Vips Insurgentes Loreto

The chain. Vips is Mexico's most widespread coffee-shop restaurant chain: a broad menu of Mexican and international dishes, breakfast all day, free coffee refills and mid-range prices. For a visitor it solves three specific situations — breakfast early, before anything else opens; something predictable when you do not want to gamble; and a clean toilet plus wi-fi without spending much. All branches take cards.

This branch. On Insurgentes Sur, in Tizapán San Ángel, a few minutes from Plaza Loreto and from the historic centre of San Ángel with its Bazar Sábado. It works as breakfast before walking the neighbourhood.

Getting there and when. San Ángel has no Metro: Metrobús line 1 runs along Insurgentes and stops close by, and Barranca del Muerto, line 7, is a few minutes away by taxi. There is parking in the area. On Saturdays the whole district saturates because of the bazaar, so arrive early. It closes at 20:00.