Oaxaca City Travel Suggestions
Noel and I get regular requests for tips and suggestions on traveling to Oaxaca. It is such an incredibly rich regions, culturally and culinarily speaking, so it is impossible to give an exhaustive or definitive list of places and activities—we simply haven’t tried them all!
That said, we like to think we’re pretty good at finding the hidden gems in Mexico. So without further ado, here is our (present) list of suggestions for travelers to Oaxaca City:
FOOD
The markets are the place to eat in Oaxaca.
Central de Abastos
Word is that this place is a hot spot for theft and crime now. However, the immensity and contents of this market are awe-inspiring. We recommend going with a local. Bring only the cash you need (and not too much), keep it close (like, stuffed down your pants), and don’t bring anything else valuable. The Central de Abastos is a sight to be seen.
Mercado 20 de Noviembre
La Chabelita: Noel has been eating at this fonda for over 20 years. He doesn’t even bother going to the numerous other locales under the same roof. Its located in the part of the market where you find pan de yema and all the other fondas
"Meat Alley": You choose the meat you want, they prep it and bring it to you, and someone else sells you the grilled onions and tortillas. We ate there after 18 tast of mezcal one night. There's also the Mercado Organico on Alcalá open Wednesday-Saturday.
Mercado Organico
Open Wednesdays thru Sundays 8am–6pm on Alcalá Street. Here you’ll find a number of stands offering different prepared foods and interesting prehispanic drinks.
Mercado Sánchez Pascuas
Located on Calle Porfirio Díaz, just below the Guelaguetza auditorium. Although the food in the fondas is surprisingly bad, we love this market to buy produce, coffee, and flowers.
Restaurants
Most of the recommended restaurants that we've tried (Zanduga, La Olla) are good, but a significant price jump, and not worth it in our opinion. That said, there are plenty of others that we haven't tried.
El Escapularia Restuarant - no frills, but FANTASTIC food (better than most of the high-end places)
El Distilado for great contemporary Mexican and mezcal.
Boulenc for not Mexican - incredible pastries, lunch and breakfast, good cocktails and pizza
Chepiche in Xoxhimilco for breakfast/brunch
For a new experience, look for stone soup, served at Ancestral as well as several other restaurants
If you’re in town for the annual Cocineras Tradicionales de Oaxaca (usually held in September), DO NOT MISS IT! This is the closest you will get to ancestral Oaxacan food without leaving the capital.
Huevos con Yerba Santa and Tejate in the Mercado Organico.
CLASSES/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
There are loads of opportunities to learn about food, art, and mezcal in Oaxaca. Here are a few we recommend:
COOKING CLASSES: Our friend, Vicky Hernandez, teaches prehispanic cuisine over a fire. She is absolutely amazing! Classes are in Spanish only, but she’s had many students who have little to no Spanish and they still have a great time: she gives slow clear explanations that beginners can still follow. Also part of the funds goes to support the non-profit she works out of (Protección de la Joven) which provides food and housing to rural women who come to study in the city. Contact here here: https://www.facebook.com/cocinaprehispanica/
Or on her Airbnb page: https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/359300
The last couple of times we were in Oaxaca we noticed a new tour business working with a lot of our favorite producers. Although we haven’t tried them out personally, we have a good feeling about them, given they’re very culturally-focused, and work with families, and small, independent producers—many of whom we respect.http://tlayudona.com.mx/
MUSEUMS & SIGHTS
We’re notoriously bad tourists (ie, we rarely go to the “sites”). That said, we can recommend the following:
The Ethnobotanic garden located insight Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo itself is huge and beautiful
Museo Rufino Tamayo has an incredible collection of prehispanic pieces
Monte Alban—I suspect I love this place as much for the space and views as anything. Of course, it’s one of the most important sites in Oaxaca City.
Hierve del Agua—it’s a gorgeous drive to get there with breath-taking views. You can rent a car and go, or hop on a tour. Note: the water is not hot (it’s cool to chilly, depending on the time of year).
MEZCAL
Mezcalerías: There are many but we think In Situ is fantastic. Have fun exploring!
Educational Mezcal Tours: Whether you’re wanting to visit industrial, artisanal, or ancestral palenques, Alvin Starkman is the go-to guy in Oaxaca. He’ll create a tour to meet your desires and you’ll have the chance to buy mezcal directly from the producers. https://www.mezcaleducationaltours.com/ We haven’t been out with him, but we did go out with another educator who he trained:
Randall Stockton does the same type of tours as Alvin, though he hasn’t been around quite so long. You can contact him at stocktonrandall@gmail.com.
SHOPPING
The shopping is endless and runs the gamut of ridiculously high-end, to ridiculously inexpensive. Wander around town and explore for yourself. Try to buy from local artisans themselves, to be sure they get the bulk of the money. Do note that there is A LOT of cheap, Chinese-made garbage available. In fact, most of what you see being hawked in the tourist center is just that. Do a little research. Ask a local to help you to tell the difference between what’s made by local artists and what’s not. Much of what you see is made in China and bought on credit by poor natives who have emigrated to the city, as they have no money our resources to continue their own craft.
Oaxaca continues to grow and to change, and without a doubt, there are incredible sites and activities missing from this list. But the best part of traveling is exploring, and going beyond your comfort zone. Talk to lots of locals; attend community events! Keep an open mind and enjoy!
We’d love to hear about your experiences. Leave your ideas and any other suggestions in the comments below!