with punchy street food and local watering holes. No doubt you've had your fair share of micheladas, mezcalitas, and modelos; maybe you've hit your limit. If you haven't, you should put this guide away, and go drink cheap beers and unlabelled mezcals in tiny bars with no names that you stumble upon. That's what you should be doing.
However, Mexico City has no shortage of more gastronomically minded wine bars, cocktail bars, and mezcalerias.
Here's my favourites.
Cicatriz is a narrow corridor of a wine bar with a short but thoughtful wine list skewed towards Austria, France and Spain, and some globally minded wine bar fare – small plates for sharing, tinned fish. Cicatriz and its neighbour Loose Blues are both on Plaza Washington, a cute, weirdly happening little roundabout in the back streets of Juarez.
Right next door, Loose Blues is upstairs from a clothing store of the same name, which conceptually hinges on Japanese denim but has pivoted to more of a general skatewear store. Head up the stairs at the back, however, and you'll find yourself in a bar with tasty modern bites blending Japanese and Mexican cuisine. There's some good wines from France and Italy, and cocktails blending gin and matcha in ways I'd never thought possible.
Oropel has a surprisingly low Google Maps rating. Do not be put off. This place is great. My only rationale is that maybe some of the folks patronising Oropel are certified vermut/vermouth haters, but this theory falls apart when you see that Oropel's wine and cocktail lists are great too, so really there's something for everyone. That said, if you come here, drink vermut. You'd be mad not to.
Superette is a super cute bar with a very specific agenda. They pretty much do two things: galette (not the dessert tart, but a Breton Galette – buckwheat crepes, with ham, Emmental, egg and the like), and normandy cider. So if you're in the mood for that, this is the spot. If you're not, then I don't know what to tell you, maybe you just can't handle a perfect combination. Pear cider is so back!
Tlecan is a very elevated mezcal bar with no brands so to speak. All the bottles are artisanal, sourced from tiny producers, with a focus on female distillers. You won't find these mezcals anywhere else. The beverage director is ex-Pujol (No.33 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024) and all the staff seem to be on a secret mission to make you feel like an idiot. I asked for a slice of orange with my madrecuishe and got told I don't know how to drink mezcal, which like, yeah fair enough. It's worth it if you can handle the humbling. Expect a line – Tlecan was rated #3 in North America and #20 in the world in the World's 50 Best Bars.
If you want to experience the same kind of artisanal mezcal selections as at Tlecan but don't feel bold enough to withstand the inevitable eyerolls from the staff, Bósforo might be the place for you. It's a happening little bar with a narrow main room and a perpetually-already-full mezzanine which you'll never get a chance to experience from above. The mezcal list is great, the staff are lovely and keen to help, and there's a sister restaurant next door (with no name) which does incredible modern Mexican fare.
Cafe Trucha is on one of the corners of Plaza Río de Janeiro in Roma Norte. A lush, green pocket of the city, this is a great place for lunch if you're craving a sandwich but can't fathom tackling another torta gigante. The foliage-filtered afternoon light, proximity to park, and tastefully curated drinks list make this a prime location for a little aperitivo. They're not open late, but for afternoon drinks in the Roma Norta area it's a great shout. Good wines by the glass, tasty twists on classic cocktails, and share-centric nibbles that aren't trying to prove anything. Viva salami.
Café Tacobar is a seriously underrated little neighbourhood haunt with outstanding mixed drinks and some of the best indoor tacos around (you're never going to beat the streetside vendor with no name). Go straight for cocktails here. They know what they're doing. My favourite was a Gilda – Spanish red vermouth, drops of Cynar, splash of gin, and a skewer of olive and gouda. There's also a devastatingly brut sherry spritz which still haunts my dreams. The vibe here is local, friendly, and in-the-know. The staff's side of the bar has a guy that looks like a magician. The customer's side of the bar has drawers. Pull one out, grab the dice from within, and teach your drinking companion how to play Farkle. You're in for the long haul.
Bar Oriente is admittedly more of a club, but it contains a hidden bar within its depths. But the club element is not to be ignored. Their Void soundsystem is world-class, very well suited to the UKG and House selections often being spun here. There's a small dancefloor, usually filled with a great crowd of dedicated heads. Feels like everyone's friends with the DJs. Soak up the club, but when you need to go to the toilet, make sure you make the right choice. One of the tasteful, white-tiled bathrooms is host to a tiny, secret bar. I don't know if this is always the case, but when I was there, the only thing on offer was soju bombs.