How many coffee shops are there in Mexico City? I’m going to guess thousands! Obviously, some are better than others hence I put together this in-depth guide to the CDMX cafes including where to find specialty coffee, famous historic cafes, and more!
Although I have a separate guide to brunch in Mexico City, I’ll obviously mention where to get tasty food along with your coffee.
Cafes in Roma Norte, Mexico City
The Roma neighborhood of Mexico City is easily my favorite, packed with quirky boutiques, hipster coffee shops, stylish Mexico City bars, and beautiful architecture hailing from the Porfirio Diaz era (the ex-president whose 31-year rule ended in the Mexican Revolution).
Better yet, much of the best coffee in Mexico City is located here!
Cumbe Coffee Roasters
For quality coffee, Cumbe is one of the best cafes in Mexico City. Describing themselves as ‘Melbourne specialty coffee roasters’ they serve a ‘magic flat white’ – a Melbourne specialty – as well as espresso-based coffees (long and short macchiatos, lattes, cappuccinos etc) and extraction methods like V60.
Food-wise, they do a simple breakfast menu of fruit, chilaquiles, and Mexican eggs.
So, for simple food and complex coffees, get yourself here! The location on the main road isn’t the best but you can sit inside away from the fumes.
Note – after a few visits here, I don’t think the coffee is the strongest so maybe go elsewhere if that’s your preference!
They also have Cumbe La Tostadora where they roast their beans over in the San Rafael neighborhood.
Cafe Ventanita
This outdoor cafe shaded by trees beside the Fuente de Cibeles statue is a great place for getting some air while people-watching.
The coffee is delicious and, if you ask for baked goods, someone comes around with a basket overflowing with flavored croissants and other pastries.
The other great thing about La Ventanita? It’s partnered with Cantino pizza restaurant in the building next door. Coffee and pizza, what could be better?
Panaderia Rosetta
Unless you’re brand new to the capital’s culinary scene, Panaderia Rosetta is somewhere that needs no introduction. The coffee is great but that’s not why you come: the pastries – particularly the guava roll – are out of this world!
The world and his wife think so, too, so prepare to stand in line. I would suggest visiting before 10am even on a weekday especially if you’re visiting the larger Colima branch (there’s a smaller cafe on Puebla, also in Roma Norte which is a bit lesser known).
Forte
Forte is one of my favorite coffee shops in Mexico City with quality coffee, artisan bread, and fantastic baked goods. The orange-almond croissant is to-die-for! There are also cruffins, chocolate rolls, cookies, and much more.
It’s a small, hipster-style cafe with a no-frills, exposed interior. It gets busy on weekends although not as busy as many nearby brunch restaurants like famous Lalo!
Forte serve brunch dishes before 2pm and sourdough pizza and wine afterwards. Just the perfect place!
Ps. they now have a cafe in Juarez, too.
Quentin
Serving some of the best coffee in Mexico City, Quentin is one for real coffee snobs. It’s super rich and strong. Better yet, they serve carajillos AKA coffee cocktails!
As well as your usual coffees (some harvested in Mexico), they have hot chocolate, craft beer, cascara (a low-caffeine option from coffee cherry husks), and soft drinks like ginger soda and kombucha. For tea lovers, there’s green tea, white peony, and oolong.
Location: they have a few cafes in Mexico City, one on Alvaro Obregon (not the most relaxing as it’s on a main road), an eternally busy one between the parks in Condesa, one in Juarez, and one in Roma Sur. They’re aesthetic dreams with exposed brick, plants, and fancy touches like marble tables.
Buna Cafe
Buna Cafe is known for its rich coffee and chocolate. The website tells you about their sustainability and social impact when it comes to sourcing and producing coffee.
The main cafe is on a pleasant street in Roma Norte perfect for people-watching. Just over the Roma border in Doctores, La Tostadora is a spacious venue popular with co-workers that shares space with galleries and studios inside La Laguna, a repurposed textiles factory from the 1920s.
Almanegra
Alamanega is a small cafe serving, in my opinion, some of the strongest and best coffee in Mexico City. The menu is so complex it’ll confuse anyone but coffee snobs but you can always ask for a cappuccino.
There’s a big table and small 2-person tables usually taken up by remote workers on weekdays. The Wi-Fi is super fast so I can’t blame them.
They also have branches in Navarte and Escandon.
Constela Cafe
This is a relatively new coffee shop in Roma Norte with indoor and outdoor seating. Whatever time of day, Constela Cafe is full of people enjoying the boujee vibe of Colima.
The coffee is great (no Roma Norte cafe could compete with the competition otherwise) but there are also non-caffeine drinks like raspberry fizz and a range of kombucha flavors. Pair them with brunch and lunch dishes like grilled cheese sandwiches and, my personal favorite, the fig toast.
With a bright and modern feel plus strong Wi-Fi, it’s a popular spot with digital nomads during the week. Taking this into account, the only downside is that the coffee is expensive with milk blends costing 70 pesos and up.
Cardinal Coffee House
Cardinal is another of the best cafes in Mexico City with tiled floors and a cool world map on the wall (very motivational when working on my laptop to fund the next travel adventure). Better yet, they serve quality coffee. You can’t beat the cardinal cortado or matcha latte.
There are two branches, one in Roma Norte and one in Condesa. The Condesa one is next to the Tuesday and Friday Markets so you could time a visit around eating cheesy tlacoyos or seafood tostadas for lunch.
These coffee shops have been around for years and they’re more affordable than some of the new, trendy Roma Norte cafes (like Constela).
Café Memorias de un Barista
Located in La Romita, this is one of the best coffee shops in Mexico City to escape the hustle and bustle. It’s a small cafe so not ideal for groups but perfect to grab coffee solo and read.
With black and white tiled floors, Café Memorias de un Barista has a stylish feel rather than a hipster one.
The staff are knowledgeable and can tell you all about the beans. As well as espresso and milk-based coffee, there’s V60, Chemex, and Aeropress pouring coffee plus chai, matcha, hot chocolate, and a few baked goods.
Adelitas Centro Cultural Café
This is a chill little cafe and a peaceful hideaway. With work from local artists on the walls and shelves of affordable, handmade jewelry to peruse, it’s an arty yet unassuming corner. Don’t miss the chance to browse books at Casa Bosques upstairs.
There’s a decent selection of hot and cold coffees at Adelitas including cold brew, chai, and matcha, plus a few Mexican options like horchata espresso.
Crisopeia
Crisopeia, hidden away in arty Casa Basalta amongst art galleries and yoga studios, is a unique Mexico City cafe serving herbal teas (I had a lovely oolong from Taiwan), healthy plates, and mocktails in beautiful crockery.
It’s an alcohol-free bar and cafe with a focus on disconnecting. Instead of the WI-Fi password, they bring you paper and crayons! Head to the outdoor patio to reflect and feel creative.
Alegre Cafe
Alegre is a cute, small cafe located on Avenue de los Insurgentes serving some of the best coffee in CDMX. There are a few seats in the comfy main room and a ‘coffee work’ room in the back.
At the weekends, they do a great French toast with berries which isn’t too sweet. Skip Lalo and the other popular brunch spots and come here for quality food and drink without the queues!
My only complaint is the opening times aren’t right; I’ve tried to go several times before 11am and it’s always shut (even though it says it opens at 8am). However, it’s a great spot for a lunchtime coffee and bagel, or afternoon coffee and cake.
Caravanserai
Skip the coffee and visit this adorable tea house on Alvaro Obregon. The seating by the main road isn’t the best but there’s a cosy and quiet seating area inside with vintage furniture, ideal for some me-time.
There are so many teas to choose from at Caravanserai including white, black, and green from countries including Taiwan and South Africa. They also do a huge range of kombucha flavors including an unusual habanero chili one. Or, keep it classic, and enjoy your tea with an elegant pastry.
If you’re going alone, make sure to ask for an individual serving; they automatically gave me a teapot that was 110 pesos (almost $7) – more than I planned to spend on a cup of tea!
Cafes in Roma Sur, Mexico City
The less gentrified part of Roma is filled with hidden gems and lower prices. Better yet, it’s home to some of the best coffee shops in Mexico City including…
Cafe Barajas
With a bicycle hanging in the doorway, Cafe Barajas proves the theory that bicycles = great coffee!
It’s an atmospheric spot with brick walls, a boutique clothes shop, shelves of books, and a comfy sofa. Better yet, it’s not as busy as some of the cafes in Roma CDMX.
Try the horchata espresso!
Cucurucho
Locals have told me that Cucurucho serve the best coffee in Mexico City and I can’t argue! It’s rich and delicious with all your usual specialty beverages on offer.
There’s just one big table inside (good for big groups or perching with a friend or laptop) as well as tables outside the longstanding Roma Sur cafe. There’s a mini shop selling beans, machines, and arty posters.
There are also now branches in Condesa, Reforma, and Polanco.
Paradigma Café
Another place that locals have recommended to me is Paradigma Café, a tiny place that makes up for its unassuming exterior with strong, flavorful coffee.
There are a few seats inside and outside on a quiet street in Roma Sur. They do all your classic espresso and milk combos alongside extraction methods, plus they sell beans from different states of Mexico (including less obvious destinations like Puebla and Guerrero).
Browns Caffeine Lab
Browns doesn’t have your typical coffee shop look: it’s a modest little cafe without any frills but it makes up for it in quality. The friendly owner freshly roasts his own beans and serves coffee in every method imaginable (V60, Chemex, espresso etc). A real gem!
Coffees start from 30 pesos making it one of the cheaper Mexico City coffee shops, at least in the Roma area. It’s located close to some cool local businesses like Cypez Tap Room and Cine Tonala, an independent cinema that I love.
Cafes in Condesa, Mexico City
This lovely neighborhood has so many gorgeous cafes that I wrote a whole guide dedicated to coffee in Condesa!
Places I consider some of the best cafes in Mexico City include…
Matcha Mio
No prizes for guessing what beverage Matcha Mio Cafe serve! From matcha lattes to frappes, bubble tea, and desserts like cake and brownies, it’s a green tea wonderland. Find it close to Parque Mexico in Condesa.
Tomás Casa Editora de Té
Skip the coffee and come to this relaxed tea house serving every blend imaginable. Even tea connoisseurs will be impressed and I know that because, as a Brit, I AM that tea snob! Along with tea, Tomás offers an ambient setting with indoor and outdoor seating, comfy chairs, and a great playlist.
Borel
Borel is a simple, sunny cafe (and my go-to when getting a manicure at Mint a few doors down). This Mexico City coffee shop is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth thanks to the Berlinesas (Berliner donuts) and raspberry cruffins.
There are also simple breakfast and lunch dishes and quality coffee. Prices aren’t bad for Condesa: coffees start from 38 pesos, flavored kombuchas from 45 pesos, and wine from 86 pesos.
Budapest Cafe
Budapest is easily one of the best cafes in Mexico City to get cosy! With all the character and clutter of a Hungarian ruin bar, you can enjoy Turkish coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and all kinds of yummy traditional European cakes hailing from the Habsburg era.
Orquidea
I spotted this cute cafe in a pink building while walking along the Hippodrome. With pretty tiled floors and a solid selection of baked goods, it’s a lovely place to stop for a coffee with outside seating.
The coffee at Orquidea is ridiculously strong (obviously a good thing) and there are matcha and chai lattes along with classic brunch dishes like avo toast, waffles, and smoothies. Simple but great!
Chiquitito Cafe
Chiquitito Café is another of the most popular cafes in Mexico City with a few branches dotted around the city, the most central being the Condesa and Juarez branches.
It’s a cute but tiny place with just a few tables in and outside. The coffee is next level (especially the latte frio and matcha frio) and the baked goods and simple brunch dishes – starting from 110 pesos – are divine. Nothing left to say but GO!
Catfecito
I can’t guarantee the best coffee at Catfecito (it was just ok) but I CAN guarantee the best company! This cat cafe by Chilpancingo station on the cusp of Condesa and Roma Sur offers the chance to play with new feline friends over coffee and simple cafe meals.
I had a coffee and conche (90 pesos for both) and spent an hour with the cats. They were super friendly and seemed very well-treated, plus two new kittens had just been born as of November 2023.
Cafes in Juarez, CDMX
To slightly escape the expat bubble of Roma and Condesa, a trip to Juarez neighborhood is always a good idea. You can expect unique boutiques, some of the best speakeasy bars in Mexico City, great food (Mexican and international), and old bookshops full of clutter and character.
A few fab Mexico City cafes include…
Rifa Chocolateria
La Rifa is a wonderful cafe predominantly serving hot chocolate beside Plaza Washinton and a pleasant fountain. Order them the Aztec way (bitter with water) or with milk and flavors such as chili, honey, and cardamom. Yum!
Cicatriz
Beside Rifa Chocolateria is a lovely venue that doubles up as a popular Mexico City coffee shop, relaxed brunch and lunch spot, and a low-lit atmospheric dinner restaurant with cocktails added to the menu.
Drink your coffee at Cicatriz paired with any dish on the menu; they make simple-sounding things so fresh and creative!
Cafe Nin
For coffee and baked goods, this is one of my all-time favorite Mexico City cafes. Cafe Nin stock the same freshly made pastries as Panaderia Rosetta without the same crazy lines: win-win! They manage to do brunch just as successfully with burrata chilaquiles being the highlight in my humble opinion.
Distrito Fijo Club de Ciclismo
A cool aesthetic and a bicycle shop upstairs? As expected, the specialty coffee and hot chocolate at Distrito Fijo is next level (especially since it’s stocked by Buna, a Mexico City coffee shop I’ve already mentioned in this post), plus there are simple brunch dishes and cakes.
Pulpa Amo Liquido
For vegan coffee and cakes, this is one of the best places to eat vegan food in Mexico City. As you’d expect, there’s a wide range of plant milks available for your coffee, but Pulpa goes above and beyond when it comes to OTT desserts and baked goods.
There are cakes, cookies, and donuts in tons of flavors, alongside brunch and lunch dishes.
Cafes in Centro, CDMX
The historic center is somewhere you’d be mad to miss, packed with world-class museums, architecture, and the ancient ruins of Tenochtitlan.
The Zocalo has just a few modern cafes; it’s better known for historic establishments with decades of history. Visit the following Mexico City cafes for breakfast and coffee…
Read next: guide to visiting Centro
Cafe Regina
This historic cafe in Centro is the best place to drink coffee, people-watch, and sample simple but tasty meals like sandwiches, waffles, cinnamon rolls, and croissants. It’s a popular spot with students and older locals, but you’ll be welcome to join them.
Find Cafe Regina slightly away from the hustle and bustle on Callejón de Regina across from the impressive ‘green wall’ towering with plants.
Curva Café
Curva Café is located on the border of Juarez and Centro, (beside El 123, a Thai-fusion restaurant that’s one of my favorite places to eat Asian food in the city).
On a quiet street, Curva is an oasis of calm in bustling Centro. Expect a minimalist style with lots of plants and a decorative bicycle.
Proper coffee snobs will lust over the industrial-size blenders and observe the skill of the staff who can jump between blending beans, pouring espresso, and operating V60s and Aeropress machines. Don’t miss the baked goods including cakes flavored with lavender, lemon, and poppy seed.
Balam Coffee Roasters
Although Centro is better known for historic Mexico City coffee shops, Balam is a modern cafe with V60, Aeropress, and espresso coffees, plus unusual concoctions like coffee mojitos!
It’s not the strongest coffee ever but very aesthetically pleasing and served with a free cookie. ‘Balam’ refers to a supernatural being in the Mayan religion, and the cafe is a nod to this complete with Mayan details and a huge stone jaguar head upstairs.
For a decent coffee to start your day sightseeing in Centro, it’s an affordable spot with breakfast dishes from 50 pesos.
Café El Cordobés o El Chavalete
For an iconic, no-frills Mexico City cafe that’s been caffeinating the locals for decades, don’t skip Café El Cordobés o El Chavalete near Mercado de San Juan. They source their beans from Vera Cruz and you can buy bags of them to take home.
Perch yourself on the balcony with coffee and cake as a break from sightseeing.
Casiopea Café
Visit Casiopea to escape the bustle of Centro and enjoy some specialty coffee. This chilled cafe above an art gallery serve everything from flat whites (nice and strong!) and other espresso-based coffees to matcha and chai, alongside modern brunch dishes like French toast.
Sit by the large open windows to look out over the architecture and busy streets of Centro. It’s the perfect place to begin your day before sightseeing (or take a break from it).
Cafes in Escandon, Mexico City
Similar to Juarez but south of the touristic Roma/Condesa bubble rather than north, Escandon is another slightly lesser-known neighborhood packed with quality food and coffee. For some of the best cafes in Mexico City, don’t miss…
Cafe Escandon
I think Cafe Escandon is one of the most beautiful cafes I’ve visited. It doesn’t have a clean, minimalistic vibe like many coffee shops in Mexico City, but a colorful cluttered one with lots of things to buy like clothes, accessories, and art.
It’s a large, open-plan space where you can relax and enjoy a HUGE range of drinks and excellent brunch dishes. The chilaquiles are great!
El Ilusionista Café
El Ilusionista Café is a relaxed little community cafe with many plants and great coffee and baked goods. There’s usually a balanced mix of people socializing and a few working on laptops.
For those with a sweet tooth, get the lemon tart!
Piel Tostada
This cute corner serves coffee, tea, juice, kombucha, agua frescas, beers, and Mexican brekkie dishes. I loved the nopales molletes topped with creative ingredients like chargrilled cheese chilaquiles. Sit inside or outside and enjoy the atmosphere. The staff at Piel Tostada are super friendly.
Cacao Para Todos
Next door to Piel Tostada is a fantastic chocolate cafe with 5 stars on Google for a reason! You can browse and buy every chocolate product imaginable, or enjoy quality cacao-based drinks like hot chocolate with different flavors, champurrado, and atole.
The owner of Cacao Para Todos is knowledgeable and can offer advice in English or Spanish.
Amargo
Amargo may have the best latte art in the city! Other perks to visiting include the excellent wood-fired pizzas from 2pm, the cute decor, and the garden area. It’s a quiet cafe that’s good for co-working (the chairs have backs which is surprisingly rare in CDMX).
In terms of the quality of the coffee, it’s the best I’ve tried in Escandon. Don’t miss the brekkie deal including 2 courses, coffee, and juice for 180 pesos!
Cafes in Coyoacan, Mexico City
When you wander the cobbled streets and leafy plazas of the charming, traditional neighborhood of Coyoacan, you’ll barely believe you’re in a mega city of 22 million people!
With attractions like the Frida Kahlo house, you wouldn’t visit Coyoacan for the coffee alone. But here’s where to get your fix when sightseeing…
Cafe Negro
If you’re looking to relax or co-work in Coyoacan, Cafe Negro is one of the few modern-style cafes in the neighborhood. For a healthy bite, there are brunch and lunch dishes like pancakes, sourdough sandwiches, and salads.
Cafe Avellaneda
The smallest coffee shop in Mexico City (probably, I’ve never visited with a tape measure!) serves the best specialty coffee in Coyoacan. Better yet, they’re a sustainable business that pays farmers fairly for their beans.
Rub shoulders with strangers at teeny-tiny Cafe Avellaneda before getting on with your sightseeing.
Cafe El Jarocho
Don’t visit this generations-old coffee stand for hipster, modern coffee! But do visit because it’s a local institution that’s been a beloved feature of Coyoacan for over 70 years. It’s takeaway only; sip as you sightsee or sit down in Plaza Hidalgo.
Best Mexico City cafes for co-working
When you need to get work done, these are the best Mexico City coffee shops with strong Wi-Fi and great coffee…
Blend Station
This is the most popular co-working cafe in town. While digital nomads often grab a drink just to secure a desk for the day, Blend actually serve some of the best coffee in Mexico City, plus there’s a chocolate bar with drinking chocolate in different flavors.
There are baked goods like matcha cookies and cinnamon buns, plus hearty lunch dishes like topped toasts. I like the veggie toast with tempeh. Prices are a bit high, I guess factoring in the cost of people staying all day.
There are a few branches:
- Hippodrome Condesa: the epitome of a co-working cafe; you won’t find anyone not working. Unless you arrive early, it can be hard to grab a table. My one complaint is that, for a workstation, the music is deafening.
- Sonora (Roma Norte): also a bike shop with a window bar and outdoor seating for non-laptop workers. The tables and chairs aren’t as work-friendly and the music is also quite loud.
- Puebla (Roma Norte): my favorite as it’s never too busy like the Condesa one. The coffee shop playlist is great and not too loud. Sadly, the chairs don’t have backs.
Baveno
Without quite the intense productivity vibe of Blend Station, this is a large open-plan cafe with good coffee and simple tasty lunch dishes like sandwiches and chilaquiles.
I’ve spent many a day co-working at Baveno with strong Wi-Fi and other drinks like homemade kombucha. Just a few doors down is a great Asian food court where I like to grab lunch.
Curado
Curado has indoor and outdoor seating, hidden away on a quiet street in Roma Norte. The indoor area has granite walls, quirky photography, and all the coffee paraphernalia you could ever dream up.
Fuel your productivity with cold brew, pouring coffees, and espresso-based drinks, plus hot chocolate. Prices are high but the food is worth it with some decadent brunch dishes on offer.
For remote workers, there’s a dedicated area with office chairs. The only downside is the Wi-Fi is slow for what’s clearly a co-working cafe.
Cafebreria El Pendulo
Last but certainly not least is one of my favorite cafes in Mexico City. El Pendulo is a beloved bookshop that’s been around for decades. Find me at a table among the shelves socializing, doing my Spanish homework, working, reading, or simply having some me-time.
Most of the books are in Spanish but there’s a small, dedicated English section.
They serve a huge range of food, plus there are generous weekday lunch deals including a starter, main, dessert, coffee, and soft drink for around 200 pesos. The cocktails are also affordable.
The cafe in Roma Norte (on Alvaro Obregon) is busy with a nice roof terrace, and the Condesa one is a popular place for co-working. Personally, I like the Juarez branch because it feels quiet and off the beaten track. There are also cafes in San Angel and Polanco.
Thanks for reading my Mexico City coffee shop guide!
More Mexico City food and drink guides:
- Best breakfast and brunch in Mexico
- Cafes in Condesa
- My favorite bars in CDMX
- Vegan restaurants in Mexico City
Mexico City neighborhood guides:
- Complete guide to the city center of CDMX
- Roma Norte and Roma Sur neighborhood guide
- Juarez, Mexico City area guide
- San Angel area guide
Other Mexico City guides:
- Visiting Saturday’s San Angel Market
- How to visit Desierto de los Leones National Park
- Travel guide to Tepotzotlan, Mexico
