17 Fun Things to Do in Roma Norte, Mexico City

17 Fun Things to Do in Roma Norte, Mexico City

Colonia Roma Norte is considered one of Mexico City's coolest neighbourhoods, with its bohemian atmosphere and creative crowd. Walking along the pastel-coloured streets you will see Art Deco mansions turned boutique hotels, vintage stores, artisanal shops, quirky cafes and bars around every corner. With its thriving art scene and food culture, you can expect to discover exciting contemporary art and standout Mexican cuisine.

See where to shop, eat and socialize in our list of fun things to do in Roma Norte Mexico city. We cover what to do in Roma Norte, from unique spots to hangout, to must-visit street food stalls and world-class restaurants.

Overview: 17 Fun things to do in Roma Norte, Mexico City


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What to do in Roma Norte, Mexico City

1. Go on a taco crawl at big-name taquerias

Try tacos at all three of these top-notch taquerias, each having their own unique style:

Taqueria Orinoco

This red & white taqueria chain is a favourite with locals and tourists, who like to chow down on their three signature tacos, chicharron, al pastor and bistec, which come on a small flour tortilla. Skip their smashed potatoes, and order another taco instead!

El Califa

Try El Califa's delightfully simple steak tacos made with high quality ingredients. We tried their sirloin and ribeye tacos, which came thinly sliced on a corn tortilla.

Carinito Tacos

For a nice twist on the taco, try Asian-inspired tacos at Carinito's. Their unique pork belly tacos come in four styles: Cantonese, Thai, Criollo and Issan. See what type is your favourite - ours was the Cantonese!

Or, leave your taco crawl in the hands of a local on a guided street food tour. Both Viator and GetYourGuide have highly rated food tours.

2. Shop Roma's unique boutiques and weekend bazaars

Esculturas Vivas

Start your walk down leafy Colima Street and branch off on side streets to discover quirky boutiques and concept stores throughout the constantly evolving neighbourhood.

Check out Metate and Tana Karei for artisanal Mexican housewares, 180 degrees for clothing and jewelry from emerging local designers, and Mother Vintage Store for cowboy boots, leather jackets and handbags from Mexican brands.

Our favourite store, Esculturas Vivas, sells funky vases and sculptures with carved faces that make it feel like you're bringing an amigo home.

On weekends, two bazaars happen on Colima Street, Bunker Bazaar and Casa Bazaar, where artisans and independent vendors gather to sell accessories, jewelry, beauty products and vintage clothing.

3. Have lunch in the chic courtyard of Blanco Colima

The sophisticated bistro in a historic mansion is the perfect setting for a refreshing lunch and mezcal cocktail. Arrive when they open at 1 PM, and ask to sit in the impressive light-filled courtyard.

🍽️ Must try: the mushroom tostada

Visit these two prominent contemporary galleries just a 3 minute walk away from each other. Gallery OMR and MAIA Contemporary exhibit contemporary works from emerging and established Mexican and Latin American artists.

See our list of 17 Mexico City art galleries you should visit.

5. Try Jenni's blue corn quesadillas

Jenni's Street Quesadillas

Stop by Jenni's Street Quesadillas on the corner of Colima and Merida for their quesadillas made with freshly pressed blue corn tortillas. Pick your toppings of choice (like shredded chicken, chorizo, beef, or zucchini flower), add stringy Oaxaca cheese, and watch them grill it on the plancha.

6. Dine at Meroma, one of the city's best restaurants (for those in the know)

After hearing stellar reviews for Meroma, we had to check it out... and are we ever glad we did. Every dish was so good, we immediately made a reservation afterwards to try everything else on the menu.

Find your way to the back of Meroma's hip and sceney street level bar and take the stairs up to their intimate restaurant. The mid-century modern space offers creative farm-to-table dishes that will surprise your taste buds. Make your reservation far in advance.

🍽️ Must try: Merguez orecchiette and fish collar. Start your meal with a glass of their AUS Pét-Nat Rosé wine.

7. Drink exceptional cocktails at Roma's coolest bars

These five cocktail bars standout for their unique atmosphere and creative cocktails made by expert mixologists:

Best for state-of-the-art cocktails: Licoreria Limantour

Ranked #4 on the World's 50 Best Bars List, you'll see why once you take your first sip of their unbelievably complex and flavourful cocktails.

Best for music: Cafe De Nadie

Located on a quiet street, this happening cocktail bar has a fun neighbourhood vibe, thanks to its sociable crowd of locals and tourists, and groovy tunes playing from a collection of over 1500 vinyl records.

Best for the concept: Bar Las Brujas

Located in the historic Casa des las Brujas building, which translates to "House of Witches", Bar Las Brujas plays on this concept with their witchcraft/shamanism themes and unconventional herbal ingredients. They also name their concoctions after notable Latin American women activists.

Best for personality: Cafe Tacobar

Get shipwrecked with eccentric bartender Chris, at this quirky ship-themed spot off the tourist trail. Chris makes the experience fun with a few surprises.

Best for an intimate atmosphere: Maison Artemesia

Sip absinthe cocktails up the stairs at this dimly-lit moody space that feels like a seductive apartment bar in Berlin or Beijing.

See our list of the 9 best cocktail bars in Mexico City

8. Stay in a historic mansion turned boutique hotel

Roma Norte is one of the best neighbourhoods to stay in Mexico City for its close proximity to happening spots and central access to other neighbourhoods in the city.

Stay in one of the neighbourhood's historic mansions, like La Valise, a three-suite boutique hotel that beautifully combines custom Mexican furnishings and art with luxurious amenities. The hotel feels private, although you're in the middle of all the action in Roma Norte.

Browse more places to stay in Roma

9. Eat fresh pastries at Panaderia Rosetta

Panaderia Rosetta

This chic European-style bakery by acclaimed chef Elena Reygadas is very popular, so try to avoid peak times during breakfast and lunch. Their pastries are worth it - we recommend the cardamomo!

10. Find authentic Latin American music at a record store

Los Moonlights record

We were excited to bring back some traditional Mexican/Latin American records for when we host our taco nights. Our favourite we found was a Latin-funk album by Los Moonlights, a famous Tijuanaese group from the 70s. Roma has many record shops to check out - our two favourites were Revancha D.F and Georgetown Records.

11. Have a lunch date at Maximo

This French-Mexican bistro is one of the hottest spots in Mexico City to dine, and is best visited during the daytime when sunlight fills the charming space. Their farm-to-table dishes made from fresh, high-quality ingredients are a real treat. It's the kind of place where you eat every morsel of sauce on your plate.

Maximo was the perfect spot to dine for Valentine's Day. Ranked #28 on the 2022 Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants list, make your reservation online in advance.

12. Browse exquisite antiques at Chic by Accident

Art exhibition at Chic by Accident

Browse this gallery of exquisite antique and contemporary pieces for the home. Even if you don't plan to buy, it's fun to look.

13. Try the tuna tostada at Contramar

Contramar may be in every single Mexico City guide, but once you taste their tuna tostada you'll see it's not just all hype. As one of the best seafood restaurants in the city, make your reservation a month in advance.

14. Switch up Mexican cuisine with neapolitan-style pizza at Pizza Felix

Pizza Felix

Pizza Felix is known to have the most authentic Italian pizza in the city. Open late until 12 AM on weekdays and 2 AM on weekends, it's great for a late-night bite. The edgy industrial interior with a living wall gives the space a hip appeal for late night drinks as well.

15. Hang out with friends at Paramo

Paramo

Paramo is our go-to spot for socializing with friends. The upstairs cantina has a fun party-like atmosphere that doesn't feel touristy, and the music is the right volume. We weren't surprised when we heard it was one of Rita Ora's favourite secret spots in the city.

16. Go dancing at Departamento

Departamento

Dance with friendly locals to the latest Mexican-inspired house music at this two-story venue with a nightclub and rooftop lounge.

17. Eat late-night cheeseburgers at Hamburguesas a la Parrilla

Want a break from late-night tacos? Hamburguesas a la Parrilla is an excellent choice. The food stall on the corner of Colima and Morelia serves up juicy cheeseburgers at an excellent price. We made the mistake of sharing just one.

We hope you enjoyed these fun things to do in Roma Norte!


Bonus: Our top hotel picks in Mexico City

For location, we recommend staying in the Condesa or Roma neighbourhood. All three of these places offer a boutique feel with exceptional design:


Get started on booking your trip to Mexico City

  • 🌃 Book your accommodation: Booking.com is our go-to for finding places to stay. Sort by top reviewed.
  • 🌮 Browse tours with local guides: through GetYourGuide or Viator
  • 🛫 Book your flight: use Skyscanner to compare flights across different airlines (we recommend booking direct with the airline however).

Don't miss our other Mexico City guides:


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