Set against the backdrop of Colonia Roma’s historic first market, this Mexico City restaurant interprets chef Marco Carboni’s Italian heritage through a distinctly Mexican lens.

Architect Sophie Betancur used a palette of materials drawn almost exclusively from Mexico to design Polpo, which sits inside the historic El Parian building – built in 1926 as Colonia Roma’s first shopping mall. Baentacur’s drawn on this heritage for the interiors, using copper, Santo Tomás marble and tzalam wood across the interior and installing wine-coloured terrazzo counters that echo the similarly speckled patterns in buildings across the capital.

Despite the locality of its material palette, the restaurant could just as easily be found in Italy, right down to its glass cabinets of meats and cheese and its mix of indoor-outdoor space. Guests can cosy up in a wooden booth or pull up a stool at Polpo’s outside bar.

Carboni’s menu leans into the Italian influence, replete with pasta, cheese, prosciutto and olives, and a good selection of classic and mezcal cocktails. Dishes are served tapas style for quick eating.

Av. Álvaro Obregón 130, C. U. Benito Juárez, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

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