“A real visual spectacle. It is the largest flower market in Mexico and is open 24 hours a day. This is where many other markets and florists are supplied. I like to visit it at different times of the year and appreciate how the flowers change according to the seasons. Around the Day of the Dead, for example, I am always fascinated to see how the orange of the cempasúchil and the intense pink of the velvet flood the more than 1000 stalls of the market.”

“This is a very special market, located in the historic center of Mexico City. In the 1930s, Diego Rivera led a project with young artists to paint the walls of the interior of the building (one of those young people was Isamu Noguchi!). For me, it’s a unique experience to be able to appreciate a great example of Mexican muralism while you shop, drink a juice, or eat.”

“One of my favorite activities is to go on Sundays to tour the Lagunilla stalls. You can find everything from very rare antiques to the kind of tablecloths that grandmothers used to have in their homes. I’ve always been passionate about secondhand objects, but here I have also been able to find old tableware or glassware made with techniques and materials that are no longer used today. Many of those objects are in my restaurants today.”

“On this corner of the Roma neighborhood, very close to the bakery and the restaurant Rosetta, is Don José Manuel’s stand, which serves a delicious Jalisco-style birria ideal for lunch.”

“This taqueria is a must if you are looking for some good tacos late at night. In the daytime, it’s a mechanical workshop, and for the last 30 years, in the evenings they’ve served some delicious tacos al pastor.”

“Visiting the Museo Nacional de Antropología is a chance to explore the ancient history of Mexico and learn a little about the country’s immense cultural diversity. The museum is in the Chapultepec Forest, one of the largest urban forests in the world, which has many other attractions, such as the Cárcamo de Dolores, the Chapultepec Castle, or the pedestrian bridge designed by the contemporary Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco.”

“In recent years, Mexico has been at the forefront of contemporary art. The Kurimanzutto gallery has played a fundamental role in this story. It represents a large number of great artists from Mexico and the whole world. They always have wonderful exhibitions. When I go, I try to have enough time, because I am always caught by the fascinating selection of books they have in their bookstore at the entrance.”

“Perla Valtierra is a designer and ceramist who is in dialogue, in a fascinating way, with the long tradition of Mexican ceramics. She works directly with communities of artisans in the Bajío area, where she makes her pieces by hand using natural materials and local techniques. Both in my Rosetta restaurant and in my house, we use their dishes. I think they are beautiful.”

“This is one of my favorite places to go out for a drink in the city. The selection of mezcals is amazing, but you can also try other agave distillates that are not so well known, like sotol or bacanora. The best part is that you can accompany your drink with something to snack on from their delicious food menu.”

“Before European colonization, what we know today as Mexico City was a city in the middle of several lakes. Unfortunately, most of these lakes have dried, which makes visiting Xochimilco a privilege. It allows us to understand the complexity of Mexico City and, very importantly, to know a very old and sustainable agricultural system: the chinampas, which are small floating islands made with logs and mud from the bottom of the lake, in which multiple species were cultivated in the form of corn.”