Food In Oaxaca – Culture, Climate, and Must-Try Delicacies

In North America, Mexican food has been co-opted by large franchises and turned into the standardized tacos and burritos we have all grown up with. But don’t forget, México is a big country! Every state has its own signature dish, and every family has a particular way of preparing its cultural fare. To understand food in Oaxaca, you need to first be aware of some of the factors that influence it.

For the purposes of this article, I am referencing the state of Oaxaca as a whole, not just Oaxaca city which is also referred to as “Oaxaca”. Here’s a preview of what we’ll be discussing!

Geography and Climate
Traditional Influences
Meal Etiquette and Structure
Food Structure
Common types of Meat
Oaxacan Cheeses
Salsas & Condiments
Agua
Iconic Food in Oaxaca
Oaxacan Delicacies
Unique Oaxacan Dishes
Quick Guide to Mexican Food Staples
Food to Try in Huatulco
Tips for Eating Out with Food Preferences and Allergies

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Geography and Climate of Oaxaca

Oaxaca is the hottest state in México with average annual temperatures around 29°c. It has 568 kilometres of coastline, hot desert areas, and lush rainforests that cover the mountain region. It is only one state away from Guatemala, making it the 2^nd farthest state from the United States. All of these geographical factors contribute to the distinct style of Oaxacan cuisine. It’s so far south that much of it’s culture has been preserved, far from the influence of “Tex-Mex”.

Because of its size and challenging topography, Oaxaca has also managed to shelter some Mexican communities. And I mean traditional Mexican, indigenous communities that have survived colonialism from Spain and the rest of the world. I have had the privilege to meet several people from these communities who have shared some of their cultures with me – one woman even sang me her village’s anthem!

Thanks to these factors, Oaxaca has kept some of its region protected from big touristic developments that have destroyed so many other parts of México (ahem, Cancun). All of these geographical factors influence the food in Oaxaca.

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Traditional Influences

Like most other areas of México, Oaxaca is steeped in culture and tradition that influences many aspects of life, including cuisine.

Something I have learned while living in Oaxaca is that Mexican people are very particular about their food, and they love to argue (jokingly!) about the proper way to prepare things. For example, if you ask my Verracruzano partner about pambazos – they are a traditional sandwich from Verracruz. But ask my friend from México City (CDMX) and he will vehemently argue that they originated in Puebla and should include completely different ingredients.

Most of the ancient cultures whose food I adore are traditions of what I call “slow food”. My favourite Indian, Bengalese, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. foods are based on recipes that can take hours or even days (pho, for example) to prepare properly.

Mexican food is the opposite of that, at least in my experience. Many, if not most, Mexican dishes are prepared and enjoyed very quickly using fire and very high cooking temperatures.

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Meal Etiquette and Structure

México is still a very polite culture, and places very high value on family. Meals are generally shared together, and the table will always wait for everyone to be together before they start eating.

Comida del día

Many restaurants will offer a “food of the day”. This is usually a simple meal consisting of

• The water of the day
• Soup of the day
• Your choice of main course from 3 or 4 set dishes

This is kind of like a hidden item because it will never be on the menu, you just have to ask the waiter. Comida del día is a truly Mexican way to eat as is it filling, delicious, and demonstrates the typical process of a traditional Mexican meal. It is also usually much cheaper than ordering off the menu, typically the comida del dia costs $50-$80 pesos.

Note: Comida del dia is often what is fed to staff who work on the tours that include a meal. For instance, when we take a snorkel tour to a restaurant, they will eat off the menu and we will have the comida del dia and eat in the back. It is the same for the large snorkel boats and other tours. Often the restaurants do not charge for these meals as a thank-you for bringing them our business.

If you do order off the menu, as you usually will, the meal structure at a restaurant will be similar, but at taquerias and casual places can be a little different.

Restaurants

Restaurants will still stick to a structure, so if one person at your table orders an appetizer, that item will come first to that person, and the rest of the meals will be brought together when the appetizer is finished and cleared.

Taquerias

Tacos are essentially Mexican fast food, so the taquerias are much more casual and often consist of people eating alone on their work breaks or meeting family and friends for a bite. It is much more casual and the emphasis is placed on the food being hot, so tacos/sopes/tlayudas will be served as soon as they are ready, regardless of the status of the food for the rest of the table.

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Structure of Food in Oaxaca

There is a Mexican comedian name Sofia Niño de Rivera who does a very famous bit about food in México.  If you haven’t seen it, you will hear it referenced any time you ask someone to explain to you what a certain dish is. She hilariously and accurately re-enacts a conversation between a waitress and a customer asking questions about Mexican dishes. Every answer is “well, it’s tortilla with cheese, salsa, and you can add beans and meat if you want”.

Although made in jest, there is much truth to Sofia’s bit, and much of the food in Oaxaca follows a similar structure.

• Tortilla
  • Made from corn or flour, can be soft or crunchy
• Cheese
  • Usually the oaxacan cheese “quesillo”
• Salsa
  • Salsa is just the Spanish word for sauce, so there are hundreds of salsas.

Optional – meat, various vegetables, and frijoles (beans)

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Core Seasonings

Very nearly everything in México will be seasoned with salt, lime, and chilis. This is truly the trifecta of Mexican food. But, there are so many types of chilis that everything still manages to taste unique and delicious.

Many people are afraid of Mexican food thinking that everything is spicy. In Oaxaca, I have not found much of the food to be inherently spicy. In fact, food is often cooked plainly and the salsas are served on the side.

Always test the salsas before you douse your food in them!

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Components of Food in Oaxaca

When you look at a restaurant menu, you will notice that they will often list ingredients in one section, and then put the types of dishes later. This is because, as I said before, a lot of Mexican food has a similar structure and contents and food in Oaxaca is no exception. So whether you choose tacos, a tlayuda, or sopes, you can select from the same ingredients for the content.

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                Types of Meat

There are many different options for meat toppings on your food. This list is ordered from most common to less-common choices in restaurants and taco carts.

El Pastor
Perhaps the most famous of all the taco meats is the el pastor. This is the quintessential Mexican taco.

El Pastor meat is pork, seasoned and packaged into a big block that is in turn placed on a rotisserie gas cooker, similar to how lamb is cooked for gyros or shawarma. A pineapple is placed at the top of the spire the meat is on and also becomes warmed and caramelized from the heat of the flames.

How it’s served:

Tacos el pastor are served by the cook slicing off bits of meat directly onto the waiting tortillas, then with a mesmerizing street-vendor flourish, the slice bits of pineapple into the air and catch it with the taco plate. They will then add cilantro and onion if you like (they always ask).

Tasajo
When cut for tacos and other dishes, it is usually in longer strips, about 1-3 inches long. I eat it often, but it is definitely a tougher, more chewy cut.

Bistek
Bistek is also beef, but a more tender cut. It’s really a Spanish pronunciation of the English “beefsteak”.  Unlike tasajo, this is rarely served on its own.

When served in tacos & tlayudas it is usually diced into small cubes.

Suadero
Suadero is my second favourite Mexican meat, I call it my “budget” version of arrachera.

The Suadero cut is the meat and fat between the bones of the ribs and the skin of the cow and is named after a cow blanket because the area covered by the blanket matches that of the suadero. It is so tender and flavourful.

When served in tacos or tlayudas it is usually diced or shredded.

Arrachera
All right, now for the crème de la crème of the meat offerings – arrachera. Arrachera is technically Argentinian, not Mexican, but I for one am grateful it made its way into this culture.

Arrachera is Spanish for skirt steak and is typically slow-cooked in a red sauce. I do not pretend to know the magic of the arrachera preparation, but it is tender beyond belief.

This is offered as an option in most restaurants but tends to cost about 20-40 pesos more than the other meat offerings as it is a premium cut.

Because of its Argentine roots, you can also find arrachera tortas and empanadas around town.

Chicharron
Despite the description I’m about to give you, chicharron is a delicious taco option. Chicharron is pork belly, that is cooked in pig fat. I know, a double whammy. But it is one of the most flavourful of the meat options, in a good way I promise.

Pechuga
Pechuga is chicken breast that has been hammered into a thin piece, similar in size and shape to tasajo.

It is commonly breaded and pan-fried, and served with vegetables and a starch on the side.  Pasta, rice with vegetables, etc.

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                Types of Cheese

There are two main types of cheese you will find in Oaxaca. These cheeses are readily available at any tienda or market, but if you prefer cheeses that you are more accustomed to you can find pretty much any American staple at Chedraui or Soriana’s.

As is the case with much of the cooking, if you are a cheese connoisseur you will find that the cheese is served and consumed fresh, not aged like our glorious European fromages.

Quesillo

Referred to as “Oaxacan cheese” from outside the state, quesillo is a fresh cheese that is spun instead of pressed, creating long strands. It has a slightly squeaky texture and subtle salt flavour and melts brilliantly on your tlayudas, like a Oaxacan mozzerella.

Its sold in small clear bags literally everywhere, from half a kilo up to 5 kilos in size.

Use:
In Oaxaca, this cheese is used for everything. You will find it in your tlayuda, some tacos, chilaquiles, pretty much anywhere you want a melty cheese.

Queso Fresca

The other cheese you will commonly see is a round of fresh, crumbly cheese pressed into a circle and often wrapped in a banana leaf. This cheese crumbles easily when you break it off and has a texture somewhere between Ricotta and Feta. It’s quite soft like ricotta, and salty but not as salty as feta.

You will find this in most shops next to the quesillo, either on its own in a bag or wrapped in a green banana leaf.

Use:
Queso Fresca is commonly found as a topping. It is also in some tlayudas, but most commonly is sprinkled on top of tacos, sopes, taco soup, salads, or anywhere else you need a garnish.

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             Salsas and Condiments

As I’ve mentioned, much of the food itself in México does not have big, bold flavours on its own, the secret is truly in the sauce.

Salsa is just the Spanish word for sauce, so keep that in mind when you look at something that bears no resemblance to the chunky Old El Paso you grew up with.

The beauty of the salsa is that even though there is a general guideline people follow throughout the country, every salsa is unique, it’s where the individuality of each restaurant and cook really shines. You could eat at every restaurant in Mexico and no two salsas will be the same. They may all follow similar structures, but salsas are truly “House Sauces” and vary from place to place.

Green Sauce

This tends to be my favourite salsa in most places. While it can be quite spicy, it tends to be less spicy than salsa roja or salsa guacamole. I love spicy food, but when things are a little less spicy, I find I can enjoy the complexities of the flavours more. 

Red Sauce

Red Salsa or Salsa Roja is known of course by its red colour, but also by the many chili seeds making up the texture of the sauce.

Guacamole Sauce

Salsa guacamole is not guacamole, it is a spicy salsa made with avocado, giving it a smooth green texture. I find this to often be the spiciest of the salsas.

Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo is my favourite, its not really a salsa but it served as a condiment along with the salsas, pickled onions, etc. with tacos and tlayudas.

If you have a sensitive stomach, you may not want to risk pico de Gallo as it is the only salsa that is not cooked. I have never been sick from pico de gallo in Huatuclo, but its always a possibility.

Others

Depending on the restaurant you go to, they might put out a whole array of bottled and house salsas. Some popular ones in México are Valentina, Cholula, and Topatio.

Note: if you are staying for a longer-term and/or plan to cook in your residence, check out the salsa aisles at the supermarkets or around town. I try and buy a new one every few weeks and we are rarely disappointed.

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             Aguas

Another core part of a Mexican meal is the presence of agua. While the direct translation of agua is water, when dining “agua” refers to sweetened waters made from fruit, hibiscus (jamaica), or rice (horchata).

Common Aguas

Agua de Naranja – Orange Water
Agua de Límon – Lime Water
Agua de Jamaica – Hibiscus water
Agua de Sandia – Watermelon water
Horchata – a beverage made from rice
Agua de Maracuya – Passionfruit water

If you ask for “agua” in a restaurant, this is what the server will think you are referring to. If you would just like plain old water, you need to ask for “agua natural”. You will have the option of a glass of water with or without ice (vasso con o sin hielos), or a bottle of water (botella).

I have found that all restaurants and street carts I visit in Huatulco use bottled water for pretty much everything, so I usually order water just in a glass with ice. The merchants purchase their ice in bags mostly, though some of the bigger restaurants have ice machines with internal water purification systems.

If you would like sparkling water, ask for “agua mineral”.

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How to Eat Oaxacan Food

A lot of Oaxacan food is finger food, you eat it with your hands. Exceptions to this rule are things that come covered in sauce like chilaquiles, enchiladas, etc.

If you ordered the comida del dia, a mole, or somehow ordered something off the menu that doesn’t come in or on a tortilla, you will be brought a basket with hot tortillas wrapped in a towel to enjoy with your meal. Why? Because everything in México is, in fact, a taco.

This was news to me when I first arrived in Huatulco, but after a few months of spending time with my Mexican friends, I quickly learned that not just tacos are tacos, every food you eat has the potential to be a taco.  Dishes are typically served with a meat, rice or pasta, and salad which you can assemble inside the tortillas, top with the condiments and salsas, and enjoy!

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Iconic Food in Oaxaca

Ok! Now that we have all of that background, let’s talk about some iconic Oaxacan dishes, salsas, and seasonings unique to this region of México.

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Unique Oaxacan Delicacies

Chicatanas

This Oaxacan delicacy is popular not only because they are delicious, but because there is a very short window of time in which they can be harvested.

Chicatanas are a type of ant found in the Sierra mountains of Oaxaca and can only be collected after the first rains of the season when the water forces them up from underground, May until early June. They are huge compared to what you may think of ants, and are sold roasted by the kilo.

You can eat them as a snack like you would sunflower seeds or nuts. People also make a special salsa with the chicatanas or add them to guacamole.

Chapulines

The other popular edible insects are Chapulines – crickets! We all know by now that crickets have an insanely high amount of protein and by consuming them we also help reduce the massive crop destruction they can do. So it’s a win-win!

Chapulines are roasted, tossed in salt and lime or other spices, and sold by the kilo similar to chicatanas, although much more inexpensive as they are available all year round. They are most often served in guacamole.

Coffee

As mentioned above, Oaxaca houses amazingly diverse geography. As it happens, the mountainous areas of Oaxaca are at the perfect elevation for growing arabica coffee beans. The region of Pluma Hidalgo acts as the centre of operations for many of the coffee farmers, so if you are interested in coffee plantations and tastings be sure to include a stop to Pluma on your trip.

Chocolate

Coffee’s closest companion is also a delicacy of Oaxaca, chocolate. The cacao trees like the mountain climate as much as the coffee beans do. In the mountains, chocolate caliente (hot chocolate) can be enjoyed pretty much anywhere made with your choice of water or milk. I find the chocolate so rich that when its made with milk it is far too sweet.

Mezcal

Yes, this is a post about food, but I would be remiss to talk about Oaxaca without at least mentioning what they are perhaps the most famous for – Mezcal!

Mezcal is an agave-based drink like tequila, but similar to the way scotch is like whiskey (I´m Irish, so whiskey is pure, triple distilled goodness).

Mezcal is made from any type of agave and usually has complex, smokey flavours. It is a staple of the Oaxacan diet almost as much as tacos are. You can buy top-shelf agave from the mezcalerias or be treated to some home brew from an acquaintance. Yes, that sounds like moonshine, but I have had some pretty spectacular mezcal from Mexicans who distill it at home.

Mezcal is enjoyed in mixed drinks or as an apertif after a meal, same as you would with a grappa in Italy or a brandy in France. Is is served in a shot glass, but please do not shoot it. Sip is slowly as a digestive aid first, then dip the orange slice in the chili provided and taste before your next sip. You will find your palette opens up and you get to enjoy more layers of flavour!

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Unique Oaxacan Dishes

Mole

Pronounced mohl-ay, this is the most iconic of all Oaxacan foods. When I first moved to Huatulco, I came up with a little rhyme to help me remember some key facts and pronunciations.

Huatulco, Oaxaca, the land of the 9 bays and the 7 moles.

While there are only a few popular types of mole, there are 7 types that are widely acknowledged:

• Mole Verde (green)
• Mole Roja o Pablano (red)
• Mole Negro (black)
• Mole Chichilo
• Mole Amarillo (yellow)
• Mole Coloradito
• Mole Manchamantel

Mole is a sauce made over several hours with dozens of ingredients, some styles have as many as 60 or 70 different spices! Despite the fact that these are the 7 types of moles acknowledged by the rest of the world, people who live in Oaxaca don’t really care about these classes. With so many spices going in, mole is a distinctly personal sauce and you will almost never have the same flavour twice.

The sheer amount of spices and ingredients in the mole are what give it its unique flavour. A good mole is well-balanced with no one flavour outweighing the others.

Some of the common mole ingredients are: chiles, tomatoes, tomatillos, dried fruits, cocoa, nuts, and seeds.

The mole sauce is served in two main forms – over meat like roasted chicken, or if its for breakfast in the form of enmoladas.

Unfortunately for those of you who have allergies, mole is not for you. There is a joke among serving staff and cooks that if you have an allergy, chances are its in the mole sauce.

Tlayudas

Another simple, beautiful dish strictly from Oaxaca is the Tlayuda! This is still a tricky word for me to pronounce, first you slide the “t”,”l”, and “a” together, then put the vowel emphasis on the “u”. It comes out something like “ta-lie-oo-da”. Don’t worry, someone will correct you.

A tlayuda is made up of – you guessed it – tortilla, cheese, cabbage, and frijoles. You can also add meat if you like.

Ok, but what exactly is a tlayuda? The creation of the tlayuda starts with a huge tortilla to which the frijoles and a cream sauce are spread on. Then, the cabbage, cheese, and meat are added to one half. The tortilla is then folded in half and placed inside a metal cage with a handle and cooked directly over a coal fire. The cooks fan the coals with a palm branch fan until it is beautifully toasted on each side and the cheese is oozing.

The tortilla is then cut in half and served to you as two triangles. It will be piping hot so give it a minute! You can open the tlayuda and add salsa, pico de gallo, pickled onions, or whatever you like.

The toppings selections for tlayudas are very similar to tacos, you can generally choose the same meats and contents for either.

Tortas

Tortas are a Mexican sándwich, so they are not specific to Oaxaca. However; tortas are prepared very differently in every state so here is what to expect from a Oaxacan torta.

With tortas everything matters. The type of bread, the salsas, the cheese, and of course what’s inside.

In Huatulco, my favourite tortas come from Pakotortas. They are HUGE, and are kind of like ordering from a Mexican Subway. You choose your toppings and sauces and they prepare it in front of you on a hot grill.

Types of Tacos in Huatulco

While not specifically Oaxacan, tacos are a core part of life in Oaxaca as much as they are elsewhere in México. Below is a guide to the types of tacos I have found in Huatulco, created because I found very few places have photos of the food, and I have not found Google to be overly helpful because the styles of taco fillings vary so much in México. It took me months to sort out all the types of tacos, and I still have not tried them all!

The photos are not the best, but I promise you everything tastes amazing! Here is a guide to the types of tacos in Huatulco and Oaxaca.

Most of these photos are from Tacos El Padrino and Los Parados, the two best taco restaurants in Huatulco. Los Parados is across the street from Condos Pacifio and Terazzas in La Crucecita, two popular condo buildings for tourists so if you are staying there be warned! You can constantly smell the deliciousness of the food being cooked on the coals.

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Quick Guide to Mexican food Staples

These dishes are not strictly Oaxacan, but they are Mexican staples that you will see in nearly every restaurant.

Breakfast

Chilequiles

Fried strips of tortillas (so they are crunchy) served in a bowl or on a plate, then covered with salsa and topped with queso fresco. Usually, you choose your salsa (red or green) and can add eggs and meat if you like.

Enfrijoladas

Meat, typically pulled chicken, rolled in tortilla and placed on a plate. A thing bean sauce is poured over the tortillas to cover the plate, then topped with queso fresco and maybe cilantro.

Sopes

Small round tortillas, but they are a little thicker than tortillas for tacos or tlayudas. The edges are pinched up so the toppings stay on.

The sopes are are then spread with frijoles and topped with queso fresco.

When we make sopes at home, we use frijoles, or use one of our favourite salsas for the base and change up the toppings.

Tacos

In Méxcio tacos are served all day in the restaurants, but are commonly eaten by the locals a specific times. Breakfast or as a late-night snack.

The taco carts open in the morning at 8am and serve until 2pm or until they run out. Then they reopen around 7pm and stay open until 2am.

Lunch & Dinner

Most of the other Oaxacan foods I discussed in this post are eaten for lunch and dinner.

Memelitas

In Oaxaca, memelitas are made with tortilla similar to sopes, but instead of shaped into rounds a memelita is shaped into a long oblong/rectangle and served as a single piece. As with many other dishes, if you ordered a memelita in Verracruz or Guerro, it would look a little different.

Snacks

But what about between meals! We all need things to munch on during the day.

Fruit

Fruit is available pretty much anywhere, either in the markets, corner stores, or from street vendors! Near the beach in Santa Cruz (and others) there are vendors who sell cut up pineapple and watermelon if you want a quick snack.

Or, for the full meal deal, you can buy a whole pineapple cut up for you and sprinkled in tajin (a chili and lime salt).

Jicama

In the stores you will see an unfamiliar root vegetable – this is called jicama! Somewhere between a potato and a radish, jicama has bright white flesh and can make a refreshing snack on the beach.

I julienne my jicama and place it in a jar with cucumber and/or carrot, also julienned. Then add lime juice, tajin, and some water to dilute the lime juice. It makes a great snack for the beach or on the boat!

Chicarron

You may already be familiar with this snack because it is somewhat popular elsewhere in North America. Chicharron in its snack form is pig skin that has been roasted until it is dry, and then deep-fried. The deep-frying causes the skin to puff up like popcorn creating a light, airy, not-as-greasy-as-it-could-be snack.

As a snack chicharrón is usually topped with valentina. However, you can also eat it…

You guessed it.

With tortillas as a taco.

Esquites and Elotes

I am not a huge fan of corn, but esquites have become one of my favourite mexican snacks. These are sold from street vendors at night, usually starting around 7pm.

An esquite is served in a cup with corn, mayonaise, cheese, chili, and lime. I know, none of it sounds appealing to me which is why I didn´t try one for nearly 6 months! This is probably for the best because I am now addicted.

Elotes are similar, but instead in a cup you get your corn on the cob!

Corner Store Goodies

Make sure you try out your corner stores, there are tons of fun-flavoured potato chips, roasted nuts, candies, and other Mexican things to try!

Sweets

Nieve and Paletas

Nieve is a water-based frozen dessert similar to sorbet, but is not always fruit based. Paleta is the Spanish word for popsicle and lollipops, they use the same word for both. I combine these two desserts because places that sell nieve usually sell paletas as well.

The paletas in México are incredible. Some stores have well over 30 different flavour combinations. They can be water or milk based, fruit flavours, fruit with chili, and even some with mezcal!

Mexican Candy

I have always been a fan of sweet & salty and sweet & spicy, so I LOVE Mexican candy. My favourites are the fruit gummies covered in chili and the lollipops with chili inside.

Vulcan de Chocolate

I don´t know if this is specifically Oaxacan, but I see this offered in restaurants all over Huatulco and it is incredible, so I am including it in my list.

Chocolate volcano cake is a chocolate cake baked fresh and served with ice cream. When you cut into the cake a choclate ganache oozes out of the cake. It is made to order and takes about 20 minutes, so make sure you order during your meal.

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Food to Try in Huatulco

All of the content regarding food in Oaxaca and México apply, but of course Huatulco has its own gems that should be mentioned. Namely, because of its position along the coast, seafood!

Seafood

Popular seafood in Oaxaca is primarily fish, oysters, scallops, and octopus. There are some lobster, but no crab that live on our shores. For me, its all about the fish and oysters, they are incredible. You can buy a dozen oysters on the beach from any number of free divers that collect them, they are always fresh and always amazing.

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Tips for Eating out with Food Preferences & Sensitivities

Ok, so you may have noticed that meat, dairy, and flour feature heavily in this post. At first glance México might seem like a vegans worst nightmare, but its not all bad!

Mexicans are extraordinarily kind and hospitable, so if you can’t find something on the menu just ask your server and they will bend over backwards to help you. They are happy to make accomodations Even many of the salads come with meat, but they will happily ask the chef to make it without.

I did spend a great deal of time with a vegan friend here in Huatulco, here were some of her go-to things to order when trying to find vegan or vegetarian food in Oaxaca.

• Taco Soup
  • In Mexican tradition this is a meatless soup. The broth is vegetable based, and it is served over crispy tortilla sticks with avocado, cheese, and a cream sauce. Its vegetarian on its own, to make it vegan you can ask for it “sin leche”.
• Salads (obviously)
  • Obviously, this is the go-to for veggie food and I hear you, a salad is not a meal. However, the salads in Huatulco are not your Canadian/US iceberg lettuce with a tomato slice. The salads in Oaxaca are gorgeous and usually with super greens, tons of different fruits, nuts, seeds, and house dressings.
    • Vegans beware that the salads are often served with cheese or a cream-based dressing.
• Sopes
  • These are the item least often served with meat. It is frijoles on a thicker tortilla, served with vegetables, cream salsa, and cheese.
    • Vegans, you get it.
• Chilequiles
  • These are vegetarian by default, and possibly vegan depending on the salsa.

As I mentioned, a lot of Mexican food is meat optional, you can add meat for a fee.

For those of you with gluten intolerances, I am so sorry. I often wonder what people eat here because even as person who does not typically eat much bread, I eat so much flour here.

Unfortunately, though the tortillas are corn-based, they are typically mixed with wheat flour so I would not recommend them for gluten sensitivities.

Shev´s Summary – Food in Oaxaca

Thanks for reading! I hope you found this post informative and maybe even now are finding yourself a little hungry. Food in Oaxaca is truly unique and I hope you have the opportunity to experience it for yourself soon!