Oaxaca holds a claim as Mexico's most important food region, seven distinct varieties of mole, a mezcal tradition older and more diverse than tequila, and markets that function as the actual centre of civic life rather than a tourist attraction.
Markets and Mole
Mercado 20 de Noviembre and Mercado Benito Juárez, the city's main food markets, are the best introduction to Oaxacan cuisine, try tlayudas (a large crisp tortilla loaded with toppings), chapulines (spiced grasshoppers), and at least two of the seven moles.
A hands-on cooking class, widely available in the city, is one of the best ways to actually understand the layered, often day-long process behind a proper mole negro.
Mezcal and Monte Albán
Unlike tequila, mezcal is produced from many varieties of agave using traditional, often small-batch methods, visit a palenque (distillery) outside the city, several of which offer tours and tastings distinguishing genuinely artisanal production from mass-market brands.
Monte Albán, a Zapotec ceremonial city built on a flattened mountaintop overlooking the Oaxaca valley, predates the Aztecs by well over a thousand years and is a straightforward half-day trip from the city centre.
Recommended Stay · Oaxaca · Historic Centre
Casa Antonieta
A restored colonial-era house a few blocks from the Zócalo, with a rooftop terrace over the city's low colonial skyline, small, intimate, and walking distance to the main markets.
