Top Cafes in Mexico City

There’s something undeniably inviting about cafes. Maybe it’s the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the quaint seating, the tasty snacks, or if you hit the jackpot, a cafe that has all three.

Luckily, Mexico City has picked up on the third-wave coffee movement and has no shortage of stellar coffee shops. The cafes in Mexico City are incredibly varied. You’ll find a mix of beans from Mexico and beyond, brewed to perfection. There are tiny cafes that are literally just a hole in the wall, and then there are spacious ones that are perfect for settling in for a full day’s work or having a chat with a friend.

With such a large selection, there’s an excellent coffee shop out there for every mood. Sometimes you may be more interested in finding a cozy place to read a book than drinking a sophisticated brew, so I’ve broken down each of my cafe recommendations into three categories for coffee, comfort, and food.

Check out my list for everything you need to know about the top cafes in Mexico City!

Cardinal

Campeche 346, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México

Córdoba 132, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México

Coffee: (5/5) The flavor of the coffee is excellent. It’s rich and robust without being overpowerful. Creamy and bright without being too acidic. This cafe is one of my go-to spots if I’m craving a great coffee.

Comfort: (4/5) I’m speaking about the Condesa location here. While it is a bit smaller than the Roma location, it is more conducive to sitting down and being comfortable for a while. There is a fair amount of individual seating, and what makes it really great is that there are outlets everywhere! It’s a tiny cafe, but usually, you can always find a seat to work at for a few hours and not have to worry about finding a place to charge your laptop. The wifi is also solid.

Food: (3/5) I’ve ordered their food before. It was good, but nothing amazing. A little overpriced, but there are good options if you’re feeling peckish.

What to Order: A cappuccino or an affogato.

I’ll start our list off with a cafe who’s coffee is the main attraction. Cardinal’s coffee was honestly one of the best I had when I first moved to Mexico City. I had visited a few, but nothing really impressed me until I tried a cappuccino at this lovely little cafe. Fast forward a couple of years, and it’s still some of the best coffee in Mexico City that I’ve tried.

I’m also a fan of the space. It’s small but cozy and not the least bit pretentious as coffee shops often tend to be. Cardinal is my kind of cafe, one that serves killer coffee and offers an inviting space to sit and stay awhile.

Drip

Guadalajara 36, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México

Coffee: (5/5) Drip has a selection of hot and cold brews and one of my favorite coffee drinks, dirty chai lattes! They also have a nice variety of brewing methods.

Comfort: (3/5) They have a small loft area with a bar and a few seats. It’s not the most comfortable, but if you want to sit for a bit and drink your coffee, then you should be just fine. They also have wifi.

Food: (2/5) Their food is limited to a few baked snacks. But with coffee as good as theirs, you won’t even be thinking about food.

What to Order: The dirty chai latte!

Drip was a pleasant surprise I found one afternoon when I needed a coffee fix. It was only a few blocks away from my old office, and I couldn’t believe that it took me so long to come across it. I was so stoked to see that they had iced dirty chai lattes, and they did not disappoint.

I’ve sat down in the upstairs loft to do some work, but I usually prefer to get my coffee to go since the design of the place isn’t all that exciting or comfortable.

Cleo Tilde

Avenida Progreso 240, Escandón I Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11800 Ciudad de México

Coffee: (5/5) I really like the coffee at Cleo Tilde. They keep it simple but do it well. The flavors of the coffee are well-balanced and pack a punch without being too strong. The baristas are also very kind and have always gladly made my coffee in my reusable mug.

Comfort: (2/5) The space is minimal. It’s just the counter where the baristas work and then a small bar with four or five high stools for seating. As you can imagine, it’s not the cafe to come to if you want to set up shop and work for hours. However, the design is one of the cutest in the City.

Food: (2/5) There isn’t much going on as far as food here. They have a few baked goods, and on Saturdays, they offer heartier breakfast sandwiches.

What to Order: Honestly, anything.

Cleo Tilde has a special place in my heart. I think it’s because it was right around the corner from one of my old places and it isn’t the most well-known since it isn’t in Roma or Condesa. It’s kinda a hidden gem. When I want a solid cup of coffee, this place never disappoints.

I hope the lack of food or comfort won’t stop you from checking this place out. As I mentioned, it is super cheerful, and the coffee is a ten. The space is nice and bright, with a splash of color. I adore it!

Qūentin

Avenida Álvaro Obregón 64, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México

Amsterdam 67a, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México

Av. Yucatan 93, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX

Coffee: (5/5) I almost docked a point off because I found their cappuccino too acidic for my liking, but who am I kidding, I’m no coffee snob, and their unique drinks made me think twice. Take their carajillos for example, a traditional Mexican espresso drink served with Licor 43 on ice making for a sweet coffee that packs a punch.

Comfort: (5/5) The designs at all locations are impeccable, but the Condesa location is really something special. You can see a lot of thought was put into the finishing touches, making for a really cool atmosphere to sit and enjoy a great coffee. If you’re looking to stay and work, Qūentin’s Alvaro Obregon and Amsterdam locations have wifi and plenty of outlets for charging your devices.

Food: (3/5) They offer your standard croissants and a few other baked treats. Perfect for a light snack, but not much else.

What to Order: A carajillo if you’re feeling fancy or an americano if you wanna keep it more traditional.

Qūentin is a fan favorite, and it’s easy to see why. The coffee is excellent, the design is seamless, and they have a fun selection of drinks like the espressonic (cold brew mixed with tonic water). Although I was disappointed with their cappuccino, I found their americano more suitable to my tastes. If you’re looking for a coffee shop with aesthetics, I’d recommend Qūentin Condesa on Amersterdam.

Blend Station

C.P, Avenida Tamaulipas 60 , Col. Condesa, Hipódromo, 13210 Ciudad de México

Puebla 237, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 01180 Ciudad de México, CDMX

Coffee: (4/5) This may be an unpopular opinion, but I’m not the biggest fan of the coffee. Or maybe it’s just their espresso drinks that didn’t wow me. However, I have tried their nitro cold brew and that was quite good. They also offer a variety of brewing methods

Comfort: (5/5) Now, this is the reason I’d come to blend station. It can get crowded, which isn’t ideal if you’re looking for a quiet place, but it is spacious with comfortable seating. I prefer the Blend station in La Roma because it’s prettier and usually less crowded.

Food: (5/5) Oh man, does Blend Station have a selection of food to choose from. They offer a huge variety of tasty and filling meals and they make their breads in house! It’s a great brunch spot if you’re into that sorta thing.

What to Order: The nitro cold brew. And make sure to grab a bite to eat.

If you haven’t noticed yet, I have mixed feelings about Blend Station. On the one hand, , but on the other, I think it’s a stylish, comfortable cafe with a fantastic food selection. I fell for the tiny details like the mugs, housemade bread, their peeping eye logo, and the luscious indoor plants.

This cafe may not have the best coffee in Mexico City, in my opinion, but it ranks excellently in the other two categories. Sometimes you just want to sit at a cafe for the ambiance and a bite to eat, and Blend Station fits the bill rather well.

Panadería Rosetta

Colima 179, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX

Puebla 242, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX

Coffee: (4/5) The coffee here is your standard espresso drinks. The cafe is first and foremost a bakery, but the coffee is a bonus!

Comfort: (2/5) Both Rosetta locations are tiny without much room for seating. If you want to sit down, drink a coffee, and enjoy a pastry, there is seating, but it’s limited and cramped. I’d recommend the Puebla Street location as it’s way less crowded and has slightly more roomy seating.

Food: (5/5) The food is the reason to come to Rosetta. It’s a French-style bakery baking up the classics with a Mexican twist. Like their guava roll for example. It’s a flaky roll with a hollowed-out center filled with cream cheese and sweet guava preserves. They also have savory bites like quiches and sandwiches made with freshly baked bread.

What to Order: A Donut, guava roll, quiche, one of their croissant sandwiches, I could keep going.

While Panaderia Rosetta is technically more of a bakery than a coffee shop, it serves coffee alongside their delicious pastries. Therefore, I’d consider it a cafe with the best of both worlds! The bread and pastries taste almost as good as in France. They also have delicious red fruit, hazelnut, lemon, and original cream-filled donuts that you have to try. Honestly, no matter what you order, you can’t go wrong. It’s arguably one of the best bakeries in town.

Being as good as it is, there is always a line, especially at the Colima location. If you don’t feel like waiting in a line that’s often 15+ people long, go to the lesser-known Puebla location. They don’t have the full menu, but they have their most popular, and of course, coffee.

I hope you found this guide helpful! I’m not the type of person that drinks coffee every day. Nor am I a coffee snob, but I do see coffee as a treat that I like to enjoy every once in a while. And if I can enjoy it in a relaxing and inviting cafe, all the better!

These are the cafes in Mexico City I’ve tried and loved so far. I’ll continue to update this post as I visit more cafes in the city. In the meantime, what are your favorite coffee shops in Mexico City? Let me know in the comments below!