This is the first in a series of blog posts on cafés in different colonias in Mexico City, with the emphasis on being suitable for digital nomads/travel bloggers, or those simply looking for a good place to come and read for a while.
This one features cafés that I like to come to, to get some work done, in the Bohemian neighbourhood of Roma Norte. The second post is now live and features coffee shops in Juárez.
Digital Nomad Cafes Requirements
It’s rare to find a café these days that doesn’t have free WiFi, so every establishment has the potential to be a café for digital nomads/travel bloggers.
Just make sure that you use a VPN before connecting.
The hardest part is finding a coffee shop that is conducive to getting some work done.
Cafés here in Mexico City can be on the small side, so they can get full very quickly, and I wouldn’t want to be called a laptop squatter nursing a single coffee for hours on end. I am also trying to make something of this blog on a 10-hour workweek, so 2 hours is enough for me.
Noise can be an issue, whether it comes from the street or the sound system. Both are OK, but not when I am trying to concentrate on my latest blog post or another chapter in a Hemingway novel.
Another requirement for those working online is access to a power socket. I know laptops last ages these days, but say you forgot to plug it in the night before. Some cafés have this sorted, some not.
And lastly, the coffee. Sadly, this can be hit and miss. Many cafés try so hard but fail to deliver.
So, I’ve narrowed my personal favourite cafés in Roma Norte that I like to frequent when I need a change from sitting at home.
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1. Café Trucha
The Café Trucha, just off the Plaza Río de Janeiro, has to be one of the cutest cafés in Roma Norte. I love the wooden decor and the layout inside. They have a few tables outside, too. They have power sockets under the benches, they bring you a glass of water, they make baguettes, croissants and cookies. It gets busy though.
Location: Plaza Río de Janeiro 53-Local 2, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX
- Instagram: @cafetrucha
2. Cardinal Casa de Café
Good coffee, although that’s very much a personal preference. They also have a Chai Latte. There is a small selection of cookies and pastries. The WiFi works well, the chairs are comfortable and if you are looking to get somework down, there are a few power sockets and the music ain’t too loud.
The glass of water is a nice touch.
Location: Córdoba 132, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX
- Facebook: Cardinal
- Instagram: @CasaCardinal
3. Furniture Music
I’d been here a few times for breakfast with my wife. The coffee is amazing, as are the little cakes. So I came back to test the location with a view to getting some blogging done. Zacatecas is a pretty quiet street, and the music is soft. The interior is old-style, which I love.
Location: Zacatecas 17, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX
- Instagram: @furniture_music_cdmx
4. Qūentin Café
They have 5 locations in Mexico City. I chose the one on Av. Alvaro Obregon. Having stopped drinking coffee, I need a place that offers Chai Lattes. And the Qūentin Café didn’t disappoint. They offer filtered coffee from Bolivia, Rwanda and Kenya, Rooibos tea, Oolong and Dirty Chai.
Location: Av. Álvaro Obregón 64, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX
5. Libertario Coffee Roasters
This is one of the most spacious cafés that I have been to in Mexico City. They also have three locations in Bogota and one in Cartagena. Possibly, it is one of the few cafés that were set up with the digital nomad in mind. Many are on conference calls, having meetings. And these are locals, not gringos. Nice Rooibos tea by the way. 6 days no coffee.
Location: Plaza Luis Cabrera 16, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX
- Website: https://libertariocoffee.mx/
- Facebook: Libertario Coffee Roasters México
6. Boicot Café
This is my first time here, for the purpose of this blog post. They have two branches in Polanco and one in Condesa. I am in the one in Roma Norte. They have this rather funky orange lighting and some nice alternative music playing. Nice atmosphere.
They have a full food menu too, with all the great desayuno options, pizzas, croissants, pan au chocolate. For drinks, they have lots of cold brews on offer and even a Matcha Bar, which is catching on big time.
Location: Jalapa 99, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06170 Ciudad de México, CDMX
- Website: https://boicotcafe.com/
- Facebook: BoicotCafé
7. Café Memorias de un Barista
Good coffee here. The cake I tried was also extra yummy. I like to come here to read, to escape from the blog, though it is an excellent option as a Digital Nomad Café too.
Location: Frontera 83, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX
- Website: https://www.memoriasdeunbarista.com/
- Facebook: Memorias de un Barista
8. Ocelote Café
I came across the Ocelote Café on one of my daily walks, and I came back with my laptop. Cute setting. Had the masala chai. Fast WiFi, as is the norm here in Mexico City, and sockets on the wall.
Location: Álvaro Obregón, Calle Huichapan 298, 06140 Ciudad de México, CDMX
- Facebook: Ocelote Café