Food & Drink

Mexican Food Guide

Seven moles, artisanal mezcal, and tacos worth crossing the country for. Mexico's culinary tradition is one of only two in the world with UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status.

The Seven Moles of Oaxaca

Oaxaca is the birthplace of mole — a chile-based sauce of extraordinary complexity. Seven distinct moles are native to Oaxacan cooking, each a different expression of flavor, color, and tradition.

Mole Negro

The most complex — dark, smoky, with chocolate undertones and up to 30 ingredients including multiple dried chiles, chocolate, and charred tortilla. Days to prepare. Order at Mercado 20 de Noviembre.

Mole Coloradito

Deep red, moderately complex, rich with ancho and mulato chiles. Sweeter and less bitter than negro. Often served with chicken or enchiladas.

Mole Amarillo

Bright yellow-orange, lighter and more acidic. Uses chilhuacle and costeño chiles. Common everyday mole served over tamales or with vegetables.

Mole Rojo

Red mole, simpler than coloradito. Ancho chiles dominate. Found at market stalls throughout Oaxaca City.

Where to start: Mercado 20 de Noviembre in Oaxaca City — choose your mole at the empanada stands that have been cooking the same recipes for generations. No menu needed. Point at what looks good.

Mexico City Street Food

CDMX has one of the world's great street food cultures. The variety, quality, and price point — MXN 15-30 per taco — makes it extraordinary at every level.

Tacos de Canasta

Basket tacos — kept warm in cloth-lined baskets, filled with potato, bean, or chicharron. The authentic CDMX breakfast, MXN 12-15 each. Available from street vendors from 7-11am.

Tacos al Pastor

Marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit (trompo), carved to order with pineapple and cilantro. The definitive CDMX taco. El Turix in Polanco is the benchmark.

Tlayudas

Oaxacan street food — large, crisp tortilla topped with black beans, quesillo (string cheese), meat, and salsa. Order at La Popular in Oaxaca City.

Cochinita Pibil

Yucatan specialty — slow-roasted pork marinated in achiote and citrus, traditionally pit-cooked. Best at Merida's Sunday market or El Trapiche. Tender, orange-red, and deeply flavored.

Artisanal Mezcal — Oaxaca's Other Export

Oaxacan mezcal bears no resemblance to commercial brands. In villages like San Baltazar Guelavila and Matatlan, small producers roast agave in underground pits, crush it with stone wheels pulled by horses, and distill in clay pots. The result is complex, smoky, and deeply tied to place.

Where to taste: In Situ Mezcaleria in Oaxaca City (50+ labels, guided tasting). For the full experience, book a palenque visit — a mezcal distillery tour that includes watching production and tasting directly from the producer.

Scott's tip: A guided Hierve el Agua day tour typically includes a palenque visit and Mitla ruins. This is the best single day in Oaxaca — combine all three for MXN 500-700 per person.

Regional Food by Destination

Oaxaca City Seven moles, tlayudas, memelas, artisanal mezcal, Oaxacan cheese (quesillo)

Mexico City Tacos al pastor, tacos de canasta, chilaquiles, birria, pozole, fine dining

Puebla Mole poblano (birthplace), chiles en nogada, cemitas, chalupas

Merida Cochinita pibil, sopa de lima, papadzules, panuchos, poc chuc

Guadalajara Birria (origin city), tortas ahogadas, tejuino, pozole

Tulum Seafood ceviches, Mayan-inspired cuisine, mezcal cocktails, international restaurants

Booking In Advance

The acclaimed Mexico City restaurants book out weeks ahead. Contramar (seafood) and Quintonil (Mexican fine dining) require reservations 2-3 weeks out. The Friday afternoon tasting menu at Pujol requires months. For the rest of Mexico, walk-in dining is the norm.