3. Savor the Flavors
Oaxaca is world-renowned for a variety of specialties that every foodie or connoisseur should sample. First and foremost is Oaxacan chocolate (the original!), a rich, slightly gritty variety often ground with sugar, cinnamon and almonds and made into a thick, frothy hot chocolate. It’s also a key ingredient in Oaxaca’s legendary signature dish, mole, a complex spicy savory sauce that can take days to prepare. Oaxaca’s famous queso cheese, a mild, stringy, stretchy ball of dairy deliciousness, is not to be missed. You also have to try a tlayuda, a popular local snack made with a crispy tortilla topped with refried beans,shredded meat, avacados, queso and salsa – kind of like a Mexican pizza. Oaxaca is one of the largest coffee growing states in Mexico, and it makes one strong, smooth, satisfying cup of joe. Most is reserved for export, but ask around and you’ll find a cafe that serves the home-grown brew. Can’t forget the prized local liquor, mezcal, a distilled tequila-like alcoholic beverage made from the maguey cactus. Then there are the chapulines, crunchy fried crickets served with chili and lime, which are great to munch on with a cold cerveza.
4. Meander the Mercados
Oaxaca is a market town, and there are two main mercados near the city center you’ll definitely want to hit to experience a Mexican sensory overload (in a good way). The colorful Benito Juarez market takes up two blocks south of the zocalo and is a diverse blend of food, clothing and handicrafts geared to both locals and tourists. You’ll find stalls selling fresh produce, aromatic herbs, steaming tamales, handmade tortillas, local cheese and chocolate plus an astounding variety of dried chiles alongside leather goods, sandals, tin trinkets, beaded jewelry and hand-woven textiles. The 20 de Noviembre market a block down is more food-oriented, and can be considered a carnivore’s paradise. Come for the carne asada experience and sample smokey barbecue roasted meat of all origins cooked and seasoned in every which way. Grab a basket of green onions, chiles and vegetables from the vendors at the back and bring them to be cooked up alongside your chosen meat. The steamy hubbub may seem chaotic at first, but it’s a fun way to grab lunch, dinner or picnic fixings, Oaxacan style.
