Editorial
Mexico City's craft beer scene is among the deepest in Latin America, and most of it sits in Roma and Condesa. The six below are where the city actually drinks well, from Belgian-style beer bars to on-site brewpubs and the bottle shops worth a detour.
El Trappist runs a Belgian-style beer bar on Álvaro Obregón in Roma, rotating more than 300 Mexican craft labels across the year alongside imports. The staff know the list cold and steer you well, which makes it the best starting point for the city's scene. Best for a first night learning Mexican craft beer; the narrow room gets shoulder-to-shoulder by 9pm on weekends, so come early for a stool.
Cervecería Hércules brings the Querétaro brewery's full range to a Mexico City bar, pouring its hop-forward and barrel-aged beers on tap and in cans. Hércules is one of Mexico's most respected craft names, and the city outpost lets you drink the lineup without the road trip. Best for tasting a flagship Mexican brewery in one sitting; ask staff what landed fresh, since the rotating specials are the reason to go.
Falling Piano Brewing brews and pours in the same Roma Norte room on Coahuila, named for the piano hanging from its ceiling. The taproom format keeps the house beers fresh, with tacos to match and a kitchen that runs to 2am Thursday through Saturday. Best for a late session over fresh house pours in the heart of Roma; the patio fills first, so head inside near the tanks for a seat.
Cru Cru opened in 2014 behind a heavy wooden door in Roma's Romita pocket, a brewery set in a former monastery with murals over the tanks. Its beers lean experimental, built on local ingredients like cactus, hibiscus and even a grasshopper gose. Best for tasting Mexican craft at its most inventive; go for the small-batch specials, and take the taproom over takeaway to drink it at the source.
El Depósito runs a chain of beer bar and bottle shops across Mexico City, half taproom and half store. The Roma branch keeps ten rotating Mexican and imported taps plus shelves to drink in or take home, open to 2am Thursday through Saturday. Best for an easy, well-priced session with plenty of choice; the Roma and Condesa branches stay busiest, so quieter outposts suit a relaxed pint.
La Belga is a garage-sized bottle shop and bar on Calle Querétaro in Roma, holding what regulars call Mexico City's biggest catalogue of domestic and imported craft beer, more than 200 labels. The multilingual owner knows every bottle and will match one to your taste. Best for hunting a specific style or grabbing rare cans to drink on the spot; it is tight on space, so it suits a quick, focused stop.
The six above are where the city's beer culture actually lives. El Trappist and La Belga carry the deepest lists, Falling Piano and Cru Cru brew on site, and Cervecería Hércules pours one of Mexico's best breweries without leaving town.
Most rooms peak between 9 and 11pm, so arrive early for a seat. Mei-Lin Zhao covers nightlife and the after-dark scene worldwide, with a close eye on service, sound and who actually shows up.
El Trappist in Roma is the best starting point, rotating more than 300 Mexican craft labels with staff who know the list and steer you well. Arrive early on weekends for a stool.
Mostly in Roma and Condesa. El Trappist, Cru Cru, Falling Piano and La Belga all sit within walking distance in Roma, making it the easiest neighborhood for a craft beer crawl.
Yes. Falling Piano and Cru Cru brew on site in Roma, while Cervecería Hércules pours its Querétaro range at a dedicated city bar. Mexican craft has grown fast over the last decade.
El Depósito runs bottle-shop bars across the city, and La Belga on Calle Querétaro holds one of Mexico City's largest catalogues of domestic and imported craft to drink in or take home.