Where do you get serious specialty coffee in Mexico City?
Chiapas, Veracruz, and Oaxaca produce some of the most interesting coffee in the Americas. For years most of it was exported. In the last decade a serious specialty scene has grown up in CDMX around the beans that stay home.
- •Cardinal Casa de Café (Roma) and Buna (Roma/Juárez) are the two most consistently excellent roasters.
- •Ask for single-origin Mexican beans — Chiapas and Veracruz lots are what to try here.
- •Expect 60–90 MXN for pour-over, 45–70 MXN for espresso drinks.
- •The city runs on a slower morning — most serious cafés open at 8, not 6.
Cardinal Casa de Café (Roma / Condesa)
The most rigorous of the local roasters. Multiple locations, but the original Roma space is the one to visit. Their single-origin Mexican lots rotate seasonally.
Buna (Roma / Juárez)
The other pillar of the scene. Buna sources direct from producers in Chiapas and Veracruz and their espresso program is the most consistent in the city.
Cucurucho (Centro)
The one to hit if you are in the Centro Histórico — a tiny counter next to the Templo Mayor with excellent filter coffee and a serious pastry program.
Almanegra (Juárez / Roma)
Newer, more experimental. Their Colombian and Ethiopian lots are worth trying alongside the Mexican beans.
Common mistakes
- ✕Ordering an oat-milk vanilla latte at a serious pour-over bar and wondering why the barista is disappointed.
- ✕Skipping the Mexican beans in favor of Ethiopian. Come here for what grows here.
- ✕Assuming cafés open at 6 a.m. Most open 8–9.
Order a filter of the seasonal Chiapas or Veracruz lot at Cardinal or Buna. That's the CDMX coffee experience in one cup.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best coffee shop in Mexico City?
Cardinal Casa de Café (Roma) and Buna (Roma / Juárez) are the two most consistently excellent specialty coffee operations in CDMX. Both roast in-house, source directly from Mexican farms, and have well-trained baristas.
Does Mexico grow good coffee?
Yes. Chiapas, Veracruz, and Oaxaca produce coffees that regularly score in the specialty range (85+ on the SCA scale). Chiapas in particular is one of the most respected origins in the Americas for washed arabica.
What time do coffee shops open in Mexico City?
Most serious specialty cafés open between 8 and 9 a.m. and close by 8 p.m. A few (Blend Station, chain cafés) open earlier for the work-from-café crowd. There is no 6 a.m. coffee culture the way there is in New York.
Can I get oat milk in Mexico City cafés?
Yes, in any specialty café in Roma, Condesa, Juárez, or Polanco. Oat and almond are standard. Expect a 10–15 MXN surcharge.