Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City – By Local Expats

Even if you’ve already done a little research into Mexico City neighbourhoods, you might not have come across Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City. Until relatively recently, it was considered a no-go area. A CDMX newspaper even described it in the early 2000s as the third most crime-ridden place in the capital.

That certainly didn’t encourage us to explore the colonia, but we’re glad we took the plunge earlier this year! The Santa Maria La Ribera CDMX we discovered has evolved beyond its bad reputation. What we found was a place that exuded authenticity, from old-school cantinas and pulquerias to the untouristy Mercado La Dalia.

Beyond the traditional spots, there are also super cool artistic hangouts like the Casa Caleta and El Chopo, filled with contemporary creative talent. If you want to see a part of CMDX that’s on the cusp of becoming trendy but still retains its roots, get yourself down to Santa Maria La Ribera ASAP!

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Santa Maria La Ribera Neighborhood Mexico City: Introduction 

One of Mexico City’s 21 barrios magicos (magic neighbourhoods), the colonia Santa Maria La Ribera is one of the lesser-known places to stay in the capital.

Created in the 1860s, the neighbourhood was for most of its history a magnet for the affluent and the aristocratic, who built glorious mansions that still exist today. That all began to change in the mid-1900s, as the city expanded and the need for more affordable housing altered the character of the district.

What really set the area on a downward trajectory, though, was CDMX’s 1985 earthquake. In the aftermath, a lot of residents abandoned their houses in the Colonia, leading homeless people and squatters to take up residence. 

Crime rates shot up, to the extent that Santa Maria La Ribera metamorphosed from being one of the most well-to-do barrios to one of the most dangerous.

Pick up a guide written a decade or two back, and you’ll probably read that the area is attractive but dangerous. Even 7 years ago, it was notorious for having high levels of crime. Forget about tourists, the locals were kept on their toes, too!

All that is now being steadily reversed, as the government have started investing money into cleaning up the district. This in turn has triggered the process of gentrification, but at a relatively slow pace. There are parts that are risky to visit alone, but a good chunk feels completely safe. 

Today, Santa Maria La Ribera is still mostly inhabited by local families. That’s part of what makes it a fascinating place to visit. Compared to places like Roma Norte and Condesa, it has more of an authentic vibe. 

Don’t get us wrong, we love the Roma-Condesa part of town! But there’s something much more down to earth about the parks, pulquerias, and markets of Santa Maria La Ribera.

We first visited on a tour and were surprised to discover how much we liked the feel of the area. To be honest, it’s not somewhere we’d ever thought of visiting, and it was only because we wanted to broaden our horizons after a few years of living in CDMX that we decided to check it out.

And we’re glad we did! 

Things To Do In Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City 

Santa Maria La Ribera has a great mix of historic buildings and modern museums for tourists to explore. Everything we mention in this post is safe to check out on your own, but if your Spidey sense is still tingling at the thought of visiting, you can…

#1 Take A Walking Tour

A guided tour is how we first became acquainted with Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City. If you don’t have a lot of time to spend here or don’t feel like making your own itinerary, this is a great way to get an intro to the district.

The one we took had quite a lot of food included, which always get a big thumbs up for us! Plus, there were only a couple of other people on the tour, so it felt very intimate and focused.

Over the course of an afternoon, we got to do a whole bunch of activities, ranging from trying our hand at cottage industries like herb-infused salt making to learning about larger-scale manufacturing at a tamale factory.

There were quite a few other stops, including a cooking school, a local market, and the Museo del Instituto de Geologia (more on that further down). All in all, a busy, expansive experience!

#2 Relax At Alameda De Santa María

Like parks throughout the capital, the Alameda de Santa Maria is a hive of activity and a great place to go for people-watching on the weekends. It’s especially popular with dog walkers, who come here to give their canine buddies some daily exercise.

At its centre is one of Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City’s most iconic structures, the Kiosco Morisco (Moorish Kiosk). Originally built for the World’s Fair in 1884 and used as a bandstand, it was disassembled and moved to Alameda Central for a few years before being relocated once more to its current home in 1910.

Borrowing from the mudejar architecture of Andalucia – especially the Alhambra in Granada – it’s an elaborately decorated pavilion made from wrought iron and crowned with a glass cupola. 

WHERE: LOCATION

#3 Snap A Pic At Biblioteca Vasconcelos

Ugly modern monster or an irresistibly Instagrammable piece of innovative architecture? Whatever side you come down on, there’s no denying that the Biblioteca Vasconcelos has become a bit of a landmark.

Although you can’t take professional cameras inside – it is a library, after all – you’ll want to grab a photo for your friends of the floating floors that fill the spacious interiors. Some people have poetically described it as an ark filled with human knowledge, others a futuristic prison with shelves instead of cells. 

Our guide referred to the library as the Berlin Wall of CDMX, separating deprived Tepito from the downtown area. Appropriately enough, it’s right next to the Estacion Buenavista, an important hub for poorer commuters travelling to reach their rich employers.

WHERE: LOCATION

#4 Rock Out At Museo Del Instituto De Geología

Officially inaugurated in 1906, the Museum of the Institute of Geology is filled with fossils, minerals, and even meteorites. The most impressive exhibit we saw was probably the reassembled mammoth skeleton, but there’s plenty to nerd out on if you’re a fan of palaeontology or geology.

Part of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), it’s housed in a stunning building that must have been incredibly expensive to build.

We would have loved to grandly descend the gorgeous double staircase with its nature-themed art nouveau designs, but sadly it was roped off. That’s not the only wow factor in the architecture, which also boasts specially made stained glass windows and mosaics reminiscent of Roman villas. One stained glass window depicts a Wieliczka salt mine in Poland, which was cool to see for Mal!

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

#5 Shop At Mercado La Dalia

A classic neighbourhood market, Mercado La Dalia has a bit of everything. Fresh vegetables, fruit, and other produce occupy some of the stalls, while others are filled with clothing, kitchen supplies, and even pet food.

Unlike some of the CDMX mercados that we’ve been to, this market continues to cater mainly for residents living in Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City. As you would expect from somewhere this local, we found the prices to be reasonable and withstand containing almost every daily household necessity you can think of.

Since we weren’t in the area to pick up pork chops or wax candles, however, the thing that most ticked our box was the readymade food! There’s a good variety of Mexican street eats on sale, but the best thing we tried was the barbacoa tacos at Casa Chacon.

WHERE: LOCATION

#6 Pray At Parroquia Josefina De La Sagrada Familia

We’ve come across a lot of historic churches in Mexico, but not many as unusual as the Parroquia Josefina de la Sagrada Familia. Built in a bombastic Byzantine style, its numerous cupolas and ornate windows leap out at you from the bland surrounding buildings.

Designed by the architect Carlos Herrera, it was erected in Santa Maria La Ribera CDMX at the turn of the 20th century. It was a time when the Mexican government and the Catholic Church weren’t getting along super well, so its privately funded construction was a bit of a sore point.

Dedicated to the sacred family, the Parroquia Josefina De La Sagrada Familia is filled with painted images of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and St Joseph. We also saw prominently displayed pictures of another guy, Padre Vilaseca, all over the place. Turns out, this priest was a proponent of the Josefinos order, which at one point had its HQ here.

WHERE: LOCATION

#7 Get Your Art On At Museo Universitario Del Chopo

Named after the poplar tree, the Chopo University Museum is built in a style that reminds us of the Eiffel Tower. Originally constructed in Dusseldorf from forged iron, it was purchased by a Mexican businessman and shipped over to CDMX in pieces before being reassembled in Santa Maria La Ribera. 

The building itself is a striking piece of architecture, but we also like coming here for the boundary-pushing contemporary art exhibitions. If movies are more your thing, they hold regular screenings of arthouse films made by Latin American directors.

Like the Museo Del Instituto De Geología, El Chopo (as it’s familiarly known) is now run by UNAM. Opening hours are 11.30 am to 6 pm from Wednesday to Sunday.

#8 Walk The Row Of Old British Town Houses

For an example of how eclectic Santa Maria La Ribera is, visit Chopo-Pino. This short, narrow alleyway is lined by colourful houses in the British style. 

Walking down here, we could imagine for a moment that we were back in Brighton. We even saw a Beatle (the car, not the band) parked in the front garden of one of the houses!

It’s easy to miss the entrance to the alleyway, no matter if you’re coming from Calle Dr Atl or Calle Dr Enrique González Martínez, so keep a close eye on Google Maps.

If you go to the location marked below, you’ll find a cool photo spot where you can get a picture of the colourful townhouses and the church in the background. 

WHERE: LOCATION

#9 Experience The Artistic Commune Of Casa Caleta

Just a few steps down the road from Chopo-pino, the Casa Caleta is a cool, artsy space that has studios for creatives as well as hosting low-key exhibitions. It’s all fantastically boho!

The story that the building tells is just as interesting as the paintings within it. Designed by Alberto Kalach (the same guy who did the Biblioteca Vasconcelos), it was completed in 1925 and housed multiple families. Each multigenerational family would have a private room while sharing the kitchen and bathroom facilities with other residents.

The poorest stratum of society in CDMX still live in houses like Caleta, grandparents, parents, and children all lumped in together. The lack of personal space has seen a boom in hourly hotels where young couples can go to get a little privacy. One tour guide told us that just in the nearby area there are 25 such hotels!

Caleta’s transition from a cramped living space to an airy art hangout is a good example of the encroaching gentrification of Santa Maria La Ribera. A few years ago, the building was worth $40,000 USD. It’s now worth $2 million!

WHERE: LOCATION

#10 Try The Tacos At La Rosita De Jalisco

Probably our favourite no-frills taqueria in Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City, La Rosita de Jalisco does some finger-licking good tacos al pastor. 

It’s a bit gritty and divey, but definitely worth a visit for anybody who likes to get down and dirty with their street food! 

The menu is also surprisingly broad, with tortas and various meaty barbecued dishes in addition to the signature tacos. They also do some good huaraches (masa dough topped with refried beans), which you can order with addon toppings like beef, chicken breast, and longaniza (spicy cured sausage). 

WHERE: LOCATION

#11 Cool Off With An Ice Cream 

When the sun is out and blasting its rays over the capital, we head to the northwest corner of Alameda de Santa Maria. Here, there’s usually a lady selling ice cream and paletas (Mexican ice lollies).

Like so many of our foodie discoveries, we first spotted this stand because of the queue. It’s now firmly on our list of things to do in Santa María La Ribera Mexico City whenever we visit the neighbourhood. Choose your flavour, then enjoy it while exploring the park and the Kiosko Morisco.

This is a super local outfit, so make sure you bring cash!

WHERE: The nearest corner of Alameda Park to the geology museum.

#12 Get A Buzz At A Local Pulqueria

Pulque is one of the drinks you must try when you’re in Mexico. Made from fermented agave sap, it’s only mildly alcoholic but packs an unusual taste that you’ll either love or hate.

Invented by the Mesoamericans, pulque was originally considered sacred and used in religious rituals – until the Spanish showed up in the 1500s. After that, consumption exploded, withstands popping up all over the city.

Ever since the pulqueria has been a Mexican institution. These taverns are basically like neighbourhood cantinas where people get their pulque, ladled into varying sizes of container. 

There are some funky pulquerias around the downtown area that we love to go to, but as with almost everything else, the ones in Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City are that little bit more local.

One of the best ones we’ve been to is La Joya, located a block north of the Alameda de Santa Maria. This place claims to have been serving out glasses of pulque for more than 100 years – or perhaps that’s just how long the pulque has been fermenting…

Either way, it’s a laidback little joint that gives off traditional vibes while selling authentic pulque and pulque curado, which is flavoured with fruit to make it more palatable.

WHERE: LOCATION

#13 Have A Beer At Salon Paris Bar

Don’t be fooled by the name because the Salon Paris doesn’t serve botched French food! Instead, it’s an old-fashioned cantina with traditional snacks and plenty of beer.

What makes this place a bit of a magnet is not the traditional ambience, though – there are quite a few cantinas we’ve been to around CDMX that are similar – but the fact that it’s rumoured to have been where iconic Mexican ranchera singer José Alfredo Jiménez got his break.

Whether or not that is the case, you can hear his music playing on a loop in the background, which just adds the old-timey mood.

WHERE: LOCATION

#14 Taste Oaxacan Food At Oaxacaquí

We really enjoyed our trip down to the State of Oaxaca, but if you can’t make it there on your Mexican holiday, Oaxacaquí in Santa Maria La Ribera CDMX does a good approximation. 

Rather than try to put a contemporary spin on the cuisine, the restaurant does everything with respect for tradition in a charming, unfussy interior.

Prices are good whatever you order, but we definitely recommend trying a tlayuda (a bit like a pizza but made with a tortilla base) as well as the mole negro, which was amazingly rich and flavourful.

WHERE: LOCATION

#15 Order Tlacoyos At Tlacoyotitlán

What’s in a name? A lot, if it’s Tlacoyotitlan!

A play on Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital upon which modern Mexico City was built, Tlacoyotitlan specialises in tlacoyos. Roughly oval-shaped, these corn dough patties were popular back in the Mesoamerican days before being taken up by the Spanish. 

You can pretty much stuff tlacoyos with anything you like, then fry them for a delicious eat. We mainly order them at street food stands, but they do very tasty versions at Tlacoyotitlan, served with everything from chicharron (crispy pork find) to flor de la calabaza (squash flowers).

Tlacoyos are far from the only thing on the menu though. The kitchen also cooks up a load of different huaraches, gorditas, quesadillas, pozoles, pambazos, and sopes, as well as exotic insect-based dishes.

Is the menu a little overly broad? Maybe, but there’s no denying the cheerful interiors or the pleasant outdoor tables.

WHERE: LOCATION

Is Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City Safe?

From what one tour guide told us, crime has gone down significantly since the early 2000s. Still, we wouldn’t come here with our valuables on show.

So, is La Ribera Mexico safe? Yes, if you stick to the places mentioned in this post. If you’re still worried about safety, take a walking tour with an experienced guide.

Best Places To Eat In Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City

Let’s get this straight: Santa Maria La Ribera is not one of the capital’s main foodie hubs. Still, you’d be pretty hard-pressed to name any CDMX neighbourhood where there aren’t at least a couple of places doing good eats! 

Best Places For Breakfast & Brunch

We usually like to kick off the day with a coffee and a stuffed croissant. Here are a couple of our go-to places for quality brews and pastries in the Santa Maria La Ribera colonia.

☕ Che Che Café – This smartly modern spot uses coffee beans harvested in the state of Nayarit. When we’re in the mood for something sweet, we order the signature Café Paraíso (cold-brewed coffee with vanilla from Papantla and citrus-infused cream), accompanied by a picture-perfect guava cruffin.

☕ The Latte Coffee – A block south of the Alameda de Santa Maria, Latte Coffee is a cozy corner coffee shop with hearty portions of Mexican brekkie classics. When we’re hungry, we come here and order the enfrijoladas, but they also do enchiladas, chilaquiles, and other egg-based dishes.

Where To Find The Best Tacos In Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City?

We’re big taco lovers, sampling numerous taquerias and pop-up stalls to create a list of the best tacos in Mexico City. Although none of the ones in Santa Maria La Ribera quite made our top 15, here are two spots that we would still recommend to friends and family – and you guys, of course!

🌮 Taquería La Roca – La Roca is a super cheap, super local joint that does good tacos de carnitas. Make sure you slather on plenty of the home-made sauce! Wash it down with tepache, a traditional fermented drink made from pineapple peel that’s been sweetened with sugar.

🌮 Taquería La Rosita De Jalisco – This no-frills taqueria does some of the most flavourful al pastor tacos in Santa Maria La Ribera. We were first attracted by the smell of the meat on the vertical spit, which fills the street outside. They also do some decent huaraches.

Best Restaurants In Santa Maria La Ribera Neighborhood Mexico City

There’s nothing approaching the mega-trendy eateries of Roma-Condesa in Santa Maria La Ribera, but there are a couple of nice restaurants where we go for something more substantial than pan dulce or tacos.

🍴 XUVA’ – Heavily decked out with foliage that softens the industrial-style interior, XUVA’ is one of the best restaurants in Santa Maria La Ribera for Oaxacan food with a contemporary twist. Everything is beautifully presented, from the molotes to the tlayudas.

🍴 Tlacoyotitlán – This is where to eat in Santa Maria La Ribera if you want a delicious meal served up in a restaurant with plenty of atmosphere. We recommend ordering one of their signature tlacoyos per person, accompanied by a plate of flautitas to share.

Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City: Wrap-Up

What we most liked about Santa Maria La Ribera Mexico City was how unexpectedly interesting and engaging it was. Who knows how long it will retain its old-fashioned charm and its sometimes gritty but always friendly neighbourhood hangouts. For now, it remains a place on the cusp of change – and that’s pretty exciting!