Barragán & Beyond: A Design-Inspired Saturday at Mexico City's Tetetlán

In the craggy residential suburb of Jardines de Pedregal, an ambitious new cultural center is drawing architecture students and aesthetes back to a landscape that once kindled the imagination of Mexico's most influential modernist. It's a next-level sanctuary for devotees of Luis Barragán—a glass-topped lava field complete with original furniture and a one-of-a-kind Mexican architecture library made free and accessible to all. But with a local artisan showcase, a wellness program, a weekly influx of destination farm stands, and a brew bar helmed by the country's savviest baristas, Tetetlán is also one of the most inspiring places to eat, play, and shop in Mexico City right now. Sure, it's tops for lunch after a visit to the restored midcentury masterpiece next door, but even if you don't have an appointment to tour Barragán's Casa Pedregal, you can still spend the better part of a Saturday here, soaking up the good vibes and contemporary Mexican design. Here's how.

1. Yoga with the neighbors

There's nothing like a Saturday morning sun salutation to get you out of the hotel bathrobe and into the swing of a new city. Luis's 10:30am Vinyasa class is no joke, but the regulars are friendly, and Tetetlán's light-filled second-story studio has floor-to-ceiling treetop views. True: you may have to flex a few extra brain muscles to pull off Flying Pigeon Pose in translation, but as long as you're comfortable with the postures (and familiar with their Sanskrit monikers), you won't need perfect Spanish to be able to hold your own.

2. Edible, wearable, sustainable souvenirs

Pound for pound, Tetetlán's tiny "Tienda de Barrio" is among the most rewarding places in town to scout carefully sourced Mexican wares. Look for heritage ceramics from Guerrero, cultish Baja-made natural wines, hand-painted mezcal flasks from Oaxaca, and billowy tunics stitched only a few colonias away. After scoping art books, jewelry, and textiles, head next door to pick up heirloom beans, medicinal herbs, and hard-to-find chilies at the Pedregal edition of Mexico City's beloved organic farmers' market, Mercado el 100 (Saturdays until 3:30pm).

3. Buzz-worthy brunch

In Mexico City, you know you're doing something right when you realize it's past 5pm and you've yet to get up from the lunch table. Our new favorite place to practice the cherished local art of the eternal comida? Tetetlán's soaring skylit library-cum-dining room. Long on the neighborhood's signature volcanic stone, Barragán pink, and cozy reading nooks, the space was designed for lingering, as was the menu. Come with a crew so you won't have to choose between hoja santa-poached eggs and hibiscus enfrijoladas. And don't overlook the intriguing roster of Mesoamerican-inspired cacao elixirs.