16 Best Oaxaca Restaurants [2024] – A Chef’s Guide

Oaxaca is jam-packed with incredible restaurants serving up its own unique cuisine that varies greatly from the street taco scene in Mexico City, and the Yucatecan cuisine found in places like Tulum. 

This wide-ranging list of the best Oaxaca restaurants covers the must-eat Oaxacan food from the street food vendors serving up flame-grilled tlayudas to fine dining restaurants that celebrate the region’s ingredients.

We hope that you are as inspired to head to Oaxaca after reading this list as we were after watching the late Anthony Bourdain eat his way through the city.

Now it’s your turn to eat the 7 famous moles of Oaxaca and to sip on the many chocolate beverages that Oaxaca is famous for.

Best Restaurants in Oaxaca

Las Quince Letras 

^{Website | C. de Mariano Abasolo 300, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.}

• Why Visit: If you have dreamed about eating the best mole in Oaxaca, this restaurant is as close as you will get outside of a home kitchen. They offer up five of the seven classic moles and they do them all very well. The restaurant is a little on the fancier side for Oaxaca but remains accessible and in no way uptight.

• What our Chefs Think: We enjoyed the moles at Las Quince Letras more than at some of their contemporary’s restaurants simply because they seasoned the food well. Sometimes a little salt makes all the difference.

• What to Order: 

1. Anything with mole coloradito
2. Mole negro de fandango con guajolote (black mole with turkey)

• Chef’s Tips: Ask for their cocktail menu that is a short but well-curated list of mezcal-based beverages that is the perfect way to start off your meal before the heavier dishes hit the table.

Levedura de Olla Restaurante 

^{Calle de Manuel Garcia Vigil 304, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez Oax.}

• Why Visit: When it comes to traditional Oaxacan food, Levedura de Olla not only highlights the region’s cuisine but in many cases elevates the small details. Every dish that we tried managed to either highlight the local ingredients or celebrate the heritage of the valley. This is Oaxacan cuisine done on a high level.

• What our Chefs Think: One of the things that we enjoyed the most was the courage of the kitchen to take a subtle and more ingredient-focused approach to the food. If the star ingredient is a tomato, it would be front and center and the focus of the flavor of the dish.

• What to Order: The menu changes with seasons and at the whim of the chef, but if they offer a tamal, get it.

• Chef’s Tips: Make reservations at the restaurant ahead of time as they are consistently booked if you wait till the last minute. 

El Destilado

^{Website | 5 de Mayo 409, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.}

• Why Visit: This restaurant has two parts that are quite different in their offerings. The first is the tasting menu option that is served inside the restaurant and on the upstairs terrace. 

The second portion is a small bar at one end of the terrace that seats around six people that offers a small a la carte menu.

This little bar (called El Techo) quickly became one of our favorite spots for some delicious snacks and fun cocktails with a view of the Santo Domingo cathedral.

• What our Chefs Think: The tasting menu looked fun, but we couldn’t get past all of the fun chef-driven options on the bar menu. Everything we tried was delicious and could be paired with one of their stunning cocktails. 

• What to Order: The menu changes often but look for the shrimp tacos that had us begging for seconds.

• Chef’s Tips: The cocktails as we mentioned above were amazing, but don’t look past their carefully selected list of mezcals with some of the options that are only available at this restaurant.

Fonda Florecita 

^{inside Mercado de la Merced – Nicolás del Puerto 207A, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.} 

• Why Visit: You will find that a lot of the best restaurants in Oaxaca are inside of a market where they capitalize on the pristine ingredients and the hungry workers’ and patrons’ appetites.

Fonda Florecita is a staple in the Mercado de la Merced serving up traditional breakfast dishes that are some of the best in Oaxaca.

• What our Chefs Think: Often breakfast dishes can be on the bland side, but not here and not when it comes to the foods of Oaxaca. The deep and complex sauces like mole negro smother freshly made tortillas that are accented by some briny queso fresco.

• What to Order: 

1. Chocolate con leche y un pan de yema (hot Oaxacan chocolate with sweet egg bread) 
2. Enmoladas (fried tortillas in mole negro) or the enfrijoladas (fried tortillas in black bean sauce).

• Chef’s Tips: Definitely bring a friend to share with as you will want to try out some of the other treats in the market.

La Casa del Tío Güero 

^{Calle de Manuel García Vigil 715, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.}

• Why Visit: Of all of the restaurants in Oaxaca that serve breakfast, this one consistently makes these classic dishes near perfect.

The best part is they serve these dishes all day long, so if you tasted a little too much mezcal the previous night, you can make it brunch instead. 

• What our Chefs Think: What separates the food here from other places is that the chefs know how to properly season the food. We never felt the need to look for the salt shaker as the food popped with flavor.

• What to Order: 

1. Entomatadas con chorizo (fried tortillas with tomato sauce and fresh cheese)
2. Enmoladas (fried tortillas with mole negro and fresh cheese)
3. Chilaquiles (fried tortillas chips topped with red chili sauce and eggs)

• Chef’s Tips: Ask for an “orden de frijol” (side of beans) as their secret recipe for their black beans is something special.

Exquisitos Tamales

^{68070, Flavio Pérez Gasga 102-104, Luis Jimenez Figueroa, Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax. (inside Mercado Sanchez Pascuas, located at the entrance on Calle de Tinoco y Palacios)}

• Why Visit: We never could have imagined that one of the best places to eat in Oaxaca is a small tamale stand. Each day “the tamale lady” brings in her giant pots containing 8 different flavors of freshly steamed tamales to the market. 

Her stall will not show up on google maps and her location is somewhat hush-hush as the people that know, don’t want the word to get out as she usually sells out by 9:00 am.

• What our Chefs Think: It’s safe to say that these are the best tamales in Oaxaca. What makes these tamales so special is the balanced ratio of masa to filling that allows both portions to be the star of the show.

• What to Order: 

1. Mole en hoja de platano (mole negro and chicken tamale in banana leaf)
2. Mole Amarillo (chicken and yellow mole tamale in a corn husk)

• Chef Tips: There are two tamale vendors in the market. The one you want is near the west entrance, not the one inside the market.

Las Tlayudas de Mina y Bustamante

^{Bustamante 322, OAX_RE_BENITO JUAREZ, Centro, 68000 Ejido del Centro, Oax.}

• Why Visit: Of all of the food in Oaxaca, this cart left a lasting memory that we will be craving for a long time. Not only do they offer some of the best tlayudas in Oaxaca, but they also make the best street food in Oaxaca.

They have a few tricks up their sleeve including offering up a giant bowl of roasted agua de chilies.

• What our Chefs Think: Don’t get turned off by the dimly lit cart or the fact that you will likely be sitting on a short stool or on a doorstep. The tlayudas are that good and you might even have to wait to get a seat as the place gets busy with hungry local Oaxacans. This is not a tourist spot.

• What to Order: 

1. Tlayuda con chorizo (grilled corn tortilla with beans, cheese, and chorizo)
2. Chocolateatole (hot corn and chocolate drink)

• Chef’s Tips: Don’t miss out on adding your own helping of roasted agua de chilies from the giant bowl sitting on the cart. These spicy and smokey peppers add a lot of flavor to the tlayuda.
• P.S. you will want to bring a wet wipe or two as there is nowhere to wash your hands when you are done eating.

Tlayudas Doña Luchita 

^{Av. de la Independencia 1503, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.}

• Why Visit: Unfortunately, the majority of the Oaxaca city restaurants that serve tlayudas offer an inferior product to what is served by street carts. This restaurant is not only the exception, but they serve one of the best tlayudas in Oaxaca. 

Instead of suffering through a mediocre tlayuda at one of the tourist-driven restaurants in the market, make the trek over to Doña Luchita to experience what a tlayuda should be.

• What our Chefs Think: What sets the tlayudas apart from the competition is their commitment to fire and smoke. They utilize a larger and hotter burning charcoal grill to give the tortilla and meats a good char that isn’t apologetic about being slightly burnt. No sense in grilling something if you can’t taste or smell the grilled flavors.

• What to Order: Tlayuda Martiniana (tlayuda with grilled chorizo, marinated pork, dried beef, and roasted agua de chilies.

• Chef’s Tips: They will ask you if you want a plate of condiments including radishes, pickled onions, lime, raw chilies, and hierba de Conejo (rabbit herb). Yes, you do, as all of these ingredients add to the tlayuda in different ways that can be added as you eat.

Memelas San Augustin

^{C. de Manuel Fernández Fiallo 309, Zona Feb 10 2015, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.}

• Why Visit: This cart caught us off guard as we initially dismissed it because we passed by during an off time and it was slow. We are so glad that we came back and tried their memelas as they left us craving the flavor of their memelas for weeks to follow.

If you visit this street cart between 9:00 am to 1:00 pm it gets busy and you will need to be quick if you want to get a seat.

• What our Chefs Think: This place makes several guisados (stews) that you can choose from to top your memela but there is one that stands above the rest. The memelas de salpicón is a perfect medley of acidity, sweetness, spiciness, and creaminess.

• What to Order: Memela de Salpicón y salsa roja (griddled masa with black beans and a tender beef salsa made with avocado, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro)

• Chef’s Tips: This place gets busy and the workers are tired, so you will have to be a little assertive if you want to get an order in. No need to be aggressive, but sitting back and waiting for them to acknowledge you will not work.

La Guerita

^{Nicolás del Puerto 207A, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax. (inside Mercado de la Merced)} 

• Why Visit: This little stall puts out the best memelas in Oaxaca we have ever had but it was one type that got us to return several times. Come for the chicharron prensado memelas and assuredly you will be planning your next visit before you finish eating. 

• What our Chefs Think: They do something that the other Oaxaca restaurants that serve memelas don’t and it makes a huge difference. After cooking the memelas on the comal (griddle) they place them inside the grill where they melt and toast the cheese on top. This is a game-changer!

• What to Order: Memela con chicharron prensado (griddled masa with black beans and pressed pork cracklings in a guajillo chili sauce topped with Oaxacan cheese)

• Chef’s Tips: Just save yourself the time of having to wait for them to cook a second one as you will definitely want it after your first bite.

READ MORE:

15 Must-Try Traditional Food in Oaxaca Best Markets in Oaxaca

Tacos del Carmen

^{Jesús Carranza 110, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca Oax.}

• Why Visit: If you’re looking for one of the best tacos in Oaxaca, this small street cart absolutely has it for under a dollar. This is far from the only selling point, but the accessible prices of these delicious tacos draw in crowds of local Oaxaqeños. 

They have been rolling up their famous tacos since 1977 and have even been featured on a popular street food series on Netflix.

• What our Chefs Think: There are many different types of tacos in Mexico, but these are certainly in our top five. The flavor and aromas of the nixtamalized corn cooking on the comal are intoxicating.

The tortillas get stuffed and rolled and are allowed to get crispy on the edges adding a unique texture to the gooey melted filling.

• What to Order: 

1. Chili Relleno taco (fresh-made tortillas stuffed with roasted chilies, queso de Oaxaca, and spiced ground pork.
2. Chorizo taco (fresh-made tortillas stuffed with chorizo and queso de Oaxaca)

• Chef’s Tips: Come early (before 11:30 am) as they often sell out of the Chili Relleno tacos as that is the most popular taco. Also, don’t get this taco cart mixed up with the one with the same name that opens up in the evenings. It’s not the same!

Doña Ceci

^{C. Porfirio Díaz 808, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Luis Jimenez Figueroa, 68070 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.}

• Why Visit: Although guisados were first made popular by the Mexico City taco culture, these stewed meat and vegetable taco shops are now all over the country.

This small shop located on the northern edge of Centro Historico puts out a spread of different stews and ingredients ranging from huitlacoche (corn smut) to chorizo with potatoes.

You get to choose what fillings you want along with the option of rice and nopales (cactus) at this design your own taco restaurant. 

• What our Chefs Think: When I think of the food of Oaxaca, it’s these working-class overstuffed tacos that may be the ultimate comfort food in the region. The idea that you can get a delicious complete meal that will push your stomach to its limits for under $3 USD is ridiculous.

• What to Order: The lineup of options changes daily, so just go in and point to what looks delicious and order a taco. Don’t hesitate to ask or mix a couple of different stews.

• Chef’s Tips: Don’t be afraid to get a few different toppings like roasted mushrooms, queso de Oaxaca, nopales, or any seasonal items they may have like squash blossoms or huitlacoche. Also, know that the rice comes inside the taco and not on the side if you order it.

Origen

^{Website | Miguel Hidalgo 820, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.}

• Why Visit: If there is one best restaurant in Oaxaca, this is it. The team orchestrates a relaxed but elegant approach to the Oaxacan cuisine without getting caught in the trap of trying so hard that they lose a sense of place. 

The restaurant feels like an upscale version of other restaurants in the city with a uniquely Oaxacan decor but where it separates itself is with its refined dishes that can be enjoyed as a part of their six-course tasting menu.

• What our Chefs Think: After dining at Origen, we left fully impressed by the way that they took the already complex cookery of the region and took it several steps farther by coaxing out even more flavor out of the preparations.

• What to Order: Get the six-course tasting menu and trust the chef. If you have allergies, make sure to let them know when you make your reservations.

• Chef’s Tips: If you enjoy adult beverages, make sure to ask about their mezcal selections that are brought to the table on a cart where you can choose which one you would like to try. 

Best Desserts and Sweet Treats Oaxaca

La Flor de Huayapam

^{Las Casas 218, OAX_RE_BENITO JUAREZ, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.}

• Why Visit: If there is one food of Oaxaca that dominates all others when it comes to beverages, it is cacao. Yes, chocolate is a huge part of the culture in Oaxaca, but it is consumed a little differently than we do in the United States. 

This restaurant specializes in a beverage called tejate that is made with cacao, toasted corn, mamey seeds, and cocoa blossoms. This is a must-try part of the culinary heritage of Oaxaca city and the surrounding valley.

• What our Chefs Think: Drinking tejate is as much of an experience as it is simply tasting a regional beverage. The traditions associated with this beverage from the jićara gourd bowl to how it is made are deeply rooted in the early history of the region.

• What to Order: Tejate (cacao beverage served in a gourd bowl)

• Chef’s Tips: Tejate is served with a wooden flat stick that is there for you to scoop up the cocoa fat “foam” that sits on top of the beverage. Do not use the stick to stir your drink as that is highly frowned upon.

READ MORE:

Oaxaca Drinks Popular Drinks in Mexico

Nieves de la Soledad – Neveria Malena

^{Jardín Sócrates 3, CALZADA MADERO, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.}

• Why Visit: Of this list of best restaurants in Oaxaca city this one definitely has the simplest dish. To be honest, it’s not really one restaurant but several places that all specialize in nieves.

Nieves is a frozen dessert that is similar to ice cream but is hand-spun with water or milk instead of cream. Going out for nieves is a popular part of the culture and a great way to get together with friends or family.

• What our Chefs Think: The most exciting part of trying nieves is the flavors that are unique to the region. Even as a chef that has studied global cuisines fairly extensively, I didn’t recognize several of the flavors prior to visiting Oaxaca.

• What to Order: Get two flavors (dos sabores)

1. Leche quemada (burnt milk)
2. Tuna (pickly pear)

• Chef’s Tips: Head to la Plaza de las Nieves on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and grab a seat at any of the Neverias (nieves shops) and enjoy the energy of this regional tradition.

Rito Chocolatería & Tienda

^{68000, Calle Porfirio Díaz 708 -H, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Centro, Oax.}

• Why Visit: When you visit Oaxaca, you will be surrounded by places selling chocolate in numerous forms from its bar form to sauces like mole negro. Rito Chocolateria specializes in high-quality boutique chocolate that is used to make several chocolate drinks and luxurious ice cream. 

You can also purchase treats to go like single-origin chocolate bars and pucks of chocolate that are ready for you to make your hot chocolate at home or back at your Airbnb.

• What our Chefs Think: People usually talk about Belgium and Switzerland when it comes to chocolate but in Oaxaca, you can smell the cacao roasting as you walk down the street. They are literally making chocolate from the raw bean and it makes a difference.

• What to Order: 

1. If it’s warm out get iced chocolate and if it’s cold get it hot.
2. Chocolate ice cream with cocoa nibs

• Chef’s Tips: This is a great place to purchase those gifts that you will want to bring back to the people that covered you at work so you could take a vacation. 

Best Oaxaca Restaurants Guide

The idea of making a list of the best restaurants in Oaxaca was a little daunting with so much amazing food being prepared in such a small area.

We knew the only way to get this right was to eat, eat, and eat some more until we were able to narrow it down to the food that we loved. 

Now it’s your turn to eat your way through the best food in Oaxaca and try out all of these amazing restaurants.

If this is your first time heading to Oaxaca, you are in for a treat as the cuisine is so wildly different than the Mexican food that is found outside of the country. It’s delicious and an adventure for the palette filled with new textures and flavors.

Check out our list of culinary tours and cooking classes if you are interested in immersing yourself deeper into this historic cuisine.

READ NEXT:

Oaxaca Food Guide Oaxaca Mezcal Tour