Best Coffee in Mexico City's Historic Center: Historic Cafés, Café de Olla and Specialty Coffee
Century-old cafés, 24-hour coffee shops, churros with hot chocolate, café de olla and specialty bars, with addresses and walking times from Hotel Catedral.
Hotel Catedral
The best coffee in Mexico City's Historic Center comes in two styles: historic cafés that have been pouring café con leche with pan dulce for decades (Café de Tacuba, El Popular, La Pagoda, El Cardenal, El Moro), and a newer wave of specialty coffee bars on streets like Regina, Bolívar and 5 de Febrero. Every place in this guide is in the Centro and within walking distance of Hotel Catedral (Guatemala 16), right behind the Metropolitan Cathedral. For lunch and dinner, see our guide to where to eat in the Historic Center; this one is only about coffee, chocolate and bread.
Quick facts
| If you want... | Go to | Address | Walk from the hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee without leaving the hotel | Café Catedral | Hotel Catedral lobby, Guatemala 16 | 0 min |
| Coffee in the middle of the night | Café La Pagoda (24 h) | 5 de Mayo 10 | approx. 5 min |
| The 1912 classic | Café de Tacuba | Tacuba 28 | approx. 8 min |
| Café con leche since 1948 | Café El Popular (24 h) | 5 de Mayo 50 & 52 | approx. 8 min |
| Hot chocolate and conchas con nata | El Cardenal | Palma 23 | approx. 9 min |
| Churros and chocolate | Churrería El Moro | Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 42 | approx. 15 min |
| Specialty coffee | Desvelo, Nata, Café Regina, Centrina | See below | 8 to 20 min |
Walking times are estimates based on street distance from Guatemala 16. Hours change, so check each place's social media before you go.
Historic cafés in the Centro
The Centro's historic cafés are places for a long breakfast, waiters in uniform and café con leche served in a glass or a big cup. These are the ones that are still open and that we recommend to our guests.
- Café de Tacuba (Tacuba 28). Opened in 1912 and still has its old-style tiled dining rooms. Go for café con leche with pan dulce, the hot chocolate and the enchiladas Tacuba. Open daily from 8:00 am to 10:30 pm; no reservations, and weekends usually mean a short wait.
- Café El Popular (5 de Mayo 50 & 52). Running since 1948, between Palma and Isabel la Católica, and open 24 hours. This is the place for café con leche, tamales or enchiladas at any hour, at neighborhood-café prices.
- Café La Pagoda (5 de Mayo 10). Also open 24 hours, a few steps from the Zócalo. It serves breakfast, set lunches and Mexican plates such as tampiqueña steak, and it is the closest option to the hotel if you arrive late or leave very early.
- El Cardenal (Palma 23). Opened in 1969 and famous for hot chocolate frothed with a wooden molinillo and conchas (sweet buns) with fresh-milk cream. The Palma branch opens daily from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm; arrive early to skip the line at breakfast.
- Churrería El Moro (Eje Central 42, at República de Uruguay). Founded in 1935 and still in the same Talavera-tiled shop. Order churros fresh from the fryer with one of its chocolates: Mexican (light, with cinnamon), Spanish (thick), French or Swiss. It is open almost around the clock; Sunday hours may differ.
Specialty coffee in the Centro
Specialty coffee arrived in the Centro in recent years, in small bars that roast or select Mexican beans and brew by hand. These are the ones we were able to confirm:
- Desvelo Café (5 de Febrero 21). Coffee drinks and pastries, with a quiet terrace in an inner courtyard. About 8 minutes from the hotel, past the south side of the Zócalo.
- Nata Panadería (Simón Bolívar 86). A bakery with a good flat white; ideal for coffee with bread fresh from the oven.
- Café Regina (Regina 61). On the Regina pedestrian street, with cinnamon rolls and croissants; open into the evening.
- Centrina (Plaza de San Juan 15). Specialty coffee, mocha and orange cold brew, next to the San Juan Market.
- Café Villarías (between López and Ayuntamiento). A traditional coffee shop founded in 1942: not a place to sit, but to buy ground or whole-bean coffee to take home.
Mexican coffee: Chiapas, Veracruz and Oaxaca
Almost all the coffee you will drink in the Centro is Mexican, and it helps to know where it comes from. According to Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture, Chiapas produces about 40% of the country's coffee, followed by Veracruz and Puebla, with Oaxaca in fourth place.
- Chiapas: the largest producer, known for high-altitude coffee from the Soconusco and the Highlands.
- Veracruz: the Coatepec region, near Xalapa, is the best known.
- Oaxaca: coffee from Pluma Hidalgo is one of its most traditional names.
Specialty bars will tell you the origin of each bean; historic cafés usually serve a blend. To take coffee home as a gift, buy whole beans at a shop like Villarías.
What is café de olla?
Café de olla is Mexican coffee simmered with cinnamon and piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), traditionally in a clay pot that gives it an earthy flavor. It is served hot, sweet and without milk, and it is a breakfast and cold-afternoon favorite. You will find it at many traditional cafés and fondas in the Centro; ask, because it is not always on the menu. For a full Mexican breakfast, see what to order in our Mexico City food guide.
Near Hotel Catedral: our short list
If you are staying with us, these are the easiest options, from nearest to farthest:
- Café Catedral, in the lobby: coffee, espresso, pan dulce and sandwiches, daily from 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm, to stay or to go.
- Restaurante Catedral (Donceles 95): breakfast with coffee plus Mexican and international food, open daily from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm. For a buffet breakfast, see Buffet Luxe, 7:30 to 11:30 am.
- Terraza Bar: for the afternoon, with a direct view of the Metropolitan Cathedral's towers.
- Café La Pagoda, about 5 minutes away, if you need coffee at midnight.
- Café de Tacuba and Café El Popular, about 8 minutes away, for the classic Centro breakfast.
- El Cardenal, about 9 minutes away, on the way to Calle Madero.
FAQ
What is the oldest café in the Historic Center?
Of the places still open, Café de Tacuba (1912) is the oldest on this list. It is followed by Churrería El Moro (1935), Café Villarías (1942) and Café El Popular (1948).
Are there 24-hour coffee shops downtown?
Yes. Café La Pagoda (5 de Mayo 10) and Café El Popular (5 de Mayo 50 & 52) are open 24 hours, and Churrería El Moro is open almost around the clock. Check the hours before heading out in the small hours.
Where can I get hot chocolate in the Historic Center?
At Churrería El Moro, with churros, and at El Cardenal, with conchas con nata. Café de Tacuba also makes hot chocolate with cacao from the Soconusco region.
Where can I buy Mexican coffee beans downtown?
At Café Villarías, a traditional coffee shop between López and Ayuntamiento, and at the specialty bars, which sell their own beans.
Where to stay
To start the day with coffee facing the Cathedral, stay at Hotel Catedral, at Guatemala 16, 2 minutes from the Zócalo, with Café Catedral, Restaurante Catedral and the Terraza Bar in the same hotel. See our rooms, discover our hotel with a Cathedral view and book direct for the best rate and free cancellation up to 48 hours before arrival.
