25 Best Restaurants in Roma Norte, Mexico City

After two years living here and eating out a LOT, I’m more than qualified to tell you about the best restaurants in the Roma Norte area of Mexico City.

La Roma is one of my favorite neighborhoods of Mexico City. While the food is a big part of this, other reasons include the leafy tree-lined streets, elegant architecture, and the fanciest selection of dogs you’ll ever see!

These are the places I recommend you don’t miss during your trip…

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If you’re flexible to extend your radius, see my guide to the best restaurants in La Condesa neighborhood

Best restaurants in Roma Norte, Mexico City

Most of the top places to eat are in Roma Norte (North), the hippest part of the neighborhood. However, you’ll also find nice places to eat in Roma Sur (South), the less gentrified and more residential section.

There’s also La Romita, a pleasant section on the edge of R Norte with some cool Mexico City cafes like Memories de la Barista.

Note – most of my suggestions are for lunch & dinner; I have a whole separate guide for brunch & breakfast in CDMX

Rosetta Restaurant

Rosetta Restaurant by Elena Reygadas (recently voted the world’s top female chef) is one of Mexico’s top restaurants. It’s not just me who thinks so: they’ve recently earned a Michellin star.

Expect creative cuisine with Mexican and international influences. Sea bass and sweet potato tamales are on the menu with luxe ingredients and inventive twists. I loved the hoja santa dessert with a sweet brittle you crack with a spoon.

Book well in advance on OpenTable because it’s mighty popular.

Alternatively, visit the Salon upstairs: it’s one of my favorite bars in Mexico City because you can order Rosetta snacks and desserts to accompany your cocktails (and it’s easier to get in without a ressy). Or enjoy coffee and a guava ricotta roll for 100 pesos across the road at Panaderia Rosetta – but be prepared to queue!

Contramar (best seafood restaurant in Roma Norte)

How many restaurants have a 4.9 / 5 rating on Google based on 20,000 reviews? Contramar is not just one of my favorite restaurants in Roma Norte but the whole city… if not the world!

The star dish is the pescado a la talla: a whole fish brushed with red and green salsas (made from chili and parsley) representing chef, Gabriela Camara’s Mexican and Italian roots.

Also worth ordering are the other dishes made from fish, octopus, shrimp, and fresh tuna including tostadas (from 80 pesos a piece), aguachiles, ceviches, and soups.

Bag an outdoor table if you can because it’s better than eating in the main dining room which is loud and crowded. As of 2024, they don’t seem to be taking reservations but you can walk by in the morning and reserve a table for later in the day.

Although we spent $60 US each on pescado a la talla, four tuna tostadas, a shared slice of fig tart, and two Aperol Spritz cocktails, it was well worth it. One of my favorite meals on earth!

Seafood fan? I like El Pescadito for casual tacos and Tres Galeones and La Zaranda for creative seafood tacos with drinks.

Fonda Fina

For authentic yet elevated Mexican fare, Fonda Fina is a great place to eat in Roma Norte with homey, laid-back decor.

Customize your meal by choosing from 8+ sides and salsas to accompany your main. The ‘drunk’ chili salsa with pulque is a hit!

Expect dishes like rib-eye steak, fish of the day, grilled octopus, and chile relleno (stuffed chili). Starters include tamalas, tlacoyos, tostadas and other classic Mexcian snacks.

Maximo Bistro

This is one of the top fine-dining restaurants in Roma Norte. Prices are high but diners will tell you it’s worth it. The food is exquisite from the presentation to the flavor pairings.

Expect dishes like truffle risotto and wagyu beef in black mole. They serve some of the best desserts in CDMX including chocolate caviar tart and their famous goat’s cheese and olive oil ice cream. Expect to pay 600+ for a main dish.

If you can’t choose, or want a memorable dining experience, the 8-course tasting menu will set you back around 3,500 pesos or 5,500 including wine pairings.

Paramo

I always suggest Paramo when someone wants tacos in a more atmospheric setting than standing at a street cart! It’s a cool restaurant where you can spend an evening with fantastic drinks and a wide range of tacos from meaty to vegan.

I love their seafood tacos. The ceviches are also delicious, served with fresh avocado and blue corn tostadas. The cocktails are just as creative, made with various Mexican spirits.

They don’t take reservations so have a drink at the bar while you wait.

Blanco Colima

If you’re considering both atmosphere and food, you can’t do better than Blanco. This iconic building on Colima, designed by Porfirio Diaz for his family doctor, is just as beautiful inside with high ceilings, elegant balconies, and endless plants.

Menu highlights include huitlacoche fondue, duck confit ravioli, and colorful tuna tostadas. Unlike some Mexican restaurants which can be meat-heavy, they have a good ratio of vegetarian dishes.

As you might expect, the cocktails are excellent, especially the tropical margarita. Main dishes start from 300 pesos.

Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre

Another of my favorite restaurants in Roma Norte is Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre. Featuring native Mexican corn at the heart of every dish, it’s a unique dining experience where the staff bring you courses until you ask them to stop.

There’s no menu but you can specify dietary requirements. We had six courses starting with these cute corn pigs below topped with fresh cheese, followed by Mexican morsels like huaraches, sopes, and enchiladas.

Getting a table is slightly complicated: I went by in the morning and they gave me a provisional table for 4pm but we still had to wait a while (they gave us free beers).

Note – it’s open from 10am-4.30pm on weekdays and 9am-7.30pm on Fri and Sat (closed Mondays).

It was surprisingly affordable at 500 pesos per person for six courses!

Orinoco

I’m in two minds about mentioning this place because, although it’s a tourist favorite, it’s VERY busy and according to many, overrated. Locals will tell you to eat anywhere else!

I’m mentioning it because Tacos Orinoco is iconic from its red and white interior to the long lines down the street at 1am. You might regret not seeing what the hype is all about!

I recommend ordering one of the pastor, res, and chicharron tacos and trying out the various salsas. An order of three comes with free crispy potatoes you can’t miss.

The restaurant on Alvaro Obregon has the longest lines so you may have better chances at the other Roma Norte restaurant on Yucatan.

More taco restaurants in Roma Norte

Because there’s more to the CDMX taco scene than Orinoco, here are the other taco restaurants I recommend. For street food stands, see my taco guide linked above.

Tacos Frontera – the first place I ever ate back in 2019 and still a winner with all kinds of typical Mexican dishes like tacos, gringas, birria, and queso fundido. It’s casual and affordable.
Taquería Álvaro Obregón – a busy local joint open for years serving tacos, tortas, gringas, volcanes, quesilladas etc.
El Pescadito – the best fish tacos in CDMX, if not the world! Top your fish or shrimp tacos with colorful sides and salsas at the serve-yourself bar.

Best international restaurants in Roma CDMX

From pizza to Thai, here’s where to eat in Roma Norte when you’re not craving local food…

Small plates: Marmota, Fugaz

For snacky small plates that are great for sharing with a group, I recommend:

Marmota – quality small plates with a short menu that changes monthly. Expect meat, seafood, and veggies with rich sauces and dips, best mopped up with toasted sourdough. It’s an atmospheric restaurant by Plaza Rio de Janeiro.
Fugaz – an intimate cafe serving a range of wines from 900 pesos a bottle including my favorite, orange wine! Food-wise, expect unusual ingredients (like manta ray and furikame) and don’t miss the shrimp tetalas in sweet potato puree.

Best tapas

On the topic of small plates, there’s a restaurant I recommend that focuses on Spanish tapas rather than international/Mexican fusion small plates as mentioned above.

For a tapas feast, check out La Oliva Tapas Bar in Roma Norte. Expect cheese and meat platters, patatas bravas, padron peppers and tortilla, washed down with affordable Spanish and Mexican wines (by the bottle or glass).

I’ve only been in the week when it was fairly quiet (we were the only guests) but I expect it’s more lively at weekends.

Pizza: Felix, Dr Pizza, Cancino

Although my friends and I have found CDMX lacking in quality Italian pasta (leave me a comment if you know somewhere!), there are tons of great pizza restaurants in Roma Norte and elsewhere.

Some of my faves are…

Pizza Felix – with amazing pizza (order the burrata one!) and an exposed-brick and neon interior that will impress any hipster, this is my favorite pizza place in the city.
Dr Pizza – with outdoor seating beside Plaza Popacaptl (although I’ve never eaten there because it’s my takeout fave when I’m feeling lazy), this cool restaurant serves classic and creative pizzas. I like the ricotta and flor de calabaza white pizza.
Cancino – more tasty pizzas with classic toppings and unusual ones like huitlacoche. There’s one by Plaza Luis Cabrera and another by the Fuente de Cibeles statue with outdoor seating.

Japanese: Kura, Mog Bistro, Gin Chan

I couldn’t pick just one! I’ve eaten at all these Japanese restaurants:

Kura – an atmospheric restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating (and private booths for groups). They serve all the Japanese dishes you can imagine including ramen, sushi, tempura, bento boxes, and decadent desserts featuring matcha and mochi.
Gin Chan – known for their fresh sashimi and omakase (chef’s choice menu), this is where to come for high-quality sushi.
Mog Bistro – a funky place to eat with authentic Japanese food and other Asian staples like pad Thai and dumplings.

Best Thai restaurants

A few of the best are…

Galanga Thai House – with a mention in the Michelin Guide, this upmarket eatery with stunning decor was one of the first Thai places in the city. Prices are undeniably high but the food is phenomenal: authentic and beautifully presented.
Kiin Thai-Viet Eatery – for a cheaper option, this is a cozy spot with Thai dishes like moo grob prick khing (spicy ginger curry) and a few Vietnamese favorites, too. It’s an atmospheric place to spend an evening with characterful decor.
Pad Thai – a casual eatery with huge plates of noodles. It’s not somewhere you’d linger for hours or pick for an atmospheric date night, but it hits the spot!

Best Middle Eastern restaurant – Jayi

One of my favorite Middle Eastern restaurants in CDMX (the other is Pat Patz in Juarez neighborhood) is Jayi hidden away on a quiet street in Roma Norte.

Kebabs, hummus, falafel, baba ganoush, stuffed vine leaves, and tabbouleh are all on the menu. Rich jocoque cheese is a tangy Mexican addition to quality Lebanese flavors. If you can’t choose, there are mixed plates ideal for sharing.

It’s not usually busy so you rarely need a reservation.

Best vegan restaurants in Roma Norte

Roma Norte is the vegan HQ. Although I eat meat, I’m a big fan of vegan food and aim to eat plant-based as much as possible. Here are my favorite vegan restaurants in Mexico City‘s Roma…

Plantasia

For delectable Asian food without animal products, you can’t miss Plantasia. Firstly, the dining experience is sublime with a gorgeous interior featuring plants and statues.

Secondly, the food is incredible. I love the various sushi dishes, momos, curries, and spicy rice cakes topped with watermelon. They have tasty desserts and alcohol-free and probiotic drinks including an iced butterfly pea tea that changes color as you stir.

Another newer vegan Asian restaurant in Roma Norte is Godzu. It doesn’t have the decadent interior of Plantasia but the food is just as tasty.

La Pitahaya

Insta-famous La Pitahaya is a casual restaurant serving beautifully presented Mexican food made from luxe vegan ingredients. I like the concept but it’s quite expensive.

Mix and match pretty pink tacos (195 pesos for three) or try one of the main dishes like mole mixteco (above) with banana and coconut cheese, rice, tortillas, and rich mole sauce.

However, if you want to try authentic meat-free versions of Mexico City street food dishes (and save money), it’s not the best. I suggest instead…

Por Siempre

Unlike some Roma Norte restaurants that have doubled in price during recent years, Por Siempre still serves five ‘al pastor’ tacos for 75 pesos. Bargain!

Choose from tacos, gringas, and tortas stuffed with faux meats replicating authentic Mexican dishes like chicharon, suadero, and milanesa. At these prices, you can choose a bunch without breaking the bank.

There’s a food truck on Calle Manzanillo and a casual sit-down restaurant around the corner.

Gracias Madre

Similar to Por Siempre, this hip restaurant serves creative meat-free dishes so vegans don’t miss out on the CDMX street food. Tacos, volcanes, gringas, quesadillas, burritos are all on the menu.

The restaurant on Tabasco is open from 9am-11pm and the food stand around the corner on Merida opens from late afternoon.

Taco Santo

Finally, I love this vegan restaurant in Roma Norte with just a couple of casual tables outside. If you’re not a fan of realistic fake meats, you may prefer the creative, fresh dishes served at Taco Santo Vegano.

We loved the ‘tuna’ tostada (pictured) with watermelon and the tacos filled with green chickpeas, jackfruit pibil, and mushroom pastor. You can also try Baja ‘fish’ tacos with crispy eggplant. Dishes start from 35 pesos. Bargain!

Thanks for reading!

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