Mexico

• Typical Food in Mexico

  To some people, Mexico is palm trees and margaritas; to others it’s ancient ruins and sleepy villages; to others still it’s street tacos and fine handicrafts. Of course, Mexico is all of those things and much, much more, as the country is so very big and diverse in its topography, traditions, art, peoples, languages, and, of course, food. Mexican comida is perhaps as regional as it gets, with many of the 31 states (plus the Federal District, or capital city) contributing their own particular cuisine style and/or dishes to the nation’s overarching gastronomy. Many of those dishes have become so widely popular throughout the country that though they’ve originated somewhere, they might be considered typical Mexican foods (though keep in mind that different regions will still often put their own spin on any given dish). To that end, consider this an EYW primer on some of Mexico’s varied culinary offerings. We hope you’re hungry for more.

  To some people, Mexico is palm trees and margaritas; to others it’s ancient ruins and sleepy villages; to others still it’s street tacos and fine handicrafts. Of course, Mexico is all of those things and much, much more, as the country is so very big and diverse in its topography, traditions, art, peoples, languages, and, of course, food. Mexican comida is perhaps as regional as it gets, with many of…    Read more

   

  Find typical foods in Mexico.

  Aguas frescas

  Alambre

  Atole

  Barbacoa

  Champurrado

  Coastal Yucatan

  You want to eat your way around the Yucatán Peninsula? Say adios to any preconceived notions of Mexican food you might have in your head. Sure, you can find quesadillas, tortas, and tacos al pastor here, but the regional stuff is markedly different from elsewhere in Mexico—even if you stick to the well-traveled coast, the focus of our content here. A product of the area’s Mayan-territory past, tropical climate, and geographical position as an important land and coastal trade route, Yucatecan cuisine combines ancient Mayan agricultural staples and proteins—such as maiz, beans, pumpkin (and pumpkin seeds), chiles (particularly habaneros), tomatoes, naranja agria (sour orange), annatto seeds, eggs, turkey, fish—with global influences from the Caribbean to Europe to the Middle East. Recados, the complex ground spice/herb blends that form the basis of many dishes, are as likely to include cumin as locally grown oregano. This food reflects an eclectic, uncommon collection of cultures and ingredients, brought together in a most delicious way.

  To really delve into the spicy, smoky, citrusy cuisine of the Yucatán Peninsula—which in Mexico comprises three states, Yucatán, Campeche, and coastal Quintana Roo—you’ll want to visit Mérida, Yucatán state’s capital, and some inland Mayan villages as well. Yet there are still plenty of local dishes to be found among the popular beaches, cenotes, and archaeological sites of the Caribbean coast, modern-day Mexico’s top tourist destination. Dubbed “the Riviera Maya” by some marketing genius, the coast is lined with resorts big and small, but it’s within the main towns—Cancún (and Isla Mujeres, off its coast), Playa del Carmen, Tulum—where you can tuck into such hallmark Yucatecan foods as salbutes and polkanes, tikinxic and cochinita pibil, queso relleno and pavo en relleno negro. Sometimes they’re found in formal Yucatecan restaurants; sometimes they’re wrapped inside tacos on a street corner or inside a market: You just have to get off the beach and know where to look.

  You want to eat your way around the Yucatán Peninsula? Say adios to any preconceived notions of Mexican food you might have in your head. Sure, you can find quesadillas, tortas, and tacos al pastor here, but the regional stuff is markedly different from elsewhere in Mexico—even if you stick to the well-traveled coast, the focus of our content here. A product of the area’s Mayan-territory past,…   Read more

   

  Find local foods in Coastal Yucatan.

  Tikinxic

  Sopa de lima

  Queso relleno

  Pavo en relleno negro

  Papadzules

  Mexico City

  It’s not surprising that Mexico City, a megapolis of some 20 million people, has quite a reputation. Depending on whom you listen to, the Distrito Federal, or D.F., is a hotbed of pollution, crime, and out-of-control urban sprawl; or it’s a pulsing epicenter of history, art, fashion, and food—a whirlwind for the senses and an amalgam of new and old in one of the most culturally rich nations on Earth. Intimidating? Sure, like most of the giant, significant cities of the world, Mexico City can be overwhelming. But for an adventurous and interested visitor with basic street smarts, the payoff is huge—important museums and edgy art galleries to occupy you for weeks, Aztec ruins a stone’s throw from modern skyscrapers, stunning Rivera and Tamayo murals seemingly around every bend, enough exciting food discoveries on street corners and in fancy restaurants to last you a lifetime. (Of course, it’s that last bit especially that’s brought us to revisit Mexico City over the years!)

  The task of producing a list of D.F.-regional foods for such a melting pot of different regional Mexican styles was challenging, and since many of the foods we sampled in the city are so widely available around the country, you’ll find them showing up in the Typical Foods: General category (see above), too. But Mexico City does have its signature tacos al pastor (among other popular varieties of taco), a handful of interesting Aztecan foods and drinks, regionally produced craft beer, and some other snacks that are particularly treasured by chilangos, the city’s residents. Many of those foods, in turn, are sold in what may be termed the most traditional Mexico City manner of dispensation: by vendors on the street or in markets, at dirt-cheap prices. Let the culinary exploration begin.

  It’s not surprising that Mexico City, a megapolis of some 20 million people, has quite a reputation. Depending on whom you listen to, the Distrito Federal, or D.F., is a hotbed of pollution, crime, and out-of-control urban sprawl; or it’s a pulsing epicenter of history, art, fashion, and food—a whirlwind for the senses and an amalgam of new and old in one of the most culturally rich nations on…   Read more

   

  Find local foods in Mexico City.

  Birria

  Caldo Tlalpeño

  Ceviche, coctel de camaron

  Churros y chocolate

  Conchas y nata

  Oaxaca

  Of the many reasons to visit Oaxaca, capital of the rugged southern Mexico state of the same name, here’s just a few: its gorgeously quaint yet cosmopolitan heart (many streets of which have recently undergone a face-lift); a cutting-edge arts scene comprising small galleries, first-class museums, and a shopper’s paradise of local handicrafts; a roster of rich and accessible cultural events and festivals; a dramatic backdrop of mountains offering adventure and important ancient Zapotec sites; a simpático and passionate local population. And then of course there’s the food: a proudly regional and undeniably delicious cuisine that starts with the famous seven moles, utterly decadent things, before moving on to chocolate and mezcal, massive street tlayudas and incredible tamales, and some of the best food markets in the country. Just 6.5 hours by bus from D.F.—and with its own international airport as well—Oaxaca is a must in Mexico.

  Of the many reasons to visit Oaxaca, capital of the rugged southern Mexico state of the same name, here’s just a few: its gorgeously quaint yet cosmopolitan heart (many streets of which have recently undergone a face-lift); a cutting-edge arts scene comprising small galleries, first-class museums, and a shopper’s paradise of local handicrafts; a roster of rich and accessible cultural events and…   Read more

   

  Find local foods in Oaxaca.

  Arroz con leche y garbanzo

  Chapulines

  Chilacayote

  Chile relleno de picadillo

  Chocolate con leche

• User Content

Below is user-submitted content for this region. Have something to contribute? Upload your regional-food photo or food memory.

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  Posole

  Oaxaca
  cinnamonandcitrus
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  Chocolate y yema

  Oaxaca
  cinnamonandcitrus
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  Tasajo

  Oaxaca
  cinnamonandcitrus
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  Ceviche

  Tulum
  lsr

• • My First Real Taco

    annamcphee
    Mexico City, Mexico
    I spent my whole life eating tacos, not the real kind – the kind that comes nicely wrapped up in a bright yellow and red box, with a plastic bag to keep the crispy corn derivatives fresh, the ki…    Read more

  • barbacoa de chivo at Restaurante "El Amigo Pastarano"

    churpa
    Highway 200, Guerrero
    

    Finding a good eatery is a fine art, best practiced when you’re not in a state of hysterical starvation, but instead only pestered by mild hunger that still allows for careful evaluation…    Read more

• Blog Posts

• Monterrey’s Weekend Ritual: Cabrito

  Our writer learns how to make cabrito, or roasted baby goat, from a Monterrey master. All photos by Lydia Carey It’s mid-morning in Monterrey, Mexico, when Humberto Villareal—“Beto”—picks me up, but it’s…   Read more

• A Tiny Piece of Wine Country, on a Mexico City Rooftop

  Our contributor takes us to Vinicola Urbana, a wine-producing rooftop vineyard (and breath of fresh air) smack-dab in overcrowded Mexico City. All photos by Lydia Carey A pseudo-camouflaged sign sits at the entrance of No. 29 on Mexico…   Read more

• Making Barbacoa in Mexico City: A Four-Day Adventure

  Our lucky contributor goes behind-the-scenes of barbacoa making in Mexico City. All photos by Lydia Carey except where indicated. In every region of Mexico, you will find barbacoa steaming on streetside stands, taking center stage at…   Read more

• Exploring La Merced Market, in Mexico City

  Our friends at Eat Mexico tell us why the Merced Market is a Mexico City must-see. Photos by Christie Pham Forget what you may have heard about the Merced Market, in Mexico City. In my opinion there is only one real danger: You will,…   Read more

• Skeletons, Tamales & Familia: Day of the Dead in Oaxaca

  I wrote this piece, about spontaneously spending el Día de los Muertos with a family in Oaxaca, several years ago; it’s based on an experience in 2004, when we spent six weeks backpacking around Mexico. Six years later, we returned to…   Read more

• Two More Mexico Destination Guides on Kindle: Mexico City & Coastal Yucatán

  We are happy to announce that we’ve recently released two more eBooks on Amazon Kindle—the Mexico City Food & Travel Guide and the Coastal Yucatán Food & Travel Guide—bringing our grand total of books up to 10!…   Read more

• East Coast Mexico’s Dutch Influence

  Edam cheese. Photo: Yvwv Yucatecan food—even that found along the so-called Riviera Maya, the coastal corridor between Cancún and Tulum—is markedly different from “Mexican food” as most of us know it, as we…   Read more

• Wake Up & Smell the Tacos: 3 Reasons to Wake Up Early While Traveling

  Tacos for breakfast in Tulum Traditionally, Scott and I are stay-up-late, wake-up-late kind of people. This all changed a year ago, of course, when our son was born and the definition of “waking up late” became 8am. Most days…   Read more

• 7 Favorite Tacos in Mexico

  You'd be hard-pressed to find a more perfect snack food than the taco. It's cheap, it's portable, it can comprise a wide range of ingredients—meats, veggies, cheese, salsas—and textures (if you've never had crunchy…   Read more

• Oaxaca Food & Travel Guide: Now on Kindle!

  Lucky number 7! We’re pleased to announce our seventh destination guide on Kindle: the Oaxaca Food & Travel Guide, now available on Amazon.com. Oaxaca is celebrated for its cuisine, but knowing what to look for—and where to find…   Read more

• Morelia, Mexico: What to Eat

  Traditional dishes from Zirita, a culinary workshop, in Morelia. Morelia, capital of the state of Michoacán, Mexico, is quietly beautiful, the kind of pretty where the dowdy female lead takes off her glasses, shakes out her ponytail,…   Read more

• The Miracle of Maguey

  It can get you drunk three different ways and it’s not your college boyfriend — moreover, the maguey (or agave) plant is used to actually treat syphilis, not cause it. A look at the humble maguey’s role in Aztec and Mexican life,…   Read more

• Dish Spotlight: Churros y Chocolate in Mexico City

  I have a weak spot for hot chocolate in the winter—and now that my selection of quaffable vices is limited by pregnancy, man, do I have a weak spot for hot chocolate. Many afternoons I’ll go out hunting for one around 3pm, or…   Read more

• Q&A: Pilar Cabrera, Chef & Cooking Instructor, Oaxaca, Mexico

  “I try to portray the colors of the Oaxacan landscape in the food I prepare: color, color, color! Oaxaca is such a vibrant place, and having this reflected in the food you eat here makes Oaxacan cuisine even more enjoyable.”—Chef…   Read more