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Neighborhood in Mexico City
Photo: Raystormxc, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Polanco refers to an area of Mexico City north of Chapultepec Park. It is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Mexico City and commands some of the highest real estate prices, and offers a wide range of upscale boutiques, restaurants and numerous art galleries.
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A small, nicely wooded park with a fascinating concrete sculpture in the middle; good place to stop and rest if you are tired of shopping.
A private museum and collection owned by Carlos Slim, one of the wealthiest man in the world, according to Forbes magazine. The collection includes art from many well-known European artists, including an extensive selection of works by Auguste Rodin, and the building was designed by Slim's son-in-law, architect Fernando Romero.
This privately-owned modern art museum houses an extensive collection of work by Mexican and international artists, including Orozco and Amorales, and hosts special exhibits. Cafe and restaurant. The museum has ramps and elevators for access for people with limited mobility, and have wheelchairs available for loan free at reception.
Large, very modern aquarium extending 5 floors below street level. 45 exhibition areas, including coral reefs, an Antarctic habitat for our tuxedo clad penguin friends, an enormous shark tank and many more.
Architecture and Design Center
Grand modern and neo-classical church built of granite in the 1940s. The church was built by the Augustinians and features many architectural adornments. Spectacular shell-shaped entryway, vaulted nave, and a bright interior lit by many stained glass windows. The church has some excellent modern religious art including mosaics and a series of more than 20 paintings by contemporary Polish-Mexican artist, Anna Zarnecki, that exemplify her unique style of using the triangle as a fundamental building block for her images.
An amphitheatre on the east side of Parque Lincoln. Varied schedule includes concerts, plays, dance and other performing arts.
Mexico City's home for horse racing, both thoroughbreds and quarter-horses. There are races nearly every day, the complex has different zones for different budgets including the original club-house and grandstand, with several restaurants and seating for 20,000 race fans.
Serves fish and shellfish in a casual and relaxed atmosphere. It is worth paying the slightly high prices due to the ample variety of shellfish that is found here and is not available at other places.
Although somewhat commercial (the restaurant is outfitted like an Argentinian ranch), this restaurant is well known for its exquisite cuts of beef. It's a meat lovers paradise, although vegetarians are catered for with delicious salads.
Contemporary Mexican cuisine in one of Mexico City's top restaurants, operated by celebrity chef Enrique Olvera. Reservations are a must and are usually made months in advance. Two stars in the Guide Michelin.
One of the oldest (and more traditional) Japanese restaurants in the city. The sushi is excellent as is the tepenyaki. There is another branch at Torres Adalid 14, Colonia del Valle.
The Centro Asturiano is where some of the Mexican-Spaniards gather. It has an excellent restaurant offering delicious Iberian treats. A second location is in Coyoacan.
Hip, bright, clean coffeehouse/bookstore with a wide selection of drinks, desserts, and light foods, plus shelves and shelves of (mostly Spanish-language) books and DVDs to peruse.
Some people call this the best place in the entire ciudad for traditional Mexican food. All of the tacos have a great flavor, and don't miss their mole sauce (even if on arroz). Bebidas buenoes - the horchata margarita and the cafe de olla are must haves. The restaurant is out of the way of the main Polanco area, but don't be fooled, it's usually busy so expect a wait.
Historic and cultural space that operates as a traditional Mexican restaurant specializing in brunch, but with a spectacular dinner menu as well. Set in a large historic hacienda dating from the mid 16th century, the opulent estate features several spacious dining rooms, along with event halls and an outdoor garden. The hacienda originally operated as an agricultural estate growing olives and mulberries. As the city grew, lands were sold and developed to become Polanco, though the great house remained as a residence of the Morales family until the 1960s when it was restored to its current form as a luxury restaurant and event space. The restaurant is particularly popular for Sunday brunch, accompanied by live Mexican music. It also hosts special events such as a traditional Christmas dinner and a New Years Eve dinner with dancing and a live orchestra. It is an opulent slice of genuine history and an experience: like having dinner with one of the old Spanish dons.
Contemporary restaurant with jungle motif. Innovative dishes and large, well-made cocktails. Start off with a selection of sushi or sashimi but save room because the steaks are huge. Big desserts are perfect for sharing.
Elegant restaurant with sophisticated menu featuring steaks and seafood. The colossal octopus and the wagyu beef steaks are favorites. The Taboo bar is a popular nightspot with DJs playing mostly electronic music, live musicians, and lively bartenders pouring creative drinks. Valet parking available.
Argentinian beef restaurant that also serves pasta and other dishes. Casual but expensive.
Elegant restaurant with valet parking, International menu.
Modern casual restaurant serving Indian cuisine.
Elegant dining in one of the city's top restaurants. Locally sourced ingredients are used to stylishly present nouveau Mexican cuisine. Dishes include a chilayote in mole sauce and seasonal offerings. Reservations are a must. Two stars in the Guide Michelin.
Celebrity chef Alejandro Ruiz grew up in Oaxaca and he celebrates his city's famed cuisine in this elegant traditional restaurant. Quesadillas stuffed with flor de calebaza are a great entrée, and the mole oaxaqueno is not to be missed. It is a deep black and redolent with chocolate and chile and its served over turkey (the traditional way rather than the modernized practice of using chicken). A Bib Gourmand selection in the Guide Michelin.
If you're an uber-billionaire landing your jet at Mexico City International at 3 in the morning, you are not going to one of the city's myriad late night taco shops no matter how bad the munchies hit you. Instead, you make a beeline to Au Pied de Cochon, a 5-star French restaurant in the heart of the city's ritziest neighborhood, where of course 5-star restaurants open all night, just like Denny's (if Denny's served escargot). Elegant dining, an extensive wine list, and all the classic French dishes at appropriately 5-star prices.
Upscale nouveau Mexican cuisine served in a space where the quality of the music and sound system is as important as the aesthetics of the dining room and the presentation of the food. Specializes in grilled meats cooked over wood coals.
Elegant Japanese restaurant specializing in fresh seafood. Try the totoaba, tuna and hamachi. Sake samplers available.
Innovative regional Mexican cuisine featuring locally sourced heirloom foods that Mexico City foodies find in certain mercados and tianguis that were revealed to a wider world through the writings of the late British food journalist, Diana Kennedy. Celebrity chef Alonso Madrigal uses the distinctive flavors of indigenous ingredients to meld with traditional Mexican cuisine to create a unique dining experience.
Trendy upscale restaurant serving Portuguese cuisine, like bolinho de bacalhau. Food is well cooked and portions are ample.
Popular bistro restaurant serving contemporary Mexican and international cuisine. The bone marrow tacos are recommended as is the sashimi. Occasional live music.
Elegant French restaurant with casual outdoor sidewalk dining available. Excellent choice for a romantic dinner or for a memorable breakfast. In-house bakery.
Comfortably elegant dining room where the kitchen serves authentic Italian pastas, pizza, steaks, risotto, desserts and more.
First class restaurant with elegant dining room serving kosher Mexican and Italian cuisine. Food is flavorful and service is friendly and efficient. Try the salmon carpaccio.
Classy restaurant serving seafood dishes, grilled beef, and Mediterranean cuisine.
Hearty breakfast fare that includes fresh juices, classic Mexican dishes like chilaquiles alongside bagels and traditional Jewish dishes. Anything on the menu can be made kosher by request (extra charge may apply).
A cool, relaxed place to have a drink and a nice chat. Average prices and good service.
Jaso is an ideal place for enjoying the finest Signature Cocktails in Mexico City surrounded by a cool ambiance.
Large warehouse bar attached to a Texas style barbecue restaurant. The bar has live music, comedians, drag queen shows and various other events.
The Roma location established a reputation as one of the world's best bars (named to "50 best" list), so the newer Polanco location has a high standard to live up to. Fortunately, it's far easier to reserve a table at this location than the one in Roma. Creative mixed drinks with an emphasis on tequila and mezcal. Requires at least a nominal food purchase to order drinks.
Exclusive upscale nightclub with pounding electronic music and multiple dance floors. Known for being hard to get into, especially if you don't look like you can afford to waste your money.
Popular coffee shop with hot and cold coffee drinks as well as light food, including breakfast favorites like avocado toast and chilaquiles, a brunch menu (often accompanied by live music), as well as pizza and sandwiches.
Small coffee shop on one corner of Parque Lincoln with both indoor and outdoor seating. A variety of hot and cold coffee beverages are available as well as light breakfast and lunch plates. Locals love the fresh-baked cookies and vegetarians will appreciate the vegan muffins.
Small coffee shop on the north side of Parque Lincoln with seating on 2 floors. A variety of hot and cold coffee beverages, but the Chai Latte is particularly recommended. A variety of baked goods are available and whole-bean or ground coffee is sold so you can brew the coffee at home.
Casual coffee shop with outdoor tables on the sidewalk which are dog-friendly. In addition to the outstanding hot and cold coffee drinks they have their own French bakery with a variety of rolls, muffins, and savory breads. They serve a highly acclaimed French toast at breakfast.
Casual coffee shop with an emphasis on espresso. Serves good breakfast and lunch plates. More laid back than most Polanco places (with fewer fresas).
This 5-star hotel combines modern architectural profiles with obvious pre-Hispanic pyramid reminiscences. Architecture students visit the hotel to study the cutting edge work of architect Ricardo Legorretta, but everyone else visits because it's one of the city's top hotels with first-class service, posh restaurants and bars, and luxuriously appointed guest rooms. It has been the headquarters for two soccer World Cups and for the Olympic Games.
Boutique hotel with a minimalist interior, the Habita Hotel has changed the style of the Mexican hotel industry. White and grey/steel is a common colour theme, elegant gray Mexican marble lining the bathrooms from floor to ceiling. Located on the rooftop terrace, the hotel's AREA bar remains among the city's most popular nightspots.
A local favorite that often gets overlooked amidst the grand hotels in Polanco, but still offers many of the amenities of larger hotels, but at a much better price. Pleasant furninshing and attentive staff round out a good deal. Across the street from República del Líbano garden (some rooms have garden views). Italian restaurant on premises.
Comfortable apartment hotel with large rooms in an older building. Off-street garage parking is available.
Large, modern apartments with full kitchen. Busy neighborhood near bars, restaurants, shopping. Family friendly, pet friendly.
Tastefully elegant traditional boutique hotel with a large urban park directly across the street. Excellent on-site restaurant.
Posh luxury hotel. 37 rooms and suites with upscale furnishings. On-site 5-star restaurant and on-site spa.
According to the editors of the Michelin Guide, the Pug Seal is Mexico City's top luxury hotel (it is the only hotel in the city with a Michelin Key designation). Housed in a 1940s era mansion in a residential area, the hotel features 20 rooms, each with unique features and furnishings. A full Mexican breakfast is served in the garden or on the terrace. Though expensive by Mexico City standards, the rates are a bargain compared to those of top luxury hotels in other countries.
Virgilio Hotel
Elegant hotel with restored art deco architecture and traditional upscale furnishings. Rooms are small but comfortably furnished with boutique toiletries. Dozens of sidewalk cafes and 5-star gourmet restaurants within 100 meters. English-speaking staff.
Large corporate hotel with spacious rooms, several restaurants and bars on site. Good breakfast including fresh fruit and sweet breads.
High-end home design shop selling artesanal Mexican decor, ceramics, and tapestries. The shop has its own design service that can help you select harmonious pieces to create a theme for your living spaces.
High-quality silver, silver tableware, hollowware and other objets d'art, all handcrafted in Mexico.
Museum store
Sells authentic Mexican folk art including eclectic trinkets that are not only visually appealing but an authentic piece of culture, often showing a humorous perspective on poverty, death, or other misfortune. The shop in Polanco is an extension of the official museum shop of the Museo de Arte Popular (MAP).
Sells butter-soft leather handbags and accessories.
Mid to high-end shopping mall with food court and cinemas. Shops include Zara, Mango, Carolina Herrera and Hugo Boss.
Glitzy, modern mall with several restaurants A Ferrari dealership is here.
Modest, dated mall
Middle class mall with modest stores such as Sears, has a food court, and cinemas. As of 2025, the mall is temporarily closed for renovations (more like a complete rebuild).
Huge classic department store where you can buy clothing, household items and an array of gourmet food and drinks.
Palacio de Hierro's Centro store is the historic flagship, but the Polanco store is very much the current flagship of the most upmarket Mexican department store chain. At 55,200 m² (594,168 sq ft), it is about half the size of Harrods or Macy's Herald Square, and as such, the largest department store in Latin America — perhaps the most luxurious as well. The chain promotes this branch as the El Palacio de los Palacios meaning "The Palace of (all) Palaces". The ground floor houses boutiques for global luxury brands, and on its other floors carries apparel both luxury and upper-mid-range brands; shoes, accessories, electronics, and home goods. Several full-service restaurants, a covered open-air food hall with branches of some of the city's popular trendy fast-casual eateries. Gourmet foods, wines and liquors for sale.
Every Saturday, a pop-up flea market and art fair takes place in Lincoln Park.
Eclectic bookstore with a widr-ranging selection of (mostly Spanish language) books with an integrated coffee shop serving hot and cold coffee beverages along with light food.
Mainstream bookstore with a good selection of Spanish language books, an excellent selection for kids, and a small section of English language books.
Eclectic independent bookstore in a restored mansion with an outdoor garden and terrace where you can sit and have coffee with light breakfast and lunch food. Classy background music and friendly staff make it a hidden gem for CDMX book lovers.
By bus
Metrobus line 7 runs along Paseo de la Reforma towards Campo Marte. From the stops at Ghandi or Auditorio, it is a short walk into Polanco.
By bike
Cycling is a good way to get around in Polanco, which has more than a dozen Ecobici loaner bike stations, including 5 along Av. Presidente Masaryk and 4 along Campo Eliseo.
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