Just came back from 2 weeks in Mexico, I got a chance to try a number of good coffee shops around the city so I figured I'd share my experience and make some recommendations for future visitors. If anyone has any other recommendations feel free to add to this thread.

First of all, it's a very espresso-centric city. Lots of good options for 3rd wave coffee if you're in a trendy neighborhood, and even the relatively unremarkable cafes had decent coffee, something which you can't always take for granted. Also, most cafes have a server who will come take your order from their outdoor tables, or will bring out your drinks if you've ordered at the counter which is nice (and feels distinctly European). Almost every coffee shop have non-dairy milk options, I was asked with nearly every cappuccino if I'd like regular or alternative milk.

Buna Cafe Rico Hands down the best coffee of the whole trip. They have a coffee shop in Roma North and roastery and coffee shop in a fantastic renovated textile factory in Doctores that they share with architects, artists, furniture makers, etc. Definitely worth going out of your way to try, and all the coffees are Mexican-grown - we were served an espresso that was from Chiapas, the state that borders Guatemala. Bought a few bags of their Café Maui Ome to take home.

Qūentin Café Roaster with a few locations around Roma and Condesa. The location we visited in Juarez had a great selection of natural wines as well as food.

Almanegra Café Roaster with a few locations spread around the central city. All their coffees are Mexican-grown. The cafe we visited in Roma North was small with just some pastries but other locations are larger.

Chiquitito Again, a few locations. I couldn't tell what coffee they're using, it seems they have a house coffee (possibly roasted by someone else?), and also sell coffees by other roasters. Regardless, the coffee was great the few times we went, and pastries were good as well.

Saint Pananderia They are primarily a bakery, with amazing sourdough, pastries, and a menu of sandwiches and small plates. The coffee was consistently good(I think they serve Almanegra coffee) though really the focus is on the bread. Definitely worth a lunch stop and finish with an espresso and a croissant.

Honorable Mention: Enomoto in the MEX airport terminal 2. Attached to a small Japanese sushi/sando restaurant. Good coffee, not just good for an airport.




I think a cold Topo Chico must be the perfect companion to coffee. I had this combo more than once and will probably pick up a few bottles to keep at home.

Absolutely love that city and can't wait to go back! Just to keep things in one thread here are notes from my trip in 2018:

El Pendulo: coffee/books/music and other random things for sale here. Funky cool place that is worth the trip for an espresso.

Cafe Negro: not much from the outside of the inside for that matter but they have vacuum pots and aeropresses so they are serious about their coffee and the espresso was very good but their baked goods were really nice.

Best for last...stumbled across la dosis after dinner. I don't drink coffee after 5pm so 930 is really pushing it but hey, you only live once. Glad I made the exception. Best shot of the whole trip.

I tried to make it to La Dosis, I think from your recommendation in that earlier thread, unfortunately seems to be temporarily closed.

CDMX is certainly one of the greatest cities for coffee culture, rich in coffee history and many cafés with friendly warm people willing to talk about coffee. It's definitely the land of levers! My wife and I have been there many times and are 'Urban Explorers'. Whenever or wherever we see an interesting café or a café that has an interesting machine we always stop by for a drink and a chat. We've also stumbled into roasteries that we've discovered serendipitously purely by smell.

First of all, before you leave the Benito Juàrez airport terminal, look for this café - they have 12-Mahlkonig K30 Vario grinders - and if that isn't enough the terminal is so huge they have 2-cafés for a total of 24-Mahlkonig K30 Varios, 1-grinder for each of their 12-choices of coffee beans!

Our favourite place though is 'Tout Chocolat' that is a high-end combo espresso bar and chocolate shop. If you're traveling with someone that loves chocolates - this is the place to hit!

Here's a link to their website:

http://www.toutchocolat.mx/#

You can let them know you're coming well in advance through their site, tell them that 'Steve, BaristaBoy E61' from Montreal sent you (I have no financial interest in the place). It's located in one of the most interesting up-scale Art Deco neighbourhoods of CDMX on the gorgeous Amsterdam avenue, a lush tree-line garden that is a very long oval shape because before it became residential, probably over 100-years ago, it was in fact a race track. It now has plenty of excellent restaurants with everything from Mexican to Italian to Israeli specialty foods. You can make a day of it just hanging out indoors or on the terrasse, there are many. There are also beautiful parks just outside the Amsterdam Avenue 'oval' as well as great street food vendors just outside the closest metro (subway) station.

Unfortunately, some of our best pictures I won't post. They were taken by my wife of me behind the counters looking at or operating espresso machines - even levers!

There are many shops that have been run by the same families for generations - still using the same, original equipment! The people are super friendly and will gladly show you around, tell you about their family history and sometimes let you pull your own shots. The joy and excitement of these trips because of the espresso explorations and discoveries is immeasurable for both myself and my wife, who just can't believe how I manage to get behind the counters and operate the machines. But then she has to pull me away so they can get back to work and us to our next urban adventure.

What a cool space! Thanks for sharing!

Espresso today, in Coyoacán, CDMX made on a Faema 'President' 3-group lever machine, rare & in GREAT shape - pretty good too!

Cafe Olvidado in Coyoacan/Santa Catarina! the last few phots of the previous post, just awesome! one of the best coffees and absolutely the best breakfast!!
not too far, on the other side of the main plaza in Coyoacan is Cafe Avellaneda, maybe the best coffee!
FYI, Coyoacan, 30 min south of the Centro Historico, is one of the oldest parts of Mexico City, going back to Hernan Cortez. many buildings are form the 16th/17th century.
CDMX surpassed the USA in many genres, food, booze and coffee definitely! a very cultured metropolis which really stands out. nothing comparable can be found here in the States. not even NYC can compare with it.

I think you're following me! We just came back from CDMX & Merida less than a week ago. We might have crossed paths without knowing it. We stayed in Coyoacan, CDMX (twice) and Merida.

Here are some more pics that you'll recognize. We also found a new great café called, 'Centrina' in CDMX that my wife found, using Victoria Arduino Prima 2-group machine. The beans were from Chiapas and were excellent.

We bought some Chiapas beans from a roaster in Merida that shocked us when we got home with how good they are, particularly their Blue Bag Coffee French Roast. We're now depressed because 5-kg would be about $116.00CND and shipping - regular mail would be $111.00CND for a total of $227.00CND. My wife, when she heard the price, informed me that, "We're going back!"

The Blue Bag Roaster in Merida was an Australian guy that has been running that Roastery for 40-years!

https://bluebagcoffee.com

we were there from 1/13- 1/23. close friends of ours came a day later. it's happening in DF!