Oaxaca, the culinary heart of Mexico, is no place to skip if you’re a foodie and looking for top-tier, best restaurants. Tacos, memelas, tlayudas, quesadillas, tejate, mole verde, mole rojo – the food in Oaxaca is vast and has the best reputation for a reason. The culinary scene is impressive, traditional, experimental, delicious, affordable, and therefore, very overwhelming.
We have put together a list of seven unmissable restaurants to visit in Oaxaca to help you eat your way through the city known for gastronomy and deliciousness.
La Jicara
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La Jicara is one of the many collaborative eateries in Oaxaca Centro. It consists of an independent bookshop, a health food store, a restaurant, and cultural spaces, and is full of insight and color for the community. The restaurant, which offers plenty of meat, healthy, vegetarian, and vegan options, is very centrally located on the popular street, Calle Porfirio Díaz.
Etnofood
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Etnofood is a humble, trendy restaurant which serves vegetarian and vegan versions of Oaxacan classics. This is one of the best restaurants in Oaxaca, not only for the delicious plant-based dishes, but also for the blend of modern and traditional Mexican furniture.
We recommend the mole bowl for foodies looking to try a famous regional favorite. Additionally, finish your evening at Etnofood by trying out their group mixology classes and mezcal tasting classes.
Boulenc
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Breakfast, brunch or dinner – your Oaxacan adventure in the city isn’t complete without a trip to Boulenc. With a bakery that beckons many from across the country, expect some of the best bread, pastries, and pizza that Oaxaca has to offer. The rustic chic vibe is an added bonus and makes the evening even more magical, beside the unreal Oaxacan ingredients.
La Cosecha
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While not technically a restaurant, La Cosecha is an open market/food hall in the heart of the city offering a place to buy organic fruit and veg, artisan handmade body care products, Oaxacan favorite street food bites, and the perfect cup of Oaxacan hot chocolate. It is a blend of everything you want from an endless Sunday afternoon in Oaxaca’s culinary city. Look out for memelas, tlayudas, quesadillas – all of your favorite dishes in this eclectic market.
Hierba Dulce
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This restaurant offers Oaxacan food made entirely in a feminist kitchen done as organically, locally, and sustainable as possible. The sugar and oil-free kitchen offers plant-based Oaxacan food and deserts. Each plate is delicately plated with a homemade feel. Hierba Dulce is probably one of the best restaurants in Oaxaca for the sweet ice cream options that are impossible to turn down.
La Popular
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Gastronomy and art are the two most important things you’ll remember from your Oaxacan trip, as well as your visit to La Popular. There is sometimes a queue to get into La Popular and between the mole negro and the chipotle shrimp, you’ll see why. With the hole-in-the-wall-style paired with an intimate, cozy vibe, it’s best to keep this high on your list of places to eat in Oaxaca.
Terraza Istmo
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Fresh from Oaxaca’s Isthmus region, this traditional style kitchen is a favorite in the city. The small family restaurant opened in 2019 and has grown to become a popular spot for foodies looking to indulge in the variety of Oaxaca’s culinary greatness. Located in the center, Terraza Istmo is a hidden gem tucked away on the third floor of hotel “Casa Abuela Maria.”
Related: The Black Expat: ‘Our Black Skin Is Not A Death Sentence In Oaxaca, Mexico’