Oaxaca’s rich Mexican culture may be experienced via its legendary restaurants, which mix traditional tastes and traditions with contemporary dishes.
Click here to read my whole guide to the greatest Oaxacan cuisine, but one dish to keep an eye out for is a sauce famed in this part of Mexico. These are known as mole, and there are several variations, but the most famous are seven delectable recipes.
These are not your typical sauces; I’ve seen the process, and it takes a full day (or more) and over 30 components to produce these moles.
Mole Poblano (Mexico’s national dish), Mole Almendro, and Mole Chichilo (rare but wonderful) were my personal faves in Oaxaca! When in town, don’t forget to try the Mole Negro, a bitter-sweet blend of spices and chocolate.
Not only that, but Oaxaca will provide you with classic lamb, vegan options, and renowned Mexican delights. These are the 16 top restaurants in Oaxaca that not only served amazing food but also provided interesting history, culture, and skills.
Visiting other parts of Mexico? Check out our other tasty guides:
- The Ultimate Guide To The Best Puerto Vallarta Restaurants
- 15 Best Merida Breakfasts
- 12 Best Guanajuato Restaurants
- The 14 Best Bars & Restaurants In Queretaro, Mexico
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Oaxaca’s 16 Most Popular Restaurants in Oaxaca, Mexico
Oaxaca House
+529515168889 Constitucion #104-A C
Alejandro Ruiz is a rock star chef, champion, and walking Oaxacan culinary library. He is the guy behind Mexico’s regional cuisine’s culinary standard.
Casa Oaxaca is unquestionably the place to go if you want to sample the finest of the country’s regional cuisine all in one spot. Situated in a lovely colonial building in the center of the state capital.
You have the option of eating indoors or on the rooftop deck. Prepare to eat some of the greatest cuisine you’ve ever tasted, with a variety of tastes. The homemade salsa, duck, and grilled octopus were my particular favorites. I like how Casa Oaxaca makes the salsa right at your table and adjusts the ingredients to your preferences.
Please keep in mind that Casa Oaxaca is highly occupied and that you would need to make a reservation two to three days in advance. Don’t forget to request a seat on the top terrace for the best view!
The Danzante
Macedonio Alcal 403-interior 4 +529515011187
Las Danzantes, which opened in 2001, has become one of the top restaurants in Oaxaca for traditional cuisine with a twist.
A high-walled garden is an excellent way to appreciate the restaurant’s delectable and unusual cuisine.
Bichos (bug) meals include ant larvae, agave worms, and other bugs on an intriguing plate for brave food enthusiasts.
Splash them down with some excellent mezcal from the restaurant’s distillery, then devour them.
While I am not a lover of insects, I like their seasoned octopus, stuffed chiles, mole plate, goat cheese flan, and mezcal options.
Mina and Bustamante Tlayudas
322 Bustamante
Tlayudas with meat on top were one of the nicest things to eat in Oaxaca. While they are available in restaurants, they are just more tasty on the street, and the greatest ones come from Las Tlayudas de Mina y Bustamante.
Two blocks from the Zocalo, at the intersection of Bustamante and Mina streets, is a local favorite that serves basic but tasty Tlayudas all day. They’re created with typical toppings like Tasajo (dried beef strips) and pork chorizo, and they’re sold all night until 6 a.m.
Finish your street food feast with their molcajete salsa and foamy chocolate camote. With traditional booths and open-flame cooking, the street-style cafe will offer you rustic emotions. Their Tlayudas were crunchy and well prepared!
The Destilado
+5295151622265 409 de Mayo
At El Destilado, Chef Julio Aguilera mixes his love for Mexican cooking and its ingredients with his fine-dining experience.
A diverse la carte menu, a nine-course tasting menu, or a 12 to 14-course chefs menu are available to guests.
Reservations are required for these tasting meals. Julio’s food is unique, despite the fact that the components are Mexican. On a rice cracker, Huachinango fish tartar and chipotle sauce are presented.
To make the most of your meal, get a drink from the bar to accompany it.
To enable visitors to discover Mexico’s liquor landscape and beyond, drinks may be coupled with taster dishes. El Destiladosbar has something for everyone, from craft beer to Mexican sak, mezcal to natural Mexican wine.
Criollo
+529513200709 129 Francisco I. Madero
Criollo, located just outside the city’s lively core, is the Oaxacan food lab operated by Enrique Olvera and Luis Arellano. Both chefs are renowned names in the Mexican cuisine industry, and theyve worked together for a long time first at Enriques restaurant, Pujol, and now at Criollo, where Arellanos Oaxacan origins are on full show.
The restaurant is located in a colonial home with a spacious courtyard. The six-course tasting menu varies daily, but the emphasis is always on regional Mexican tastes, particularly Oaxacan ones.
Criollo serves the greatest tamales and tostadas in town, as well as the tastiest moles and packed chili. They are prepared using cutting-edge processes and locally sourced ingredients.
Please keep in mind that Criollo exclusively serves Mexican cuisine. If you have no financial constraints, the 8-course dinner and Criollos setting will not disappoint!
Crudo
Av Benito Jurez 309, +529514622482
Crudo is a modest restaurant in Oaxaca, Mexico, housed in a historic structure.
We entered a large structure to go to Crudos individual rooms, which are pretty modest and tastefully decorated with golden lighting. Crudo only seats six people at a time, and we were fortunate enough to get them.
The omakase menu is usually a surprise, although we all know Ricardo Arellano enjoys combining Mexican and Japanese dishes. So be prepared to consume a fascinating and ever-changing assortment of meals.
Crudo also works with local fishermen, farmers, and cooperatives to get local foods.
Each menu has eight courses. Chintextle, sushi, and spicy grasshoppers were all prepared to perfection.
Itanoni
Av Belisario Domnguez 513 +529512052282
The tortilla factory-cum-restaurant in Oaxaca City’s Reforma district provides maize in all of its forms.
The restaurant’s environment is filled with smoked goodness, making you want to come in and consume the delicacies prepared by the family.
Itanoni was discovered in a little typical Mexican lane. I loved the atmosphere, bamboo walls, and decorating. It’s the ideal spot for an evening snack and great, undervalued cuisine!
My favorite dishes at Itanoni are the huevos and espirituosa with queso fresco.
Teocintle
Primera Priv. de +529513130485Primera Priv. de
Teocintle was another fascinating spot that served little tasting plates. There is no menu, and you are free to be shocked by what the cooks bring to your table, but wow is the cuisine delicious!
Even though the amounts were little, they were fantastic. It’s a wonderful appetizer tasting menu, but it’s not large enough (portion-wise) to fill you up.
Teocintle may be found in one of Oaxaca’s newest neighborhoods. The restaurant is modest, with just a few tables and one waitress and two cooks. Teocintle gives off a homey atmosphere; it’s comfortable and rustic. The inside is likewise reminiscent of a Mexican home.
Teocintle offers a five-course dinner prepared by the chef using seasonal ingredients. If you inform the chef about your allergies and what you want, they will modify the cuisine to match your requirements.
You may be surprised to learn that Teocintle was the first name given to the plant that flowered maize. The term also alludes to how they utilise traditional cooking methods in their dishes.
Boulenc
207 Porfirio Daz +529513513648
If you’re searching for a decent cup of coffee, Boulenc is the restaurant to go to. It provides third-wave coffee, delicious pastries, and handmade preserves such as jams, pickles, and other items. Juan Pablo Hernandez, the head baker and co-founder, creates delectable bread at this lovely bakery.
lover’s sweet. My personal favorites are the French toast, Shakshuka, and sandwich selection. Boulenc is ideal for beginning the morning, particularly if you like croissants.
Begin your breakfast or brunch with a croissant or concha and end with several waffles or a large dish of shakshuka.
Try their very wonderful pizza, salads, and sandwiches for lunch. Its eye-catching bar is a delight for intoxicated; it’s a place to unwind and have fun.
Although Boulenc does not accept reservations, you should arrive early if possible since a queue develops practically every day. Wait times for Day of the Dead were an hour and a half or more.
Marina Vacation
109 C. de Ignacio Allende
Vaca Marina is an Oaxacan land and sea fine dining restaurant built on a terrace overlooking the Santo Domingo church. The restaurant is located in the Hotel Los Amantes, Posada Dos Palmas, and Villa Zanate sectors.
In Vaca Marina, patrons may choose from top steaks to the freshest seafood from Baja California, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Oaxacan coast. This location has something for everyone.
Evening meal items include pasta and rice dishes grilled in charcoal ovens. A fresh seafood bar serves Pacific oysters, clams, stone crabs, and king crabs. Extra ingredients are added to raw or baked ceviches to improve the taste of the fish.
Gozobi
de Manuel Garca Vigil 504 +529515162938C. de Manuel Garca Vigil 504
Gozobi serves perfectly grilled Monkfish, Laing, and Calamari. Finish your dinner with some delectable gelato. Customers may enjoy great craft beer and margaritas at this eatery. Since I didn’t, no one will ever forget the delicious cappuccino and hot chocolate.
With its stylish and distinctive setting, this area provides a great view and enables guests to rest. Consumers have praised the staff’s rapid service. Needless to mention, Gozobi’s reasonable rates will please you.
Zandunga
+529515162265 512-E Manuel Garca Vigil
Tamales, chambray, moles, chileajo, baked cogito, toasted corn mole, and mole shrimp all on the menu at this busy restaurant. Their delectable dessert choices will please you and complement your meal.
A range of mezcals complement the distinct tastes of the meals, allowing you to drink and dine well.
Since the costs are so low, people from all walks of life may come in and enjoy the finest of Mexican hospitality.
The Most Popular
de Manuel Garca Vigil 519 +529512062751
This tiny corner eatery delivers a range of intriguing antojitos as well as more substantial Oaxacan and Mexican meals at a reasonable price in a noisy and quick way.
The soft tacos are great, and the garlic-marinated mushrooms are even better. La Popular has a beautiful view of Santo Domingo Church. La Popular is an excellent option for a casual eating experience.
This tiny eatery provides the Finest Tlayudas in town, after Las Tlayudas de Mina y Busante.
If you’re traveling with a party, I’d definitely suggest their Chamorro, a meal set with a whole hog leg for you to make your own tacos. They also offer a nice selection of IPA beers to pick from!
This was the only restaurant that my buddy group visited twice on our recent trip, and we enjoyed it so much that we returned again on our final night in town.
Tacos Del Carmen
Jess Carranza +529511621221
Tacos del Carmen was one of my absolute favorite street booths; their chorizo is excellent, their amarillo empanadas are flavorful, and their salsa is delectable.
All of this and much more is available at very reasonable prices. Due to the limited capacity, arrive early to get a table or order to-go.
Tacos del Carmen, situated just across La Popular, delivers the greatest memelas, quesadillas, and tacos throughout the morning and early afternoon.
Pan de Madre
C. de Quetzalcatl 205-D +529512281154
Pan con Madre is one of my favorite bakeries. My favorite ordering at this restaurant are the focaccia, fresh English muffins, and sesame loaves of bread.
In addition, they sell a fantastic homemade granola.
Because of its high quality and flavor, coffee is typically sold by the kilo at this site. To begin with, Pan con Madre smells great from a distance.
With its delicious flavor, Pan con Madre will entice you. The bakery items, like the scent, are exquisite, particularly their almond and lemon cake and pan with dulce de leche.
Doa Vale, Memelas.
+529513946276 Centro de Abasto, Cosijoeza
Of course, I wanted to double-check the attention Memelas Doa Vale earned from Netflix’s Street Food series. To be honest, the flavor and taste are worth it! The flavors in the dishes are rich and deep. Additionally, their famed salsas are out of this world! Their original chipotle sauce was my fave.
Vale Pacheco prepares a variation of Oaxaca’s famed memelas in the Street Food series, landing her a slot on Netflix’s Street Food.
Other from Doa Vale herself, the stars of this restaurant are two dark, smoky salsas created with chile Morita and miltomate (green tomatillo) and another with red tomato and green chile.
Ask for grilled tasajo, eggs cooked on the comal, or pig ribs with your memelas for an unbeatable combo. At the destination, you can also have great Oaxacan hot chocolate or caf de olla.
Oaxaca’s Finest Market
Only on the streets, in the alleyways, or in the local markets can you genuinely experience Oaxacan authentic tastes. Therefore, before you leave Oaxaca, make a stop at my favorite market.
Market on November 20th
November 20th, 512
The neighboring Mercado Benito Jurez, 20 de Noviembre, concentrates more on artesanas than the former. Embroidered blouses, huaraches (leather shoes), and home furnishings like as cushions and table runners are available.
Tasajo is one of the tastiest meals at the Mercado 20 de Noviembre, but if you want something more economical, you may stop for breakfast or lunch at one of the market’s numerous vendors.
As you can probably guess from this list, I’ve tried many of Oaxaca’s fine dining establishments, but the finest cuisine in Oaxaca comes from the smaller street food and market sellers.
Top Bars and Mezcalerias in Oaxaca
We discovered some of Mexico’s top mezcal bars hidden behind the rainbow-colored façade of Oaxaca City’s low-rise buildings. After a day of touring the town’s marketplaces, art galleries, and street food outlets, you may taste the smokey spirit here.
Mezcalogia
de Manuel Garca Vigil # 509 +529515140115
Oaxaca is famous for its mezcal, but where can you get the best? Well, I went to a couple pubs around town and here’s what I discovered! Mezcalogia is one of the several bars in the region that we like.
Despite its small size, the bartenders are kind and helpful, and the mezcal is delicious. A well-crafted cocktail or locally distilled mezcal would be an excellent option here.
Arrive early since this little drinking establishment might get rather packed.
If you want to learn more about mezcal, come early when the live music hasn’t begun and the audience is small; the bartenders will guide you through the many options and specialities.
Mezcalogia takes a hit as the live music kick begins; it creates a terrific mood.
From 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., Wednesday through Monday.
Mezcaleria Cuish
Daz Ordaz 712
Cuish promotes and preserves authentic mezcals, as well as educating mezcal lovers on a local and worldwide scale. Its reputation among artists and mezcal fans has inspired other famous places.
Cuish wishes to keep the manufacture of mezcal in the hands of the mezcal maestros with whom he collaborates and their distinct local traditions. As a result, no two batches are same, and each one tells a tale about its origin.
Embajador’s House
+529512066988 No. 1 Calle Unin
Casa Embajador is one of the best and most popular Spanish cuisine restaurants in the city.
These restaurant owners take pleasure in providing outstanding service. Guests will enjoy their stay at this site because of the wonderful ambience.
The margaritas at the bar are a must-try, and we strongly recommend them. The selection of house mezcal is excellent.
The Mezcaleria
+529511455349 1119 Miguel Hidalgo
If you want to learn about mezcal, this upscale tasting facility is the place to go. You’ll also learn how to taste it as well as what to look for in a high-quality product.
Arrange a tasting reservation in advance. You may try numerous mezcals for a price, but be sure to come prepared with lots of questions.
Based on your tastes, your host will give you a range of house brands.
Several of their mezcals are one-of-a-kind mixes of small-batch and wild-crafted agave mezcals that are not available elsewhere.
Mezcaloteca La Mezcaloteca
No. 506 Reforma +529515140082
People who work here are passionate about mezcal and willing to share their expertise with others who are new to the spirit. There is a large range of mezcals from all throughout the state and beyond, making it seem more like a mezcal tasting room than a bar.
If you’re new to or a lover of mezcal, this is a terrific spot to learn more about the spirit, but it’s not a place where you’d have a party.
Which of these Oaxacan eateries are you going to try first? Please share your thoughts in the comments box below!