Quick answer
Mexico City's coffee shops range in price, but Almanegra, celebrated for locally sourced beans, is a top recommendation for coffee aficionados. This guide, based on extensive Reddit research, highlights cafes favored by both locals and seasoned coffee travelers, showcasing the city's underrated coffee culture.
- Best overall
- Almanegra
- Top pick
- Almanegra
Top verdicts
- Almanegra: / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- Café Avellaneda: / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- Blend Station: / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
Mexico City might be the most underrated coffee capital in the world. Redditors who've been to Portland, Melbourne, and Tokyo say CDMX rivals them all, with one crucial advantage: Mexico grows the coffee.
Area map
All 12 spots at a glance
| # | Name | Style | Price | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Almanegra | natural-process | mid | Unknown |
| 2 | Café Avellaneda | pioneer-specialty | budget | Unknown |
| 3 | Blend Station | coffee-/-brunch | mid | Unknown |
| 4 | Buna | roastery-/-tours | budget | Unknown |
| 5 | Drip | natural-/-fermentation | budget | Unknown |
| 6 | Cardinal | late-night-coffee | budget | Unknown |
| 7 | Café Passmar | barista-school | budget | Unknown |
| 8 | Tormenta | street-cart | budget | Unknown |
| 9 | Memorias Café | carbonic-maceration | budget | Unknown |
| 10 | LA Esencial | restaurant | budget | Unknown |
| 11 | Café Reevolución | bookshop-cafe | budget | Unknown |
| 12 | Cucurucho | flat-white | budget | Unknown |
1Almanegra
Natural ProcessQuick comparison
- Best for
- Natural Process in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Natural Process
- Price / value
- $60–$120 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Almanegra is a featured pick in this guide.
2Café Avellaneda
Pioneer SpecialtyQuick comparison
- Best for
- Pioneer Specialty in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Pioneer Specialty
- Price / value
- $50–$100 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Café Avellaneda is a featured pick in this guide.
3Blend Station
Coffee / BrunchQuick comparison
- Best for
- Coffee / Brunch in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Coffee / Brunch
- Price / value
- $60–$130 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Blend Station is a featured pick in this guide.
4Buna
Roastery / ToursQuick comparison
- Best for
- Roastery / Tours in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Roastery / Tours
- Price / value
- $50–$100 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Buna is a featured pick in this guide.
5Drip
Natural / FermentationQuick comparison
- Best for
- Natural / Fermentation in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Natural / Fermentation
- Price / value
- $55–$110 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Drip is a featured pick in this guide.
6Cardinal
Late-Night CoffeeQuick comparison
- Best for
- Late-Night Coffee in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Late-Night Coffee
- Price / value
- $50–$100 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Cardinal is a featured pick in this guide.
7Café Passmar
Barista SchoolQuick comparison
- Best for
- Barista School in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Barista School
- Price / value
- $40–$80 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Café Passmar is a featured pick in this guide.
8Tormenta
Street CartQuick comparison
- Best for
- Street Cart in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Street Cart
- Price / value
- $40–$80 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Tormenta is a featured pick in this guide.
9Memorias Café
Carbonic MacerationQuick comparison
- Best for
- Carbonic Maceration in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Carbonic Maceration
- Price / value
- $50–$100 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Memorias Café is a featured pick in this guide.
10LA Esencial
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- Restaurant in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant
- Price / value
- $45–$90 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- LA Esencial is a featured pick in this guide.
11Café Reevolución
Bookshop CafeQuick comparison
- Best for
- Bookshop Cafe in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Bookshop Cafe
- Price / value
- $50–$100 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Café Reevolución is a featured pick in this guide.
12Cucurucho
Flat WhiteQuick comparison
- Best for
- Flat White in Unknown
- Strengths
- Known for Flat White
- Price / value
- $55–$120 MXN
- Why it made the list
- / \s* The Verdict: (.*?) /s
- What to order
- Cucurucho is a featured pick in this guide.
Frequently asked questions
What neighborhoods have the best coffee scene in Mexico City?
Roma Norte and Condesa are the heart of specialty coffee, with newer scenes building in Juárez, Centro Histórico, and Coyoacán. Roma Norte alone has 15+ specialty roasters within walking distance.
Where does Mexican specialty coffee come from?
Most beans on third-wave menus come from Veracruz, Chiapas, or Oaxaca — Mexico is one of the world's largest organic coffee producers. Look for single-origin offerings to taste regional differences; Chiapas tends toward chocolatey notes, Veracruz toward bright citrus.
What's a typical price for specialty coffee in CDMX?
Espresso runs 35–55 MXN ($2–3 USD); pour-overs and lattes 55–90 MXN. Cheaper than major US cities but pricier than diner coffee in Mexico. Tipping 10% is appreciated.
Should I order café de olla or specialty coffee?
Both — they're different experiences. Café de olla is traditional pot-brewed coffee with cinnamon and piloncillo (raw cane sugar), best at fondas and traditional spots. Specialty cafes focus on filter methods (V60, Aeropress, Chemex) showcasing single-origin Mexican beans.
Are these cafes good for working remotely?
Roma Norte cafes are remote-worker friendly — most have wifi, plenty of seats, and a relaxed all-day attitude. Some (Cardinal, Buna) have specific co-working areas. Avoid peak brunch hours (Sat-Sun 10 AM–1 PM) when seating gets tight.
Do these shops sell beans to take home?
Yes — most third-wave shops roast their own and sell 250g/500g bags. Prices range 250–450 MXN ($14–25 USD) for a 250g bag of single-origin beans. Cardinal, Café Avellaneda, and Buna all roast on-site.