Coyoacán is a neighborhood known for its bohemian atmosphere and its coffeehouses – some of which have very questionable coffee. However, this small shop off the beaten path in a picturesque neighborhood is exceptional. Carlos de la Torre features coffee from different regions of Mexico and serves them using different brewing methods, including drip, Aeropress and French press, among others. We agree with the many experts who say Avellaneda serves the best coffee in Coyoacán.

A bare-bones café tucked into a small space in the hip Colonia Roma, Café de Raíz proudly represents the cuisine of Veracruz. Owner Mardonio Carballo has been preparing a simple but delicious breakfast and lunch menu from his home state since 2009. Carballo uses fresh Veracruz ingredients, starting with the coffee, which is of the highest quality. It’s a smart choice, since Veracruz is one of the main coffee-producing areas in Mexico – and some of the best roasts come from the state.

You can also find great coffee from Veracruz at the 70-year-old Café La Habana, once frequented by literary greats like Gabriel García Márquez and Octavio Paz. Legend has it Habana’s steaming cups fueled Fidel Castro and Che Guevara while they were planning the last stages of the Cuban revolution. As in many Mexican restaurants, it offers café lechero, a shot or two with hot milk, and one of our favorite drinks, the café bombón, a double cortado with a sprinkle of ground coffee.

Centro Histórico is living proof that millennials did not invent specialty coffee culture. One spot we’ve been visiting for years is inside Mercado de San Juan Pugibet, the city’s first gourmet stop par excellence. Café Triana’s Marilu and Pablo Arana started selling coffee in the market aisles before gaining enough popularity to open their own shop. Their house blend is an award-winning dark Italian roast made with beans from Veracruz’s Ocotepec. We love it in their convento mocha.

El Rincón Libanés (“The Lebanese Corner”), in a quiet part of Cuauhtémoc, serves the best Turkish coffee in the city. True to its name, this unpretentious establishment also serves excellent Lebanese food and desserts. The owner, a Lebanese immigrant, is always ready to serve with a smile and warm words.

This world-class coffee shop offers the northern suburb of Tlalnepantla an international coffee menu, ranging from Vietnamese egg coffee to Greek freddo. Their food offerings are equally diverse, featuring Mexican classics like chilaquiles alongside waffles and crepes. They also showcase Mexico's chocolate heritage with pre-Hispanic-style drinks using Chocolate Macondo products.

We head to this packed spot just a few blocks south of the Central Alameda park when we want a perfectly-brewed cup of Mexican coffee, without the third-wave pretense. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a speciality brew (French press, pour over, Japanese siphon, etc.) or cappuccinos, lattes and the like. They’ve got it all, and their house blend is a Oaxacan roast from the Pluma Hidalgo region, which you can also buy by the kilo.

Mercado Lázaro Cárdenas Local 37, Adolfo Prieto 250, Del Valle Norte Café Passmar, in Colonia Del Valle, another venue inside a market, has been serving some of the best lattes and espressos in Mexico City for more than 15 years. The house blend is a mixture of different roasts, all made from coffee beans cultivated in Mexico.

The neighborhood of Polanco is a destination for upscale shopping and dining, but it’s also host to a great selection of coffee shops. Right in front of Parque Lincoln is Café Joselo, a small venue with outside seating and great espressos and lattes. Their selection of crêpes and sweets is also very good.

This isn't your typical third-wave coffee shop with pour-over and wifi; El Jarocho has been a Coyoacán institution for more than 70 years. Grab a classic Mexican coffee like cinnamon spiked café de olla and café con leche in their trademark red, white, and green coffee cups, and linger on the wrought-iron benches. Coffee snobs may not be too impressed, but here is a taste of old-world Mexico City coffee culture with no-fuss efficiency.

More than hot chocolate, this cozy café serves ancient Mesoamerican cacao drinks. Try a Quetzalpapalotl recipe spiced with ginger, rosemary and cinnamon. Spice lovers will enjoy the chile-spiced options. The owner is passionate about sharing the traditional beverages known as “precious water.” He sells packets of ready-made powders for you to recreate the drinks at home. Though we prefer the shop, where books, chocolate pots, and cacao-grinding stones add to the historical heft.