How artsy Juárez became Mexico City’s hottest ‘hood

It was almost inevitable that Juárez would emerge as Mexico City’s latest colonia of cool.

Bisected by the Paseo de la Reforma — the city’s version of Broadway and the longest avenue in the world — and north of hip Colonia Roma, Juárez couldn’t be more centrally located.

It’s also stuffed with increasingly chic and cutting-edge designers, galleries and restaurants. No wonder Soho House chose Juárez as the site of its first Latin American outpost, which is set to debut any day now.

“To be in la Juárez is to coexist with amazing architecture, great restaurants, eclectic and creative industries and amazing spots for discovering unique finds,” observed Mexico City art-world insider Karen Huber. “Juárez is changing every day so much.”

And Huber ought to know. Her eponymous art gallery, Galería Karen Huber, opened in Juárez in 2014, and represents both local and global artists with a special focus on paintings.

Since then, the gallery has been a pioneer of sorts, adding to the buzzy creative scene that has made Juárez a favorite of culture-minded tourists and expats.

Most of the Juárez action is centered along Calle Marsella which — along with the side streets Calles Londres, Liverpool and Napoles — bustle with ornate mansions and early-modernist commercial buildings from the last century, including the grand, neo-French inspired Edificio Vizcaya, a local landmark.

It’s within this old-meets-new urban landscape that Soho House will soon debut.

The space, midway between Juárez and Roma Norte, inhabits a historic traditional casa given new life by Soho House’s in-house design team and will marry “historic French influences and baroque heritage,” according to the company.

There will be a trio of bars and lounges as well as a stand-alone restaurant and a sprawling al fresco courtyard. Best of all will be the 100-plus artworks from artists who were either born, living in or trained in Mexico, which has one of the hottest contemporary arts scenes today. There will also be a pool with a greenhouse-inspired bar.

Juárez is not shiny or pretentious, but a living, breathing barrio as much focused on longtime residents as deeper-pocketed newcomers.

The area is a haven for fans of local fashion and design.

Some of the most eye-catching can be found at Utilitario Mexicano, a sleek, gallery-like space on Calle Marsella filled with everything from hip sweatshirts to funky kitchen supplies, hand-made local textiles and highly covetable artwork.

Particularly noteworthy are prints by the contemporary Mexican artist Derellite, who works with colorful geometric shapes and patterns.

Nearby is the bookshop Libreria Jorge Cuesta, which overflows with vintage, collection-worthy books in both Spanish and English.

Juárez has become especially noted for its bars and restaurants, which skew both local and international in flavor.

Café Nin, for instance, is a Huber favorite — with a daily menu of indulgent baked goods, strong coffee, perfect weekend brunches and finely curated wine list.

Chef Elena Reygadas has become a near-legend for her perfect poached eggs.

Also great for a quick bite is Blom Café, whose potent brews are best enjoyed sans milk or sugar.

Or for brunch, pop into Masala y Maiz, whose menu explores the culinary migrations and interactions between Europe, Asia and the Americas with dishes such as black ceviche with charred pineapple or masala fried chicken.

Come evening time, do dinner at newcomers CANA and Colonia Bar & Meadery — the former, a casual bistro; the latter, Mexico City’s first meadery, a brewery that specializes in honey wines.

Along with its mead menu, Colonia serves dishes such as shrimp toast spiced with sambal and crispy pork belly with macha sauce.

Then drink late into the night at Xaman Bar, an under-the-radar, midcentury-styled speakeasy with cocktails based on pre-Hispanic plants and botanicals. Think flavorful teas, native herbs and the freshest juices such as a thyme-infused Moscow mule or the cocoa-spiked Mayaj (Mexico is the spiritual home of chocolate), along with hearty meat and cheeseboards accented by groovy DJ sets.

Speaking of chocolate, no place takes it more seriously in Juárez than La Rifa Chocolateria, where single-origin chocolates are elevated beyond mere bars (though their bars are sublime) and incorporated into everything from specialty drinks to inventive-yet-indulgent desserts (those bars make swoon-worthy gifts).

Whatever the plan, base yourself at the hip Hotel CondesaDF in nearby Colonia Condesa, whose India Mahdavi-designed interiors never fail to dazzle.

“It’s been amazing to see the neighborhood develop, with so many new restaurants, bars and stores,” said Huber, who arrived in Juárez long before its current embrace of cool. “Now, even the avenues and buildings are being restored.”