Top Five Favorite Places to Eat in Oaxaca

Not a day passes without someone asking us on Instagram where our favorite places to eat in Oaxaca are. Well, you’ve got us salivating over here, so we decided to make this handy list of our top five restaurants to eat in Oaxaca.

Favorite Five Restaurants to Eat in Oaxaca

Origen

We’ve shared our Top Three Margaritas in Oaxaca before and one of them, of course, was from Origen. That definitely puts this place way on top of our favorites! What we didn’t mention is that if you take your pick from any of their fresh ceviches, you’ll enjoy one of the best summer afternoons in Oaxaca—obviously paired with their frothy mezcal margarita.

Los Danzantes

Los Danzantes is definitely a place to, not only enjoy a delicious meal, but take a moment to relax in their contemporarily-rustic setting. With an open-roof dining area and high, textured walls, sitting in Los Danzantes while sipping a refreshing mojito will be sure to re-charge your batteries after a morning of exploring. Our favorite dish is their Fideo Seco plated on their blue, rustic dish-ware and accompanied by their fresh Tuna Tostadas. Make sure to check their spirits menu for these mini bites because they make such a great pairing with their house Mezcal options that they list them right next to them.

La Jicara (Calabacitas Tiernas)

Many people think of Oaxacan Cuisine as an array of heavy, yet tasty, Mole dishes. Well, we’re here to de-bunk that myth. Oaxaca’s culinary options range greatly from these said Moles to many vegetarian, vegan, and paleo dishes, too, one of our favorites being at Calabacitas Tiernas. A quaint, hippy-ish restaurant inside La Jicara, a communal cultural event space with a setting filled with so many plants it makes you feel like you’re in a secret garden. Here, definitely go for the Jamaica Taquitos, Carrot Tinga Tostadas, and a jarra of Agua Fresca del dia (fresh fruit waters of the day). It’s the perfect meal after a day of exploring the many archeological sites around Oaxaca City.

Tacos Del Carmen Alto

Not all of our fave places to eat in Oaxaca are restaurants … sometimes the best eats can be found in the local mom-and-pop puestos (street vendors). One of our favorites is Tacos Del Carmen Alto where we love savoring their Empanada de Flor de Calabaza—Squash Blossom Empanada. Perfect as a breakfast option or snack during an early day of wandering the city center.

Nieves Manolo

Dessert could not be left off our Favorite Oaxaca Places to Eat list. But don’t think we’re sending you to a fancy sweets factory! Our favorite way to end any meal in Oaxaca is with a sweet, sometimes savory, refreshing nieve (ice cream) from city-institution Nieves Manolo. Freshly-made with organic ingredients from around the many regions of Oaxaca, Manolo’s varied flavors range daily from Mezcal—of course! —to Tamarindo, rose petal, and, our favorite, platano macho (plantains). Get a scoop or two in a cone and enjoy it as you stroll down the Andador Turistico, Oaxaca’s main tourist drag, for the perfect way to experience the city like a local.

Do you have a favorite must-visit restaurant in Oaxaca? Share with us in the comments below.