La Condesa, or simply Condesa, is a very popular area of Mexico City, and probably my favorite. The parks, trees, walkways, and architecture here are beautiful, and there are a ton of good restaurants and cafes. Condesa means ‘Countess’, for the Countess of Miravalle who used to own much of it, and it’s actually composed of 3 different colonias, or neighborhoods.
Hipódromo
If you look at Parque Mexico on a map, you’ll see an elliptical street surrounding it that looks like a racetrack, which makes sense because it used to be one. Hipódromo means ‘racecourse’ in Spanish. The name of the street is Avenida Amsterdam, and to stroll the tree-lined median of it is a great way to spend a sunny morning or afternoon. The streets surrounding it are full of restaurants and shops.
Parque España
Parque España is a smaller, less grand version of Parque Mexico, and is only a couple of blocks away to the west. It’s a very nice park in its own right, and only lacks in comparison to its larger neighbor.
Colonia Condesa
Next to Hipódromo is the actual neighborhood of Condesa, which runs west almost to Chapultepec Park, and south to Avenida Michoacán. It gets quieter the further west you go, but there are some lively pockets here as well, and great opportunities for walking and eating.
Restaurants
There are a plethora of great places to eat and drink in Condesa, but here are a few that I especially enjoyed.
Rojo Bistrot sits in a beautiful spot at the upper west corner of the Hipódromo, and the menu kept pace with the ambience. On the upper west side of Condesa is Elena Reygadas’ well known and popular restaurant Lardo, which is always super busy so plan ahead.
El Pescadito and Tacos Don Juan are 2 taco restaurants near Parque España on either side of Calle Juan Escutia. The menu at Don Juan changes daily, and luckily it was carnitas when I stopped in. El Pescadito is for your seafood fix, and I especially enjoyed the Que-Sotote, which features a chile stuffed with cheese and shrimp.
If you’re in the quieter lower west corner of Condesa, stop in at Eva Sandwichería. I really enjoyed the service and the croque monsieur when I was there.
Coffee
Casa Melibea is a nice spot on the upper east side of the Hipódromo, and the Le Pain Quotidien next door to it is also good. The Starbucks on Alfonso Reyes is in cool building with lots of places to sit, and on on a corner at the west end of Michoacán is a smaller Starbucks which is pretty good for working.
Treats
Bendita Paleta & Gelato at the southwest corner of Parque España is the place I frequent the most. There are 2 Nevería Roxy locations in Condesa if you’re looking for an ice cream shop with more traditional Mexican vibes and flavors. Cookie D-oh at Michoacán and Tamaulipas is a tiny shop but sells big indulgences.
Groceries
The Walmart Express on Pachuca was the best option I found on the west side of Condesa, and the one on Michoacán near Parque Mexico was my go-to on the east.
Outdoor Gyms
My favorite workout spot here is on the south end of Parque España. There are gymnastic bars in addition to some machines, and there are usually a bunch of people boxing there in the mornings. There’s a similar spot in Parque Mexico which is also good, but it is usually busier than the one in Parque España.
If you’re on the west side of Condesa, there are exercise stations in Chapultepec Park near the entrance at Monumento Heriberto Jara, although you have to cross the highway and another busy street to get there.
