Lago Algo, Chapultepec

Lago Algo is a remarkable restaurant and sometime cultural center on the edge of the Lago Mayor in the Second Section of Chapultepec Park. The building represents a great opportunity to experience the gigantism of the 1960s, and especially the hyperbolic paraboloid architecture of the period. There’s waterfront dining, but also an interior that seems intended to be enjoyed.

The building opened as the “Restaurante del Lago” in 1964. It continued to operate over the next 50 years. Lago Algo reopened only in 2022 with a renewed focus on the natural environment, the history of modern architecture, and other aspects of arts and culture. Lago is the restaurant. The gallery and cultural space, Algo, is managed by the Galería OMR. They’ve collaborated, most prominently, with joségarcía,mx. Both are among the leading contemporary art galleries in Mexico City. And so the cultural side of things is notably heavy duty.

The building was designed by architect Alfonso Ramirez Ponce. He had studied with Félix Candela at the UNAM Faculty of Architecture and was only 24 when this project was completed in 1964. The complex is centered around the giant hyperbolic paraboloid structure that opens toward the lake. The complex has been modified multiple times over the years, but has been restored and presents a dramatic and even inspiring interior.

As remarkable as anything, Lago Algo also provides a welcome presence on the edge of the sometimes dramatic lake. It’s a frequent stop for those returning from the Piso Sope running track. And the space represents a focus to what little activity there is in this far more placid side of the park.

Reservations are recommended for both the restaurant and the cultural center. These can be made from the website.

Hours: Exhibition space, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Restaurant, Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.