The best places to eat and drink in Oaxaca

Foodies from across the globe flock to Oaxaca for its unique and incredible cuisine. The small town is packed with amazing and authentic food thanks to the region's rich heritage in agriculture and a high density of award-winning chefs. There's plenty to choose from. But these were our favourite places to drink and eat in Oaxaca City.

Boulenc

This popular bakery is known for its artisan breads and pastries which fully are deserving of the hype. From pizza to banh mi, everything on the menu is freshly made to order with local, seasonal ingredients. The courtyard has a relaxed vibe and there is live music in the evenings.

This is one of the most popular places to eat in Oaxaca. So even as guests in their B&B we still had to queue for about 20 minutes to get a seat at Boulenc one lunchtime. But be sure to book ahead if you want to guarantee a table.

Cafe El Empedrado

We walked into the affluent Xochimilco district of Oaxaca one afternoon. And after wandering the bunting-adorned streets and admiring the brightly painted walls for a while, we stopped for a much-needed ice-cold beer and snack at Cafe El Empedrado. This family-run cafe serves incredible fresh food, from pancakes covered in fresh fruit to tacos and burgers.

Sabina Sabe

Oaxaca is known for growing agave. So you’ll find some of the best mezcal and tequila cocktails in the world here. We stopped at Sabina Sabe for margaritas a couple of times as it was close to our hotel. And weren’t disappointed.

Voted the 20th best bar in North America, its expert team serves both classic and unique house cocktails. All of which are designed to complement the kitchen’s traditional Oaxacan dishes.

Tres Hermanas

One night before dinner, we stopped in Tres Hermanas Bar and Smoke Shop, and had the most delicious tamarind mojitos. The bar has a laid-back vibe with a mix of traditional Mexican, tribal, and biker memorabilia on the walls. The servers were friendly and helped us choose the perfect drinks… and if we hadn’t had to leave to eat we’d have stayed here much longer.

El Destilado

For a fancier night out, we sampled El Destilado’s tasting menu. This comes in 6 or 9 courses that can be adapted for vegetarians, or a 12 course chef’s menu. We had the 9-course, served to us by an enthusiastic and informative waiter.

I’m not always a fan of waiters spending ages at the table explaining the history of my food to me. (I’m hungry!) But El Destilado strikes just the right balance of fun and friendly without feeling overbearing.

In fact, this probably ended up being my favourite place to eat in Oaxaca. The food here is fresh and authentic – my favourite dish was a mushroom taco. But the menu changes frequently based on the local produce available, so each dish will be a surprise.

At the end, we were offered a shot of rattlesnake tequila. But we both opted for the marijuana-infused bottle instead!

Los Danzantes

On our last night in Oaxaca we ate at Los Danzantes. As one of the town's most popular spots, we were unable to get a table booking or walk-in spot earlier. Fresh Oaxacan cuisine is served by expert waiters that explain not just the dish, but the origins of the names. It turns out that in Mexico, I’m fine with chatty waiters.

The appreciation for local produce, traditional cuisine, and history runs deep in Oaxaca. So the local's enthusiasm is understandable. And not one dish we ate here was a disappointment.

The menu at Los Danzantes is small but tasty. And the experience is made even better thanks to its leafy, dimly lit indoor-outdoor courtyard.

Comedor Tipico de Abuelita

In Mercado 20 de Novembre you'll find a huge number of authentic Oaxacan kitchens. There are also takeaway vendors on the Sala de Humo or smoke hall, which are worth checking out. This is an area of the market where rows of meat and veg merchants smoke their produce on open grills.

We ate at Comedor Tipico de Abuelita in the main market area based purely on the fact that it was pleasantly busy. This isn't always a great tactic for picking food spots. But many of the restaurants in Mercado 20 de Novembre serve very similar dishes. So it seemed like a fair assumption that the food here would be good!

Finding home-style food cooked in markets was one of my favourite ways to eat in Oaxaca, and Mexico in general. We had tamales and tlayuda – a massive fried tortilla topped with salad, salsa, and cheese. It was delicious, but veggie options here are limited. However, since I’m used to only having one or two options to choose from (and kinda prefer it that way) it worked for me!

Chocolate Mayordomo

I’m not a huge dessert fan. But it felt wrong to visit the home of some of the world’s best chocolate without trying it. So we spent an hour at Chocolate Mayordomo – a cafe next to Mercado 20 de Novembre.

Oaxaca is known for its chocolate. So in the city you’ll find a number of specialist chocolate shops that sell everything from selection boxes to cakes to hot chocolate. Which is essentially a mug of melted chocolate thats thick and slightly creamy. So skip your restaurant's dessert course and try this instead!

Looking for more things to do in Oaxaca? Here is how we spent three days in the city.