Originally published as Matter & Meaning vol.002. This Journal edition has been adapted from the original mailing and includes selected content from the issue.

No place on earth has captured our attention as much as Mexico City when it comes to contemporary design and architecture. What draws us in is the sheer, unrestrained creativity—wild, material-driven, and unlike anything shaped by American or European traditions. Fueled by a vibrant cottage industry, minimal regulation, and a deep respect for craft, the city has become a space where bold ideas take physical form. This isn’t a comprehensive guide, but a highly considered one—drawn from our own time in the city. These are the studios, shops, restaurants, and streets that have stayed with us—and the ones we tell others not to miss.

01
EAT
Often named one of the best places to eat in the world, Mexico City makes a pastime of long lunches and bold, unforgettable flavors. More often than not, the dining experience is a total aesthetic immersion—hand-thrown ceramics, plants cascading from high ceilings, spaces as considered as the food itself.

Masala y Maíz
Located in Centro, this vibrant spot from Norma Listman and Saqib Keval blends Mexican, South Asian, and East African flavors into something entirely their own. One of the most unforgettable meals in the city.

Café Trucha
A tiny bistro in Roma, right off Plaza Río de Janeiro. Equal parts sidewalk café and neighborhood wine bar, Trucha is warm, casual, and quietly devoted to good food. We came for breakfast, stayed for lunch, and left with a cake recipe we still talk about. Their sister restaurant, Marmoto, is just next door.

Tetetlán
More than a restaurant, Tetetlán is an architectural experience. Built atop volcanic rock on Barragán’s Jardines del Pedregal property, its glass floor reveals the lava rocks and plants beneath. The former stables now house a café, listening library, cultural center, and a beautifully curated shop featuring local pottery, textiles, and design. Go before or after a visit to Barragán’s Casa Pedragal next door.

Maque Cafe
A neighborhood staple with an old-school charm, Café Maque is known for its fresh conchas, long lines, and bakers in pinafores and lacy aprons

Molino El Pujol
From Enrique Olvera, Mexico’s most celebrated chef and the force behind Pujol—often cited as one of the best restaurants in the world—Molino offers a completely different experience. A casual, sidewalk spot where you eat with your hands or sit on benches—but the reverence for ingredients is the same. Everything centers on the tortilla. Maíz from Oaxaca is ground on-site and made into blue, yellow, and red tortillas. The menu is small, simple, and always changing.

Tacos
Street tacos are everywhere—our favorite way to eat a taco. But if you’re after something more formal, El Parnita and Taquería Orinoco are excellent options.

Tamales Madre
An eight-seat spot dedicated entirely to the art of tamales. Made with heirloom maíz from Oaxaca, the menu balances simplicity with complexity—some recipes include up to 140 ingredients. The walnut and cacao tamales are unforgettable. Quiet, elegant, and unlike anything else.

02
EXPERIENCE
Mexico City reveals itself through its spaces—museums, architecture, and an unexpected abundance of greenery. One of the most park-filled cities we know, it’s defined as much by leafy promenades as by volcanic stone temples and the saturated hues of Barragán’s architecture. Together, they reflect the country’s wildly creative approach to space, material, and color.

Parque México & Avenida Ámsterdam
CDMX is surprisingly green—trees spilling over sidewalks, buildings half-swallowed by plants, and quiet public gardens woven throughout the urban fabric. Parque México is one of its most beautiful, and the leafy promenades of Avenida Ámsterdam are the perfect way to explore Condesa.

Museo Anahuacalli
Built by Diego Rivera to house his vast collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts, the museum itself is a volcanic stone temple, designed by Juan O’Gorman to reflect Mesoamerican principles of the underworld and regeneration. From the architecture to the works, the museum is astonishing.

Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo
Tucked into the trees of Chapultepec Park, the museum’s low-slung, brutalist form blends seamlessly into the landscape. A quieter, more contemporary counterpoint to the Museo Nacional de Antropología (Mexico’s most important museum), its collection bridges major international voices and emerging Latin American artists—often negotiating the complex terrain of identity, politics, and place.

Casa Estudio Luis Barragán
There’s no shortage of Barragán’s work to see in CDMX, but if you can only visit one, make it this. Built in 1948, the architect’s former home and studio is now a museum and one of the most important works of modern architecture in Latin America. Reservations are required and often book well in advance.

MASA Galería
MASA began as a nomadic exhibition platform. Now with a permanent space, the artist-run gallery continues to push the boundaries of art and design. Here, Mexican artists explore the conceptual limits of functionality.

03
SHOP
Over the past decade, CDMX has seen an explosion of work that draws on Mexico’s rich history of craftsmanship and vibrant cottage industry—reimagined through the eyes of contemporary designers. Decidedly and uniquely Mexican, this work reflects a shift toward local traditions and landscapes.

Studio IMA
Part gallery, part apartment, Studio IMA offers an intimate setting for discovering design. Located in Roma Norte, it showcases collectible furniture, objects, and art from both local and international voices—alongside exclusive collaborations and limited editions you won’t find elsewhere.

Chava Studio
Bespoke shirting and suiting for women, crafted with the precision and care usually reserved for menswear. Each piece is made in partnership with a family-run shirting studio using fine textiles from some of the world’s most respected mills.

La Ciudadela
A sprawling weekend market and a great place to find figurines, silver, and ceramics.

Varon
Founded by Aaron Changpo, Varon draws on a 75-year family legacy of jewelry-making in Mexico City, reimagining it through gender-neutral forms that blur the lines between fashion and art. Each piece is handcrafted in the brand’s own atelier.

Perla Valtierra / txt.ure & Fundación Marso
Set behind a Beaux-Arts courtyard at Fundación Marso, these two showrooms explore the future of Mexican craft through contemporary design.

Chic by Accident
The city’s best source for antique and vintage Mexican furniture. From modernist icons like Don Shoemaker and Clara Porset to neo-Mayan revival pieces rich with detail, every object here tells a story

Casa Bosques
More than a bookstore, Casa Bosques is a curated space for art, design, and rare printed matter—featuring hard-to-find titles across architecture, fashion, photography, and theory. Founded by Rafael Prieto, it also serves as a platform for talks, performances, and collaborations with artists and publishers. The in-house chocolate is a side project that explores the history, process, and cultural rituals of cacao.

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