5 Best Restaurants in La Condesa, Mexico City

The glowing reputation of this long-standing Polish restaurant shone even brighter after people got word that the establishment had served Pope John Paul II on several of his visits to Mexico City; the generous Degustación del Papa (Pope's Menu) includes small portions of various entrées served to the pope. Its best days might be behind it, but it's an interesting slice of the city's diverse culinary history, and still a source for terrific duck dishes.

Throughout the day, Condesa's traditional Mexican ice-cream parlor—and its several other locations around the city—packs in kids and hipsters alike with its nieve (sorbet) flavors like maracuyá (passionfruit) and tuna (prickly pear cactus fruit), and its helado (ice-cream) flavors, including rompope (eggnog) and macadamia. It's distinctly old school, with its teal vinyl chairs, white tables, and bright fluorescent lights, but the quality is first-rate. Roxy enjoys a friendly competition with another beloved ice-cream chain, Tepoznieves.

The famous roasted duck with an apple-based stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a baked apple bathed in blueberry sauce has made Specia a wildly popular destination, but the refined Polish restaurant with 1920s-inspired Jazz Age artwork serves a number of other tasty dishes, too. Consider the lamb goulash, seasoned with paprika and tomato, or the slow-grilled rabbit loin with cabbage and beets. Service is attentive and the pace of a meal here is leisurely.