Oaxaca food guide
Oaxaca Food Guide: 15 Dishes + Mezcal Mastery
Oaxaca is Mexico's culinary capital, seven moles + tlayudas + mezcal + chapulines + the deepest food culture in the country. Here are 15 must-try dishes.
Mole negro
The most famous of Oaxaca's seven moles — 30+ ingredients including chocolate. Casa Oaxaca + Origen serve refined versions.
Price: 250-450 MXN
Mole coloradito
Lighter red mole. Often served at family restaurants.
Price: 220-380 MXN
Tlayuda
Massive crispy tortilla with beans + cheese + meat + avocado. Street food at Mercado 20 de Noviembre.
Price: 80-180 MXN
Chapulines
Toasted grasshoppers seasoned with chili + lime. Crunchy, salty, surprisingly good. Most markets + restaurants.
Price: 40-90 MXN per portion
Tasajo
Salted thin-sliced beef grilled over coals. Mercado 20 de Noviembre's smoke alley is famous.
Price: 150-280 MXN
Cecina
Pork cured with chili paste. Often paired with tasajo at the smoke alley.
Price: 150-280 MXN
Tetelas
Triangular masa pockets filled with black beans + cheese. Street snack.
Price: 25-60 MXN each
Tamales oaxaqueños
Tamales wrapped in banana leaves (vs corn husks in central Mexico). Often mole-filled.
Price: 30-70 MXN each
Quesillo (Oaxaca cheese)
Stringy melting cheese. Featured in many dishes. Available at every market.
Price: Varies in recipes
Tejate
Pre-Hispanic chocolate drink with foam top. Maria Sabina + Mercado Benito Juárez stalls.
Price: 30-60 MXN
Chocolate de agua
Hot chocolate made with water (not milk). Stone-ground at Mayordomo or Guelaguetza chocolate shops.
Price: 30-60 MXN
Memelas
Thick masa cakes with beans + cheese + salsa. Breakfast specialty.
Price: 30-60 MXN each
Mezcal tasting (Mezcalillera, Real Minero, Mezcaloteca)
Smoky spirit from the agave fields. Single-flight 100-300 MXN.
Price: 100-500 MXN per flight
Mezcal-paired dinner at Origen or Itanoni
Modern Oaxacan with mezcal pairings.
Price: 800-1,500 MXN per person
Sotol + raicilla (regional spirits)
Lesser-known agave spirits. Specialty bars in Oaxaca City.
Price: 100-200 MXN per pour