12 Delicious Oaxaca Food Experiences You Need to Try
The secret is more than out on the magic of Oaxaca Mexico. The alluring city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site blessed with sacred sites, colorful buildings, and deep ancestral roots to the indigenous Zapotec and Mixtec cultures. One of the most prevalent ways to see these impacts are on the incredible Oaxaca food culture and scene.
Travelers visit Oaxaca City to walk through the charming historic center, visit the culturally rich museums, and stroll through the botanical gardens, but the Oaxaca food scene is truly what all the buzz is about.
In general, Mexican cuisine has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Oaxaca seems to leading the way with its authentic cuisine that uses traditional techniques.
From street food to high-end tasting menus Oaxaca is a foodie haven. The Oaxaca food scene boasts bustling markets with inspiring produce and products of the highest quality. There are delightful daily lunch menus, detailed cooking classes, a cafe culture, and of course the distilled spirit of Mezcal.
One of the best things to do in Oaxaca is to eat as much as possible. From Oaxaca food tours and mezcal tastings to market days, the best way to experience the food is through cultural activities.
Here are 12 Oaxaca food experiences to try when visiting Oaxaca…. AKA my Oaxaca foodie guide for first-time visitors.
Table of Contents
- Take an Oaxaca Food Tour
- Experience the Best Oaxaca Markets
- Splurge on a Multi-Course Tasting Menu
- Eat all the Oaxaca Street Food
- Enjoy the Coffee Culture in Oaxaca
- Savor a Lunch “Menu del Dia”
- Take an Oaxaca Cooking Class
- Day Trip from Oaxaca to Tlacolula for the Sunday Market
- Sample All Seven Moles of Oaxaca
- Treat Yourself to Nieves
- Sip on One of the Oldest Beverages in Oaxaca
- Appreciate the Complexity of Mezcal
- Conclusion | Best Oaxaca Food Experiences
1 | Take an Oaxaca Food Tour
One of the best ways to dive into the diversity of Oaxacan cuisine is to book an Oaxaca food tour. Many of the tours include visits to the local markets, which are the heartbeat of the Oaxaca food scene.
Local guides are enthusiastic about the cuisine and can explain the origins of all the traditional dishes.
An Oaxaca food tour is the perfect introduction to the distinct and diverse cuisine.
2 | Experience the Best Oaxaca Markets
It comes as no surprise that some of the best food in Oaxaca is found in colorful and diverse markets. As stated above, most of the Oaxaca food tours also include a stroll through the bustling marketplaces.
Markets are the pulse of each neighborhood and every barrio and community has its lively marketplace. The Oaxaca markets are usually busiest in the mornings when locals stock up on daily fresh produce and supplies.
In Oaxaca, there are food markets and artisan markets. However, a majority offer a little bit of everything. As this is an Oaxaca foodie guide, here are the 4 most popular food markets in Oaxaca City.
➯ Oaxaca Travel Guide | The Best & Most Diverse Oaxaca Markets
Popular Oaxaca Food Markets
Eat your way through these spectacular Oaxaca food markets. Visit each with an open mind and be prepared to have all the senses stimulated. The best way to experience the markets is to come hungry and curious!
Mercado Benito Juarez
The Benito Juarez Market is probably one of the busiest markets in Oaxaca. Part of this has to do with its location since it is only two blocks from the main plaza or Zocolo. This colorful Oaxaca market boasts everything you could need, from mezcal to artisan chocolate, to fresh produce and meat.
Additionally, the Benito Juarez market offers a few casual food stalls and juice stands. Don’t miss Aguas Frescas Susi to sample Horchata con Tuna. Horchata is a popular Mexican drink made from sweet rice and mixed with cinnamon and sugar. On top, find fresh tuna (fruit) and nuts.
Benito Juarez market is also a place to stock up on artisan goods like sandals, souvenirs, dresses, and wallets.
The Mercado Benito Juarez is one of the best markets in Oaxaca.
Find it here: Flores Magón y Colón and spilling out into the surrounding streets | Hours: Daily, 7:00 – 21:00 | Facebook Page | Oaxaca Food Experience Must: Aguas Frescas Susi
Mercado 20 de Noviembre
Next door to Mercado Benito Juarez is a market filled with tasty Oaxacan cuisine, the Mercado 20 de Noviembre. This covered market is home to tons of food stalls serving up home-cooked meals made with love.
There are also tons of stands selling bread, mezcal, and so much more.
Hall of Meats
Mercado 20 de Noviembre is home to the famous “Pasillo de Humo,” or the Hall of Meats. This long hallway is filled with vendors grilling fresh meat on open grills, creating a smokey atmosphere. The Meat Hall is a unique and fun place to grab lunch or an early dinner.
To experience the meat hall choose a meat. The popular meats include tasajo (beef), cecina (thinly sliced beef), chorizo (beef and pork spicy sausage), or a combo of them all. Next, hand-pick all your condiments. There are an array of grilled veggies, salsas, guacamoles, and hot peppers to name a few…
Inspiring Oaxaca foodies should not miss the chance to savor at least one meal in the Pasillo de Humo.
Find it here: 20 de Noviembre 512 | Hours: Daily, 7:00 – 21:00 | Oaxaca Food Experience Must: The Hall of Meats
Mercado de Abastos
The Abastos Market is the largest and most authentic market in Oaxaca City. This is a bustling central and local marketplace. This market is very no-frills and does not necessarily cater to tourists. Don’t expect this market to be as “well-groomed” as some of the other popular Oaxaca.
This market was recently made famous by the Netflix series Street Food. The episode on Oaxaca showcases Doña Vale, an inspiriSeek outtrong-willed woman who made a name for herself in making authentic Memelas with tasty salsas.
Be mindful of your belongings in this market as petty theft is quite common.
Find it here: Juárez Maza, Central de Abasto | Hours: Daily, 8:00 – 20:00 | Oaxaca Food Experience Must : Doña Vale
Oaxaca Foods to Seek-out in the Markets
There is so much delicious food in Oaxaca that it can be almost overwhelming to know what to order. Antojitos are snacks or appetizers and are sometimes referred to as“little cravings.” Oftentimes antojitos are typical and common street food. Antojitos can also be found in the Oaxaca markets.
Oaxaca Antojitos
☛ Oaxaca Foodie Tip | Look for a place utilizing a comal, a typical open grill that is like a skillet. In Oaxaca, a clay comal is the most authentic
✔ Memelas is a thicker tortilla made of masa, or corn. Oftentimes memelas are brushed with lard before being cooked and toasted on a comal. Memelas are typically topped with refried beans, Oaxaca cheese, and sometimes grilled meat.
✔ Tlayudas are often compared to Mexican pizza. Tlayudas are served on a massive tortilla and topped with beans, Oaxacan cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Delicious condiments like salsas and sauces are served on the side.
✔ Garnachas are a typical corn tortilla antojitos from the Isthmus region of Oaxaca. These small snacks are again topped with refried beans, cheese, meats, and condiments.
Unique Snacks
✔ Chapulines are a favorite snack in Oaxaca. Chapulines are grasshoppers that are toasted on a traditional comal and topped with seasonings.
✔ Pan de Yema, is also known as “yolk bread.” This yellowish flour bread is sweet and made with extra egg yolks and is a staple at the Mercado 20 de Noviembre.
3 | Splurge on an Oaxaca Course Tasting Menu
Oaxaca has some top-rated restaurants that are quite affordable. It’s possible to experience a diverse and tantalizing course-tasting menu for under $100 USD.
Top Rated Oaxaca Restaurants with Course Tasting Menus
✔ Tika’aya (Formerly Teocintle) | Whimsical food focusing on honoring the cuisine of the Mixteca region of Oaxaca | Current Tasting Menu: $1050 pesos ($58 USD)
✔ El Destilado | Unique tasting menus that rotate with the season | Course Tasting Menus are offered as 6, 9, or a Chef’s Menu of 12 courses | Current Tasting Menu: $1,400 pesos (6) & $2,000 pesos (9)
✔ Ancestral Cocina | Traditional Oaxacan cuisine that continues to rank on the Top Mexico Restaurant lists | Current Tasting Menu: $1,350 pesos ($75 USD)
✔ Criollo | A top-rated Oaxaca restaurant known for its rotating coursed menu | Current Tasting Menu: starts at $1,450 pesos ($80 USD)
There are plenty of high-end restaurants that also offer incredible food. A few of the affluent Oaxaca restaurants that continue to top the best restaurants list include Los Danzantes, Casa Oaxaca, Origen, Pitiona, and Catedral Restaurant.
🍽 Oaxaca Foodie Guide | Where to Eat in Oaxaca 60+ Best Oaxaca Restaurants, Cafes, Coffeeshops, Bars, & More
4 | Eat all the Oaxaca Street Food
Some may argue that some of the best food in Oaxaca is found inLlanoform of street food and I would have to agree with that.
Oaxacan street food is fantastic. A majority of the street food in Oaxaca is typical antojitos. However, the antojitos are made from scratch, with tons of love, and with a true passion for the ingredients.
Where to Find the Best Oaxacan Street Food
The best way to find street food is to simply follow your nose and look for a crowd. Alternatively, if you don’t know where to begin, this Oaxaca Street Food Tour is a good place to start.
Some of the best Oaxacan street food I found was in El Llano Park. At dusk, the food stalls begin to attract hungry people and families out enjoying time together.
Additionally, there are lots of pop-up vendors around the main Plaza Santo Domingo.
Jardín Conzatti has one of my favorite place to grab a torta (sandwich), Tortas La Hormiga.
Finally, the numerous taquería stands across the street from the ADO bus station by far serve up the best tacos in Oaxaca.
☛ Oaxaca Travel Guide | Unique Oaxaca Itinerary from 3 days – 2 weeks
5 | Enjoy the Coffee Culture in Oaxaca
Oaxaca does not lack spectacular cafes and coffee shops. The best part is that a majority of the coffee beans are coming directly from the Sierra Sur mountains.
☛ Psst… San Jose del Pacifico Oaxaca is a popular place to visit and experience the Sierra Sur Mountains.
Top-Rated Oaxaca Cafes
There are numerous Oaxaca cafes and coffee shops, but these 3 continue to top my favorite lists.
Oaxaca Foodie Musts to Experience Coffee Culture
While these are awesome cafes in Oaxaca, it’s impossible to not mention Boulenc. This trendy restaurant has an incredible bakery, a smashing brunch menu, and at night handmade pizzas. I would say this restaurant is a must-visit stop but with less Oaxaca cuisine and more European flair.
Interested in coffee roasters? Cafe Nuevo Mundo is a must for self-proclaimed “coffee snobs.” What’s great is the cafe works with small-batch local produce and prides itself on increasing knowledge about the Oaxaca coffee culture.
6 | Savor a Lunch “Menu del Dia” in Oaxaca
Menu del dias are set coursed menus that typically are served over lunchtime. A majority of restaurants offer a lunch menu which usually includes a main course, a starter, and a drink. Sometimes a dessert is included, but it depends on each restaurant.
There are also plenty of Oaxaca restaurants that offer incredible menu del dia options in the historic city center. These are some of the top-rated places to grab a menu del dia in Oaxaca.
Oaxaca Restaurants with Noteworthy Menu del Dia
✔ Cabuche
One of the best places to find a menu del dia is at the many Oaxaca markets. In addition to the above-listed markets, check out these popular Oaxaca food markets.
More Oaxaca Food Markets to Eat At
✔ The Rayón Pochote Organic Market
7 | Take a Oaxaca Cooking Class
Another hands-on and interactive way to understand Oaxaca gastronomy is to take an organized Oaxaca cooking class. The food of Oaxaca is layered and complex, but a cooking class is a great place to start understanding the layers of the food.
A majority of the Oaxaca cooking classes include a visit to the local market.
8 | Day Trip from Oaxaca to Tlacolula for the Sunday Market
Less than 20 miles from Oaxaca in the rich East Oaxaca Valley lies the small village of Tlacolula de Matamoros. In the heart of this village, find one of the oldest continuous markets in Mesoamerica, the Tlacolula Market. This marketplace has been a bustling trading center for the Zapoteca and Mixteca cultures.
While the market happens daily, the best day to visit the Tlacolula market is on a Sunday. Sunday is the day when many of the nearby communities fill the stalls and pour out into the street to sell anything and everything. It’s been said that on a typical Sunday in Tlacolula that at least 1,000 vendors set-up makeshift stalls on the streets encircling the market.
The Tlacolula Market is one of the best day trips from Oaxaca.
➜ Don’t feel like visiting the local market on your own? Local guides offer this Sunday Market Tour to Tlacolula Market and on Fridays to Oaxaca’s Ocotlan de Morelos market
Besides the typical market items of fresh produce, meats, coffee, cacao, bread, and clothing, expect to see a wide display of plants, small livestock animals, household supplies, small batch mezcal, and handmade weaved artisanal goods.
At the Tlacolula Market, the specialty food item is barbacoa, or slow-cooked goat. Look for the smokey “alleyway” filled with colorful paper flags and women dressed in traditional clothing freely passing out samples. Grab a spot at one of the large tables and be serenaded by local musicians playing for diners consuming barbacoa consomé or tacos.
While barbacoa is the most popular thing to eat at the marketplace, there are plenty of food stalls serving antojitos, women cooking on comals, or street vendors selling bread, juice, and chapulines.
Today, the Tlacolula Market is still a vibrant and vital functioning marketplace for the local communities.
➯ More Nearby Oaxaca Day Trips | How to Spend the Perfect Day in Teotitlan del Valle Oaxaca
9 | Sample All Seven Moles of Oaxaca
Oaxaca is said to be the birthplace of the famous mole sauce. Although, there is some discrepancy on who you ask…. some say the origins of mole are from the nearby state of Puebla.
Either way, Oaxaca mole is a staple of the cuisine and it is said that there are at least seven mole varieties in Oaxaca. The most famous would be the mole negro, or black mole.
More Oaxaca moles include: mole amarillo (yellow), mole coloradito, mole chichilo, mole rojo (red), mole verde (green), and mole manchamanteles.
Sampling mole is a must-have Oaxaca food experience. A large variety of moles can be found in the markets and many of the traditional restaurants.
For a fun Oaxaca foodie experience, there are restaurants that offer mole tastings, some which are paired with mezcal.
Oaxaca Restaurants that Offer Mole Course Tasting Menus
✔ Restaurante Coronita offers a sampler plate of all 7 Oaxaca moles
✔ Los Danzantes has an appetizer of 5 different moles
✔ El Escapulario has diverse varieties of moles and a mole tasting menu
➜ Those who are interested in an in-depth look at Mole and Mezcal can check out this guided food tour with Daniel Rodriguez
10 | Treat Yourself to Nieves
Across from the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, near the Plaza de la Danza, find tons of little ice cream stalls serving up nieves. Nieves are a type of frozen dessert that is found throughout Mexico, kind of like ice cream. However, very few nieves contain milk, rather nieves are just ice, fruit, and sugar.
The stalls offer unique flavors like tuna, no not the fish, but the prickly pear fruit of cactus. If you don’t fancy an ice cream a few vendors are selling sweet pastries and some street food. Enjoy the ice cream at a table, walk through the plaza, or sit on the big open staircase.
☛ The Best Places to Visit in Oaxaca State
11 | Sip on One of the Oldest Beverages in Oaxaca
Tejate is a unique non-alcoholic drink dating back to Mesoamerica times that is frothy in texture. Tejate is non-alcoholic that is made from a variety of ingredients, but primarily maize (corn) and cacao beans. All of the ingredients are ground together to form a paste.
Water is then added and mixed with the paste, Tejate has a very unique flavor. Some say it tastes like chocolate, other say earthy or nutty. It’s just one of those things you have to try once!
Tejate can be purchased in the markets or from women who sell it on the streets.
12 | Appreciate the Complexity of Mezcal
Mezcal is the unofficial drink of Oaxaca. The ancient techniques stem from the state of Oaxaca, which have been passed down from generation to generation. Mezcal is a distilled spirit made from agave plants. From planting and harvesting the maguey (also known as agave plants), extracting and cooking, to the distilling process, there is so much that goes into producing this alcoholic beverage.
Believe it or not, mezcal production in the Oaxaca region dates back to pre-Columbian times.
The best way to understand the complex process and all the love that goes into production is by visiting a palenque. A palenque is where mezcal is produced.
Santiago Matatlán is to the east of Oaxaca and is officially the “land of mezcal.” This is one fo the most authentic places to visit in Oaxaca for a mezcal tour. Here, it’s possible to walk the agave fields, visit a palenque, and of course, understand the distilling process.
If it’s not in your Oaxaca itinerary there are plenty of sampling options within Oaxaca. There are even Mezcal producers that have started opening tasting rooms, or Mezcalerias.
Popular Oaxaca Mezcal Bars
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Best Oaxaca Food Experiences
In short, this Oaxaca food guide will help make the most of your time in one of Mexico’s top food destinations, Oaxaca. Oaxaca is a food haven and a must-visit stop for foodies. There are so many things to do in Oaxaca, but most travelers are inspired to visit Oaxaca to indulge in the rich culinary scene.
While the Oaxacan gastronomy is top-notch, don’t miss the chance to experience the incredibly culturally rich markets, awesome food tours, and chances to understand the complexity of the Mezcal distilling process.
Foodies will fall in love with Oaxaca Mexico, not only for its distinct cuisine but with the charm and cultural treasures of the surrounding area.
Have you been to Oaxaca Mexico? Have you done any of these Oaxaca food experiences? Did you fall in love with all things Oaxaca? Is there an Oaxaca food experience that you loved and I’m missing? Let me know in the comments below!
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