La Roma
Located in the Cuauhtémoc borough, La Roma is a district that includes the neighborhoods of Roma Sur and Roma Norte.
Few people know that La Roma is intimately connected to the circus world. The district was built at the beginning of the 20th century according to the plan of circus owner Walter Orrín. After the end of his career as circus manager, Walter started working in real estate and, together with American engineer Cassius Clay Lamm and his son Lewis Lamm, designed a new neighborhood that was going to be an upper class favorite.
The neighborhood might owe its name to the Romita paddocks that were previously located here. The streets of Roma Sur and Roma Norte were named after the Mexican states / cities the Orrín circus passed through on its tours.
1. What to see
1.1. The historic buildings
1.2. The green spaces
1.3. Museo del Objeto del Objeto (MODO)
2. Where to eat
2.1. Madre Café
2.2. Potzollcalli
2.3. Mercado Roma
2.4. Café Memorias de un Barista
2.5. Amelia Pastelería Mexicana
What to see
📷 The historic buildings
Casa Lamm
La Roma abounds in architectural gems and many buildings have been declared historic landmarks by the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura, INBAL), which means they cannot be demolished nor altered. 10% of the buildings that comprise Mexico's historic landmark list are located in La Roma.
The architectural styles you will see here are diverse, from Belle Époque and Art Nouveau to Art Deco and neo-colonial. These are the most famous buildings of La Roma, declared historic landmarks by INBAL:
🏠 Casa Lamm (1911) - Avenida Álvaro Obregón 99, Roma Norte
🏠 Edificio Balmori (1922) - Calle Orizaba 101, Roma Norte
🏠 Edificio Río de Janeiro (1908) - Plaza Río de Janeiro 56, Roma Norte
Edificio Río de Janeiro, also known as Casa de las Brujas (the Witch House)
📷 The green spaces
Although smaller and less touristic than the parks of La Condesa, the gardens, parks and plazas of La Roma are no less charming and they add to the bohemian atmosphere of the district. The green spaces are many, but the main parks are:
🌳 Jardín Alexander Pushkin
🌳 Jardín Ramón López Velarde
🌳 Plaza Río de Janeiro
🌳 Plaza Luis Cabrera
🌳 Plaza Romita
🌳 Huerto Verde de la Roma (open from 10 am to 7 pm daily)
It is a wonderful urban garden born out of the desire to make the space that it occupies not only greener, but more connected with the community too. After the earthquake of 1985 that caused the collapse of several residential buildings here, this area of over 75,347 ft² (7,000 m²) became an abandoned site that was brought back to life in 2012, when Francisco Ayala started this environmental project. Whether you'd like to take a long walk around the vegetable patches or take part in a sweat lodge ceremony (temazcal), this urban oasis will offer you a unique experience. Check out their event / activity list 👉here.
📷 Museo del Objeto del Objeto (MODO)
10 am - 6 pm Tue-Sun
Entry fee: 60 MXN
The Museum of the Object of the Object boasts a collection of over 30,000 items from the world of advertising and graphic arts. If you are into pop culture and modern art you will love this quirky museum. See the current exhibition 👉here.
Where to eat
For breakfast:
Madre Café
📍 Cerrada Orizaba 131, Roma Norte
📅 8 am - 12 am Sun-Wed
8 am - 1 am Thurs-Sun
💚 Try: omelette con flor de calabaza (squash flower omelet)
For lunch and dinner:
Potzollcalli
📍 Avenida Cuauhtémoc 249, Roma Norte
📅 8 am - 10 pm daily
💚 Try: mega gringa chilanga (wheat flour tortilla sandwich with steak, chorizo, bacon, onion, cheese and guacamole)
Mercado Roma
📍 Calle Querétaro 225, Roma Norte
📅 9 am - 2 am Mon-Fri
10 am - 9 pm Sun
📜 Mercado Roma is the first gourmet market ever opened in Mexico City. You will find a wide variety of dishes, from hamburgers and Spanish tapas to Mexican favorites like tacos and pozole. See the map of the market and the food stalls 👉here.
For coffee:
Café Memorias de un Barista
📍 Frontera 83, Roma Norte
📅 9 am - 9 pm Mon-Fri
10 am - 9 pm Sun
For dessert:
Amelia Pastelería Mexicana
📍 Calle Chiapas 114A, Roma Norte
📅 12 pm - 9 pm Tue-Sat
12 pm - 8 pm Sun
Ecobici (bike share program) station on Calle Jalapa