Mexico City Specialty

This legendary churrería has been open in the same locale in the Centro since 1935 when the Spanish owners bought the property and imported the Spanish fried-dough delicacy to Mexico. They've been going ever since, in the same old building, with floor to ceiling tiled interiors, and the same menu of churros and four hot chocolate varieties. There are a couple of new specialties on offer, including their take on the ice-cream sandwich, but nothing beats dipping a plain churro into a mug of hot chocolate.

It was only a matter of time before Mexico City got its own fair-trade artisanal café chain, and this teensy one couldn't be more on point when it comes to sustainability. As the name implies, the perfectly roasted and brewed espresso comes from a small grower in the state of Veracruz, which is famous for its coffee. Fittingly, they serve up a great café con leche, a warm and sweet milky coffee drink that's famous in that part of the country, along with cappuccinos, matcha lattes, chai teas, and more.

Freshly squeezed fruit juices are a regular part of everyday life in Mexico city. You can buy them by the liter at any local market, and with fruits like guava, pitahaya, and watermelon, the variety of combos is hard to beat. So it was only a matter of time before someone came along and made it all a bit healthier. At Ojo de Agua, they make fruit juices fresh from the ingredients in their rustic, market-like display, along with the healthier, green juice options—many with cactus leaf—ginger shots, and the like. In addition to the juices, their menu of super fresh salads and veggie sandwiches come as a nice relief from the tacos and tortas that make up most every other day's dining.

So this isn't a specialty shop at all: it's actually a tour company that organizes several monthly food tours in the Centro Histórico (and will lead you to some of the best specialty shops and purveyors). They've done an amazing job of finding rad street food stands and old-school treasures, and creating a totally enlightening tour that doesn't feel trite or touristy in the least. It's worth booking ahead as their small expeditions fill up quickly.

This is one of the most beautiful candy shops in Mexico, if not the world. In the same spot in the Centro for over a century, the space itself is a relic from a time past: The wooden display cabinets, baroque-style mirrors, and even the sign haven't changed in over 100 years. The sweets haven't changed much either, as the Dulceria is one of the only places where you can still find such an array of traditional sweets from cajeta, to mazapan, to cocadas, to an insanely sweet, perfectly moist pay de rompope (eggnog cake).

The Condesa locale of this authentic soda fountain and sorbet (nieve) shop has been around since the late 1940's, serving up light sorbets, milkshakes, and ice cream sundaes. Today it remains pretty much unchanged and totally retro, with the addition of a few well-executed replicas in other Mexico City neighborhoods. While they'll put together a mean banana split, a single scoop cone of any of their sorbets (lemon, mandarin, mamey, chicozapote, melon, pineapple, etc.) hits the spot.

You'll be lucky if you can grab a seat at this charming and teensy hole in the wall, but you can always take their incredible pastries and snacks to-go on a walk around the Roma. The Panadería is an extension of the acclaimed Italian restaurant Rosetta, where chef Elena Reygadas was churning out European breads and pastries of such quality, that its own separate bakery (now two) was in order. The croissants, cinnamon rolls, ricotta rolls, and focaccias are pretty perfect, and a nice break from the traditional Mexican classics.

This widespread franchise of kitschy popsicle and sorbet stands is a classic (and especially fun for kids). They experiment with plenty of fruit flavors, like maracuya, guava, mamey, walnut, and the like, though nothing beats a simple lemon popsicle.

Many traditional Mexican pastries like the Concha and the Oreja can be traced back to French origins, so this pretty Parisian-inspired café makes perfect sense. Here, coffees, Mexican egg breakfasts, and perfect pastries are served in the airy dining room and outside on a leafy, secluded corner in the Condesa. Besides the bread, the best thing about this place are the old-school pinafores and lacy aprons that the bakers wear. There's a second location in Polanco.

A fun take on the traditional covered markets, the Mercado Roma is a one-stop-shop for indie gourmet snacks. Here, many of the city's up-and-coming chefs and food brands have set up shop selling everything from fresh juices, to fair-trade coffee, Spanish tapas, classic Mexican snacks, and more. Always crowded at lunch time, visitors can take a spin, choose their treats, and try and find a spot at the wooden communal tables stationed at the back.