Why You Should Head to Mexico City for Your Next Shopping Trip

Between the vibrant architecture and street art, locally-infused shopping, and an off-the-charts dining scene, Mexico City is having a major moment. And there’s no better time than now to take a memorable trip to the city of palaces. Here’s our fashion-focused guide on where to stay, shop, and eat in the cosmopolitan capital.

Where to Stay

Located in the residential Cuauhtémoc neighborhood near the bustling Paseo de la Reforma, Hotel Carlota is a design-centric boutique hotel that mixes industrial-chic elements (like concrete lattice walls and an intimidatingly airy yet totally functional freight elevator that guests use) with inviting details like 3-D art installations and a glass-walled pool that’s used as a backdrop for many fashion shoots. The market-driven restaurant serves up classic Mexican fare and is especially great for starting the day off with one of a variety of fresh-squeezed juices and homey huevos rancheros or chilaquiles. Get a head start on unique souvenir shopping at the in-house lifestyle store, Taxonomia. The expertly curated selection includes everything from jewelry and furniture by Mexican designers, to an enticing roundup of Oaxacan mezcal.

- Why You Should Head to Mexico City for Your Next Shopping Trip

Uncommon Market by Common People

Where to Shop

Uncommon Market is a newly opened fashion and lifestyle emporium from husband-and-wife duo Max Feldman and Monika Biringer, who are known for their first game-changing concept store, Common People. Their latest three-level outpost is in an even bigger space across the leafy Parque Lincoln in Polanco, and features a rooftop café, barber shop, and full-service beauty salon—in case you need a pampering break. The wares include Oak clothing, Delfina Delettrez jewelry, Grown Alchemist skin-care products, and many more indie-cool lines set up in 15 creatively designed spaces throughout the building. With a rotating schedule of buzzy events like musical performances and film screenings, the store recently collaborated with Mexican fashion insider Araceli Graham on a pop-up with her U.S.-based e-boutique Cooperativa Shop, which conveniently features contemporary Latin American labels stateside.

In the same neighborhood, you’ll find the Yakampot store, a four-year-old brand with strong local roots created by friends Concha Orvañanos and Francisco Cancino. It’s filled with timeless, feminine-meets-masculine separates in luxe materials.

- Why You Should Head to Mexico City for Your Next Shopping Trip

Carla Fernández

Venture across the lush Chapultepec Park (the largest city park in the Western Hemisphere) into la Roma and find designer Carla Fernández’s store. She turns out bold, geometric designs that are strongly influenced by traditional Mexican attire yet skew more sophisticated than folk-y. Look for hand-embroidered tunics, sculptural blouses, and versatile ponchos—all in her signature textured and artisanal fabrics.

Nearby in Condesa is the sartorial treasure trove that is Void Vintage, marked by a cheeky neon “Come In, We’re Closed” sign. Customers flock to the store for ’60s and ’70s staples and statement jackets, but you’ll also find a bounty of rare, worn-in denim, Chanel bags, and supersoft band tees that owner Olympia de la Macorra sources from her global travels. There’s no digging required here: The covetable pieces are well-edited and thoughtfully organized in the beautifully rustic space.


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- Why You Should Head to Mexico City for Your Next Shopping Trip

Mercado Roma

Where to Eat

Also in la Roma, Rosetta is a must-visit restaurant that’s as gorgeous as it is delicious. It’s housed in a dreamy, colonial-style, eighteenth-century mansion and features modern, seasonal Italian-Mexican fusion dishes by chef Elena Reygadas. For an easy lunch with endless options, Mercado Roma is an bustling food hall similar to New York’s Chelsea Market that has plenty of authentic Mexican eats (pozole, churros, paletas) alongside international farm-to-table stalls and eateries. And on a warmer evening, try dinner al fresco overlooking the Cibeles fountain at the Nayarit-inspired La Zaranda, which serves pre-Hispanic style grilled seafood and a tasty shrimp aguachile. They also serve pulque—an ancient fermented drink of the Aztecs—in fresh fruit-infused flavors.

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