Built with Industrialists’ money in the era of President Porfirio Diaz and Mexico City’s 19th-century economic boom, this triangle-shaped neighborhood has had a lot of reincarnations, including being the center of the gay community in the 1970s and abandoned by many of its residents after the 1985 earthquake. Renewed interest in its neoclassical architecture and tiny, tree-lined traffic circles has suddenly made Colonia Juarez in vogue again for young professionals and the cocktail crowd. 

Snuggled between the main drag of Reforma Avenue to the north, the Centro Historico to the east, and Colonia Roma to the south, Juarez is possibly the most centrally located hood for a long-term stay in Mexico City. The International WeWork coworking brand has a massive space on Varsovia good for digital nomads and Homework on Liverpool street is also great. If you want something with a little more charm for working, stop in at the Distrito Fijo Club e Ciclismo bike store and cafe or wander the delightfully musty aisles of the Libería Jorge Cuesta bookstore. 

This neighborhood is now home to many excellent restaurants and cafes started by young enterprising Mexican chefs and bakers. Be sure to stop in at the newest location of Forte for a coffee or housemade yogurt, slip through the back door of the Hanky Panky speakeasy for an old-fashioned, grab a fried chicken sandwich and glass of natural wine at Cicatriz, or try one of the original flavors at Joe Gelato. 

Despite its size, Juarez even has a few quirky museums, such as the Chocolate Museum MUCHO, and a smattering of local art galleries that are more gritty and down-to-earth than you will find in Polanco or Roma. This is also a great neighborhood for finding local treasures to decorate your temporary home. When the shopping bug hits, you can check out Bazar Fusion, a collective space for local businesses, Loose Blues, the quirky clothing/ interior design store on Washington square, and the Saturday Antique Market in the Plaza St Angel. If you need some transportation while you’re here, head to Básica Studio and invest in a bike built to last or to repair the one you’ve got.

Even though you can find LGBTQ-friendly spaces across the city, the Zona Rosa at the west end of the neighborhood still has the greatest concentration of gay clubs in Mexico City. During the day this area will be bustling with office workers, but at night it comes to life with many people coming out for a drink and maybe some karaoke.