Grab a Table, or Rather a Stool, Above Bellas Artes
From up here you get an almost aerial view of Bellas Artes, its white marble facade and great dome, with the mountains rolling away behind it and the bustle of Centro below.
A front-row view of Bellas Artes, from Sears.
Tucked up on the eighth floor is a coffee shop with an outdoor terrace facing directly across at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The view is incredible. There is a row of seats facing out and a few tables behind them. Unfortunately, it’s not a secret, so be patient. If there is a line, wait for one of the bar stools facing Bellas Artes. That is what you are there for, after all.
From up here you get an almost aerial view of Bellas Artes, its white marble facade and great dome, with the mountains rolling away behind it and the bustle of Centro below.
The coffee shop itself is nothing fancy. In fact, you may well end up with your drink in a takeaway cup. But honestly, who cares?
The Palacio de Bellas Artes is one of Mexico City’s most important cultural landmarks, sitting beside the Alameda Central in Centro Histórico.
Construction began in 1904 during the Porfirio Díaz era, but the Mexican Revolution, along with engineering and financial problems, meant it took another 30 years to complete. It finally opened in 1934.
One of the things that makes Bellas Artes so fascinating is that it reflects two very different architectural periods. The exterior was designed in the European Art Nouveau style by Italian architect Adamo Boari, while the interior, completed by Mexican architect Federico Mariscal, is predominantly Art Deco, with distinctly Mexican and pre-Hispanic influences.
Inside, the building houses important murals by some of Mexico’s most celebrated artists, including Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros. It is also home to the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes and the National Architecture Museum, and its main theatre is renowned for its extraordinary Tiffany glass curtain depicting the Mexican volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl.
Bellas Artes: Open Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–6pm. Check the official website for current exhibitions, performances and admission. Official website
The Sears building is part of a pair of historic buildings opposite Bellas Artes. The original Edificio La Nacional was built between 1929 and 1932, while the Sears building, La Nacional II, was added in 1949. The building has a distinctly Art Deco character and is now home to the Sears department store and the café terrace on the eighth floor.
The café, now known as Finca Don Porfirio, is open Monday from 1pm to 7pm, and Tuesday through Sunday from 11am to 8pm. It is accessed through the Sears store at Avenida Juárez 14.
The terrace is small, and the view is the main attraction. There can be a wait, particularly later in the day and on weekends, so don't be in a hurry.
