Mexico City: 'New York Times Journeys' Afternoon Food, Markets, Art Walking Tour

Allow us to introduce you to the Franz Mayer Museum, an often overlooked Mexico City attraction that quietly displays the largest collection of decorative arts in Latin America. You will learn about the museum’s origins as your guide directs you towards its most significant pieces. 

Ethical fashion is next on our agenda. Carla Fernández is an exciting contemporary designer who uses indigenous textiles and themes in her clothing designs. Carla’s studio is not usually open to the public.

Lose your fear of navigating Mexico City’s chaotic streets by hopping on the Metrobus with us. We will stop for lunch at Huerto Roma Verde, a funky community garden that grew out of a neighborhood ruined by the devastating 1985 earthquake. In a city as crowded as this, the garden focuses on sustainability and innovation through research and participation and is a wonderful example of turning blight into beauty.

Next we will visit Mercado Medellín (officially known as Mercado Melchor Ocampo). This bustling market may be small but it’s jam-packed with mouth-watering products from Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Peru and other Latin American countries. The exotic fruits and desserts are particularly popular but we are here for the ice cream! We will seek out Eugenio, a molecular biologist from Havana who, luckily for us, has turned his scientific thinking to ice cream. If you’re lucky, he will be the one serving. If we have time, we’ll make a quick stop to sample a beloved Latin American cocktail too.

From the traditional Mercado Medellín to the modern Mercado Roma, now Mexico City’s premier foodie destination. This neighborhood, Colonia Roma, is affectionately referred to by the locals as the ‘Magical Neighborhood’ because of its delightful array of restaurants, bars, cantinas and breweries. Among the beer, street food, sauces, wine and chocolate you can pick up at the market is Churreria el Moro, one of the oldest and most famous churrerías in all of Mexico. Here we will grab a cup of coffee or chocolate and a hot churro.

We will make our way towards the shop of David Pompa, where once again indigenous crafts are incorporated in innovative ways into contemporary fashion. Then, at Fábrica Social, a social enterprise that supports the work of female artisans, we will learn more about traditional Mexican artistry and sewing techniques.

Mezcal and the avocado are the international culinary stars of Mexican cuisine; drinks and dishes featuring these products have spread worldwide. We’ll taste them both at El Traspatio. 

Our final stop will take us a couple of blocks to La Docena, a restaurant owned by a group of friends from the state of Guadalajara. They own a vineyard in Baja whose brands are becoming well known in Mexico and beyond. We will taste the white or rosé (the barrel-aged white wine is likely to please even red wine lovers), alongside some superb Mexican seafood.