It’s less known by tourists and you’re most likely to get better rates on hotels or an Airbnb if you take that route. Escandon is made up of 2 sections with Seccion I just south of Condesa and neighboring Tacubaya, and Seccion II is south of Hipodromo, bordering Napoles. It feels more like an authentic Mexico City neighborhood than its counterparts I mentioned before. You will find that the shops and markets there are more humble, most likely family run, and cater to residents with more realistic budgets for the city. When I stayed there it felt more “real” than the picturesque images portrayed of CDMX for sure! Having a base in Escandon will give a glimpse into an average day in the life there - more parents walking their children to school, people having morning exercise groups at the park, and most residents waking early to make their way to the nearest train for work.
Coming from the perspective of someone from the US with an average socioeconomic status, this is what I'm used to: nothing being a 3-5 minute walk away; transportation not being wildly convenient; and having few buildings and restaurants be ornate or colorful. Escandon was similar in these ways and those characteristics kept me grounded in the notion that every neighborhood in Mexico City isn’t a dream to stay in. It felt comfortable because I could relate to the vibe more in my normal everyday life. For example, I’m from Georgia, and only Atlanta could even get close to the experience of Mexico City. As for all the other U.S. states, the majority of towns mirror each other significantly, and few of them are great when it comes to aspects like walkability and convenience. So, getting around Escandon felt familiar as it is a middle ground between the extremes of my lived experiences so far. On one hand I’ve lived in Atlanta and relied on the poorly planned metro system to get by with shopping, commuting, and going out for nightlife. And on the other hand, for my first trip to Mexico City I got to visit the most popular neighborhood in terms of walkability and access to transportation, shopping, dining, and parks. The feel of Escandon hits right there in the middle! For reference, I lived in downtown Atlanta near Georgia State University and Peachtree Center, and I could find a way to get things I needed, but it doesn’t compare to a place like New York where you can walk down to your corner store or a few blocks for all your necessities. This same comparison can be made for Escandon and Roma/Condesa. In Escandon it’s easy to shop at markets and smaller specialty shops, easy to find neighborhood restaurants, schools and parks are close, there’s large shopping centers nearby, and you can get to the metro, but all these things aren’t a hop, skip, and jump away like in Roma. Depending on where you’re actually located in Escandon it could take you 20 minutes to walk to a market - a stark contrast to the less than 10 it took for me to go from Avenida Insurgentes to Mercado Medellin in Roma Sur. The difference is that I passed so many feasible options everyday in Roma, and in Escandon I walked further in hopes that the only market in the area had what I needed. And quite frankly, I wouldn’t even know if they’d be open at the time that I wanted to buy (opening times seem to vary a lot in CDMX!).
With all that said, if you’re coming for vacation or to live for a few months time, staying in Escandon is doable given you have the budget to offset some conveniences like ordering food, taking more Ubers for tourist activities and outings, and for getting out to nightlife in areas like Centro and Roma Norte. It’s fit for day to day life where maybe you work from home or co-work, go shopping and cook at home, and go out from time to time! Determine how comfortable you plan on living and assess your budget from there.
Here are some of the places and things I saw while in the neighborhood! My AirBnB happened to be close to Nápoles so you'll see some options from that side as well.
Cafes & Restaurants
These places looked good and were busy, but weren’t exactly what I needed at the moment I passed them, so add them to your list!
Café Escandón
Sazón Veracruzano
Hamburguesas Montaner
MAJOMA Bakery
Rosticería El Pollón De Jalisco
Cancino Nápoles: The place feels so warm, with a mix of rustic wood and stone interior that opens up into a quaint area for open-air dining. And don’t let me forget to mention the lighting and touch of greenery there! It emphasized a natural touch which blends right into the selections on the menu. The margherita pizza and kale, apple, and almond salad I had were so well made, both were great recommendations from the server there!
Hey! Brew Bar Café: This cafe has a very clean look, and the bites were good too! I tried the banana nut muffin, and wished I could have stayed there longer to enjoy my Sunday afternoon snack.
Masa.pan: Loved the aesthetic of this place! It’s a walk-up, counter-serve type of cafe where you can see the bakers diligently crafting pastries in the background. Everything tasted so good and fresh; I tried a lemon creme danish, babka (they had even made a rainbow babka for pride month!), berry muffin, and a warming taro latte.
World Trade Center: It’s a huge place for business - conferences and events, and is home to a museum and restaurants.
Markets
Mercado Escandon: A good-sized market with a range of items from produce to cleaning supplies and hardware. I stopped in and enjoyed some of the pinkest, orangest salmon I’d ever seen at El Botanero. So much so that I thought it wasn’t done lol, but I really enjoyed the service. The waiter was so friendly and as you’ll see in Mexico City, if someone knows even just a little English, most times they’re interested in having that exchange with you. It’s fun to connect the best way we can! And that’s where I learned the custom of saying “provecho” to other restaurant patrons in passing as you make your way out of restaurants. It means that you’re wishing them well, hoping that they enjoy their meal!
Tianguis: A must do on a Sunday! Visit the tianguis over by the World Trade Center for live music, food, and shopping. I stumbled upon it and was amazed at how many people were out with family and friends, and just amazed at the amount of vendors set up with their stalls spanning at least a few blocks. I imagined what it would be like to grow up there, or what it would be like working together as a family every Sunday at the tianguis.
Mercado San Pedro de Los Pinos: Another market to explore if you’d like to take a longer walk and wander down into Colonia Napoles, the next neighborhood over.
Shopping
Metropoli Patriotismo: decent sized mall and a great spot to grab a quick lunch if you’re doing the digital nomad thing. You’ll be able to stretch your legs and actually see people if you don’t usually go to coworking spaces while abroad.
Parks
Alameda de Tacubaya: It borders Escandon and Tacubaya. It’s okay for a quick walkthrough, but I wouldn’t explore it like say Chapultepec or Parque Mexico in Condesa.
Parque Morelos: Centrally located in Escandon. On the map you’ll see that it’s in Escandon Seccion II, but there’s not a big difference from Escandon I as you can walk to either side.
Parque Alfonso Esparza Oteo: A cute park nestled in Napoles, but still a close enough walk if you prefer strolls. I’d say it’ll take about 20-30 minutes to get there depending on your spot in Escandon.
Nightlife
When I stayed in Escandon I didn’t go out as much, and when I did it was to Centro or Roma Norte to places like MUFO, a fun, immersive digital art experience. But if you're looking for somewhere close, I found this salsa spot in Escandon!
Mambocafé Insurgentes: A salsa club! Never had a chance to go, but I see okay reviews. Don’t expect it to be particularly cheap.
Hotels
Hotel Escandon would be a cute stay if you’re considering Escandon! It caught my eye as I explored the area and after finding pics of the inside, I’m impressed. Overall, great views and great reviews coming from this one.
Research tells me that Hotel & Villas Patriotismo may be geared toward one-night stays like a love hotel so I would avoid it!
Safety
I never felt unsafe, but sometimes that comes from naivety more than the actual presence of danger. After telling a friend where I was staying he let me know that although I wasn’t in a bad area, it wasn’t as safe as Roma.
Environment
The roads weren’t as well maintained or cleaned as often as I saw them in Roma. In my time there, every morning or every other day I could hear the workers sweeping the street with big, oversized brooms! And as for Escandon, I saw a lot of dog poop on the sidewalks on one of the main roads, Avenida Patriotismo, but I think it falls upon the people who live there or it could be that there were stray dogs in the area. I wouldn’t say it has anything to do with the city’s maintenance because I didn’t stay long enough to observe how things really work there, only a couple weeks!
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