The shrewd gaze of the art world will be fixed this week on Mexico City for the annual Zona Maco art fair, the international gathering of leading Latin creatives now in its 21st year.
Staged in the capital from February 5 to 9, the fair, with its contemporary, design, antique, and photography wings, assembles top global exhibitors for a see, be seen, admire, and buy event. It also serves as the sort of sun at the center of a solar system of soirées, with Mexico City’s vast constellation of galleries and museums throwing open their doors.
For those criss-crossing the city on a packed Art Week itinerary, The MICHELIN Guide is your best resource, here with choice restaurants nearby for when you need to refuel.
Zona Maco
The centerpiece of the Art Week festivities, spread across a sprawling floor of the Centro Citibanamex, has its own in-house dining pop-ups, including an offering from Chef Marion Chateau of the newly opened Hotel Humano in Puerto Escondido, from Grupo Habita. But for a sit-down outside of the hoopla, take an Uber to the next-door neighborhood of Polanco, which is filled with Guide favorites. Er Rre un Bistró is intimate and refined, like a dinner party at a collector’s apartment, and Entremar is a long-lunch seafood staple, with the same renowned tuna tostadas as its sister Contramar in Roma Norte, but there is a higher likelihood you’ll succeed with a walk-in.
Kurimanzutto and the galleries of San Miguel Chapultepec
The pocket parkside neighborhood of San Miguel Chapultepec has fast become Mexico City’s gallery hub, anchored by kurimanzutto, which helped herald Mexican contemporary art when it opened in 1999. For Art Week this year, they are presenting Arcane Abstractions, an exhibit from Korean artist Haegue Yang, with works like Mesmerizing Votive Pagoda Lanterns, a series of vibrant hanging pieces made from an elaborate mesh of birch plywood and stainless steel. Other notable galleries nearby include Galería RGR and Le Laboratoire.
To eat, Comal Oculto (Bib Gourmand) is a beloved daytime fonda with traditional tortilla dishes. Mari Gold combines the flavors of southeast Asia, Africa, and Mexico, with dishes like a Wagyu beef taco with a mango ferment.
Feria Material and Salón ACME
Two large satellite fairs, Feria Material and Salón ACME, both in the neighborhood of Juárez, are can’t-miss stops and lively scenes. Material, held in the Expo Reforma, will host artwork from 70 galleries alongside a program of talks and performances. Salón ACME is set across the labyrinthine halls of General Prim 30 and throws one of the best parties of the week on its rooftop.
Many of the city’s newest and most talked about restaurants have made their home nearby in Juárez. We recommend Cana, a locals’ go-to with a can’t miss contemporary Mexican menu, and Bajel, an upscale tasting menu (with an a la carte option) in the Sofitel hotel (One MICHELIN Key).
OMR and the galleries of Roma Norte
OMR, off the central boulevard of the centerfold Roma Norte neighborhood, is one of Mexico City’s oldest and most respected contemporary galleries. 2 FEET IN 1 BUCKET OF ICE, opening this week, is their second solo show from Yann Gerstberger, who use hand-dyed mop fibers to create wonderful bright patterns. Nearby galleries Mooni and Galerie Nordenhake should also make your list.
You’ll find the most MICHELIN Guide restaurants of any Mexico City neighborhood in Roma Norte, so your options here are many. For a capital mainstay with outstanding people watching and food, go to Máximo. For seafood and a younger, cool-kid crowd, we recommend Campobaja.
Museo Anahuacalli
The sepulchral aura of the Museo Anahuacalli, the imposing volcanic stone pyramid that Diego Rivera built to house his collection of artifacts, was the inspiration for ¿Cómo se escribe muerte al sur?, the museum’s exhibition opening over Art Week. Artists Carolina Fusilier and Paloma Contreras Lomas have created a fictional thriller through video and sound installations, sculpture, and painting, to explore death and immortality across cultures, the museum says.
Sud 777 (One MICHELIN Star), from Chef Edgar Núñez, is the gastronomic crown jewel of this southern part of the city, with a vegetable-heavy tasting menu and a la carte options in a lush multi-floor setting. For a quicker neighborhood classic, Tacos Charly (Bib Gourmand) in nearby Tlalpan is known for its suadero and al pastor.
Museo Jumex
The David Chipperfield-designed museum has one of the country’s most important collections and routinely hosts global art A-listers when they exhibit in town. This month, they debuted Politécnico Nacional, the first show from the celebrated Gabriel Orozco in his home country since 2006. More than 300 objects on display underscore Orozco’s wide skillset, from a mobile of bamboo and bird feathers to softly carved river stones.
Located just past the northern edge of Polanco, the museum is walking distance to some of the Guide’s best spots in the zone. La Barra de Fran has excellent tapas and a tony vibe to match and Guzina Oaxaca showcases that state’s storied cuisine, with rich moles and a tlayuda.
Hero image: Francisco de los Monteros / Bajel
Thumb image: Ana Gomez De Leon / Guzina Oaxaca
