Markets in Mexico City: Saturday in the Roma

By Julie Meade, author of Moon Mexico City

Saturday is for markets in Mexico City! Several unique and interesting weekly markets set up in the Roma on Saturday mornings, making it the perfect day to visit this excellent shopping district. Here’s how to make the most of your day.

three people sitting on the edge of a fountain — Plaza Luis Cabrera sits in the heart of the Roma neighborhood. Photo © Julie Meade.

Morning

There’s often a wait for Saturday brunch at star chef Eduardo Garcia’s casual eatery Lalo, where diners tuck into avocado toast or chilaquiles on the sidewalk or at the long communal table inside. From there, walk a few blocks east to the Mercado de Cuauhtémoc, a weekly vintage market held in the Jardín Dr. Ignacio Chávez, on the border of the Roma and the Doctores neighborhood. Though not as well-known as the antiquities markets in La Lagunilla and the Plaza del Ángel, this weekly flea has some top-notch vendors and, often, excellent finds for sharp-eyed shoppers.

After the market, take your treasures out for a coffee at unpretentious, top-notch café Cardinal, on Córdoba. After that, walk along the Roma’s main corridor, Álvaro Obregón, which is filled with creaky old bookshops, hip cocktail bars, and 19th-century mansions. Stop inside the art gallery and bookshop at multidisciplinary cultural center Casa Lamm.

Next, walk south along Orizaba, wandering past the shaded fountains in the Plaza Luis Cabrera, then turning east on Campeche on your way to Huerto Roma Verde. This lovely urban garden and active ecological organization hosts a weekend market, where lots of vegetarian and locally produced snacks are on sale. Often, these markets have special themes, like the annual edible-insect tasting or their flagship Festival de Maiz, el Frijol, y Amaranto (Corn, Bean, and Amaranth Festival), in addition to garden’s frequent workshops, yoga classes, and speakers.

lalo restaurant — Grab breakfast at Lalo. Photo © Julie Meade.

Afternoon

Do like the local crowd and set aside a few hours for lunch— though first you’ll face the near-impossible task of deciding where to eat. If you don’t have reservations for Máximo Bistrot Local, line up next door for a table at Mi Compa Chava, an über-popular, always-bustling Sinaloan-style seafood restaurant.

After lunch, wander along the shady streets Colima and Orizaba, stopping in at funky skate shops and boutiques, like 180° Shop and Happening Store, or seeing what’s on show at Galería OMR or gallery/design shop Chic By Accident. On the street Córdoba, visit indie boutique and shoemaker Goodbye Folk, contemporary gallery Machete, or art-and-architecture-themed bookshop Casa Bosques. Top off the afternoon at Salon Rosetta, a tiny yet gorgeous second-floor bar above the Italian restaurant Rosetta, or at the craft cocktail haven Licorería Limantour. Order some bar snacks and linger, or head south to have tacos, tlacoyos, and a craft beer at Roma hot spot El Parnita.

market in mexico city — Mercado Roma is both a market and food court. Photo © Julie Meade.

Julie Meade

About the Author

Julie Doherty Meade grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and spent her childhood hiking, camping, and traveling throughout the Golden State. After graduating from college, she took her first trip to Mexico, where she was immediately drawn to the country’s warm people and fascinating culture. The following year, Julie returned to Mexico and decided to extend her stay indefinitely.

For almost ten years, Julie lived, worked, and traveled throughout Mexico. She saw Zapatista leader Subcomandante Marcos speak to a crowd in San Cristóbal de las Casas, helped run a fine art gallery in San Miguel de Allende, and taught English to five-year-olds in Mexico City. During her years in the capital, she was schooled in advanced Mexican slang, developed a strong affinity for early-morning café con leche in old Chinese coffee shops, and spent hours seeking out the best bookstores, most interesting architecture, and tastiest bites in the city’s diverse neighborhoods.

Julie is also the author of Moon San Miguel de Allende.

Learn more about this author