A Guide To Antique Shopping In Mexico City

Coyoacán is one of the best places to do a bit of antique shopping in Mexico City, given that there are any numbers of stores tucked away in the streets of this neighborhood once inhabited by Frida Kahlo. However, the Bazar Santa Catarina, situated in the garden of the same name, may be one of the best places to get your hands on some truly retro, unique pieces, from fashion to furniture. As an added bonus, if you’re looking to sell your own antiques, the vendors here may also be willing to buy. Another Coyoacán option is the Mercados de Coyoacán located in the Del Carmen area of the neighborhood, where you’ll also find some excellent antiques.

Moving to a slightly more upscale area of the city, Polanco, you can find the store known as Rivero Lake Rodrigo, which sells all manner of antique furniture that is exquisitely curated, hand-selected and restored in many cases. Much of the furniture you can find here is of Asian origin, or at least inspired by that unique style, given that the store’s owner is fascinated with antiques from that part of the world.

Bazar Cuauhtémoc is less organised than the aforementioned Coyoacán Bazar, being more of a flea market that has the potential to turn up some great antique finds, rather than a specifically antique-oriented shopping experience. Just outside of the popular Roma neighborhood, this long-running Saturday and Sunday market does have some great pieces though, if you’re willing to search for them; from old books to cameras, watches and vinyl records, it makes for a great day out for the casual antique collector.

This daily antiques market is one of the city’s best and most well-known, so you can rest assured that whatever day of the week you turn up on, there’ll be something cool and interesting for you to stumble across. A real hodge-podge of items, you could end up walking away with an antique suitcase or even some vintage clothing, plus a ton of household decorations that will really liven up any living space. If you’re serious about your antiques, you need to go more than once as the stock is regularly rotated.

Of the options presented so far for antiques, Plaza del Ángel is undoubtedly the site that has the most marked up prices, due to its prime location just off Avenida de la Reforma, right in the center of Mexico City. As you can imagine, it’s a popular spot for travelers. However, while the prices might be a bit, well … pricier, the quality is still excellent and you can even enjoy the Plaza without buying anything, given that its incredibly aesthetically pleasing. Top tip: On Saturdays, you’re more likely to find bargains and offers that are not available midweek.

Moving from one of the pricier antique hunting options, to one of the most famous and arguably one of the largest too – La Lagunilla. While this is not a particularly nice area of the city at night, during the day it’s another story. (Having said that, keep an eye on your possessions and be prepared to haggle unless you want to pay tourist prices.) Literally anything you could possibly need can be found on Sundays at La Lagunilla, and it truly is a quintessential Mexico City market experience that we wholeheartedly recommend. If you’re hunting for furniture in particular, the so-called Rincón Lagunilla is the place to be.

Finally, if you prefer to steer clear of the hustle and bustle of street markets, then Piezas Únicas could be a better spot for you to check out. Situated in Roma, this quirky store sells, restores and buys furniture, meaning you’ve got all your antique needs covered in one handy and reliable location. Most of their pieces are from the 40s, 50s and 60s and come pre-restored, so while the prices might seem high, you don’t have to worry about factoring in separate repair costs on top.

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