As impossible as it is to enumerate the thousands of bites and sights worth your while in Oaxaca, this second part of my list of recommendations is purely based on geography to help you navigate this packed city. For simplicity’s sake, I have divided Oaxaca’s Centro into two parts split by “Avenida de la Independencia” – one of the major cross streets. For the more touristy north and everything around the famous Santo Domingo church, go to Oaxaca Part I. Continue reading here for the southern part of the Centro which holds just as many treasures perhaps shared with slightly fewer people… 😉
Morning
Five weeks of working remotely got me to try many coffee shops in Oaxaca and I would not hesitate in pointing to Marito & Moglie as my all time favorite. The Italian/Mexican couple behind this charming coffee house on Miguel Hidalgo street are very serious about their coffee and have travelled around the world for inspiration to bring back to Oaxaca. The result is the finest espresso drinks you’ll find in the city and one of the homeliest vibes too.
Their breakfasts are also delicious so you might be tempted to move your working quarters here permanently…
Bonus point for their outdoor seating in a bright courtyard, ideal in this fine weather city.
Sorbo Café Textiles lets you shop for artisanal garments and textiles as you sip quality coffee and munch on crispy waffles in a small, intimate hybrid store which is very cool.
For a local experience, head to El Pochote, a collective of organic farmers that have small restaurant stands inside a quaint, shaded courtyard. Sit at any table and you’ll be presented with a folder containing all of the menus from the various kitchens which you can mix to create your ideal meal. It’s healthy, local food prepared like in a home kitchen and the prices are super reasonable.
Order a ‘Cafe de Olla‘, a large cup of traditional Mexican spiced coffee made with cinnamon, cloves and brown sugar (piloncillo) and brewed in a clay pot which contributes to the taste. And for a truly local breakfast get the Oaxacan omelet which is filled with vegetables, cheese…
…and a large quantity of grasshoppers for your protein intake. 🙂 Honestly, it’s incredibly delicious and the chapulines really do add a nice salty/smoky bite you’ll get addicted to.
For breakfast on the go, there are a number of local bakeries with a dizzying array of ‘sweet Mexican breads’ to sample for a few pennies each. They tend to be on the drier side though and I like them best with a big mug of coffee or hot chocolate to dunk them into.
Walking on Avenida de la Independencia brings you right up to some of the city’s most iconic buildings such as the Teatro Macedonio Alcala.
This beautiful early-1900s theater used to be a casino and today hosts some of the city’s biggest cultural events. It’s here that you’ll be asked to meet if you take the Oaxaca Free Walking Tour which I highly recommend.
A few blocks west you’ll hit the massive baroque cathedral of Oaxaca which sits right above the city’s main square (or zocalo).
Venturing further west away from the center, another remarkable church is the ‘Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad‘ or basilica dedicated to the Virgin of Solitude, Oaxaca’s patroness.
The giant complex was completed in the late 1600s and has a gorgeously ornate façade worth taking a closer look at. If you’re suffering from church fatigue, another excuse to come here is that right next to the basilica is one of the best places to grab an ice cream in the city with many ice cream stands set up around the steps leading to the basilica.
There’s a reason why I made you walk all these blocks seemingly leading nowhere west (it’s really only about 10 minutes walk from the zocalo) and it’s to get a meal right here at Criollo. If you’re familiar at all with Mexico’s greatest chefs you will have heard of Enrique Olvera who is behind Pujol in Mexico City as well as Cosme and Alta in New York. Well Criollo is his Oaxacan countryside refuge and you should absolutely make time to come here…
The restaurant is located in a beautiful UNESCO heritage colonial mansion with the rustic yet refined style I’ve started to associate with the chef.
While Criollo is famous for their dinner tasting menu, I was intrigued by their a la carte Sunday brunch which takes place in the garden, accessed through the mansion’s courtyard.
Open air and open plan with cooking stations in plain sight, the setting is as enjoyable as the food that is to come.
Baked goods can be taken “to-go” and are all tempting… Have you ever seen such pretty conchas?
At the center of it all, the grill is a visual and olfactory feast with meats, fruits and veggies slowly roasting above an open fire.
You’ll be ravenous by then after the walk and seeing all this food so settle down and get a sweet bread with a hot cup of Cafe de Olla before your main meal arrives.
Any dish with his world famous mole will do. You’ll have to restrain yourself hard to not lick the plate clean… I’ll be dreaming of these enmoladas for a long time.
A different kind but no less delicious breakfast can be found nearby in Central de Abasto, Oaxaca’s largest market (it spreads over 800 acres!) on the edge of town.
Take a stroll around to take in the incredible diversity of offerings and the constant hustle and bustle which I’m so fond of observing everywhere I go.
Wander as much as you want, but make sure your feet take you at some point to a well-hidden food stall that has shot to celebrity status after being featured on a Netflix food show – Doña Vale. Grab a seat and get ready to be wowed and very well fed.
You’re here for her memelas and her salsas which will dethrone any other you might have enjoyed elsewhere in the city.
Order a big bowl of ‘chocolate de agua‘ which comes perfectly frothy and sweet while you wait for your breakfast with a mix of locals and tourists.
The only choice you’ll have to make is which salsa to pick (go for the brown one) and if you’d like a protein with your memelas from a short selection of stewed meats (yes!!) or you can also add a fried egg. Whatever you choose you’ll be blown away by the flavors and ready to tackle your best day yet. My breakfast came to about $3.60 and I’d honestly vote for those memelas over the brunch at Criollo… mind blown.
On the walk back to the centro, you’ll pass by another famous market – Mercado Benito Juárez. Smaller but equally packed with all sorts of goods and foods, it’s a great place to souvenir shop.
I really enjoyed walking around the southern part of the centro, especially the blocks of streets just east of the zocalo. They have a number of really interesting buildings without the usual crowds you’ll find just north of here.
There was always a nice vignette to enjoy along picturesque Miguel Hidalgo street…
The Cultural Center housed in a former convent is worth a quick tour.
Lovely exhibitions in the courtyard make a great excuse for a late morning break.
Lunch
This part of town is filled with cafes and more casual restaurants that seem to cater to a healthier crowd.
Green juice and roasted cauliflower bowl at Santa Hierba.
Huarache (thick corn masa tortilla topped with tasajo, a dried and salty beef, quesillo and purslane) at Cabuche.
A satisfying salad of arugula with strawberries, serrano ham, goat cheese and caramelized sunflower seeds at Café Rústiko.
Taking the crown for the best value lunch around is Casa Taviche hands down. The bright and relaxed space, impeccable service and unbeatable 3-course set lunch menu are all reasons to run over here the moment you get hungry around midday.
Vegetable soup of the day with agua de jamaica as a first course.
Main dish of tacos dorados.
Strawberry cream for dessert. All 3 courses including the juice cost just above $7 – I don’t think you’ll find a better deal anywhere else in this neighborhood!
Of course the street food options are also amazing albeit less relaxing then lingering in the leafy courtyard of a quaint restaurant. For a quick and filling snack, pull up a stool at Memelas San Augustin just a few blocks from Casa Taviche. There will surely be a little crowd waiting on the sidewalk so you can’t miss it.
Not as spectacular as the memelas from Doña Vale but definitely tasty and much closer!
You’ll have to walk a bit further out in the back streets of Oaxaca to find El Pocito, one of the few places in the city where you can eat piedrazos.
The classic and nostalgic Oaxacan dish literally translates to “stones” and consists of pieces of very hard crunchy (stale) bread with pickled carrot, onions and potatoes that are swimming in a fruit and chile-based vinegar, dusted with chile powder and topped with quesillo. Served with a fresh agua fresca, this pickled snack was delightful. Not only do I enjoy most things fermented but the mix of textures between the bits of breads that had started to soften vs the crunchy ones made this super fun to eat.
In between meals, there are quite a few worthwhile museums to explore near the zocalo. The Museo de Los Pintores Oaxaqueños is fairly small and showcases a wide range of local artists from painters and sculptors to more modern installations.
One of my favorite ones though as to be the Museo Textil de Oaxaca even if just for its stunning architecture and inner courtyard.
You’ll get an overview of textiles from Oaxaca, Mexico and the world with really fascinating exhibits and stunning examples, many of which a century or more old.
Collaborations with other countries create modern interpretation of ancient techniques and draw parallel between cultures, like this Oaxaca / India exhibit below.
Art truly is everywhere in the city so don’t forget to look up to spot surprises adorning rooftops…
Dinner
Whether you have something to celebrate or are curious about trying out refined indigenous cuisine, a meal at Teocintle should be on your list. Tucked away down a quiet residential street, the ‘blink-and-you-miss-it’ gem was among my top three dining experiences during my 1+ month staying in Oaxaca. Run to it!
The five-table intimate restaurant is reservation-only and offers a five course tasting menu (no à la carte!) that changes daily depending on what the chefs found at the local market. The chefs serve the dishes themselves and take great care to explain what’s on your plate with clear passion for their ancestral roots. They are all from Mixteca, a region in the state of Oaxaca, and create innovative interpretation of heritage staples.
Thankfully, before you explode there’s a brief pause where they bring you a nice, warm infusion of fresh ginger and other fruits to help with digestion…
At the opposite end of the spectrum, dinner in Oaxaca can be had quickly, cheaply and no less deliciously by pulling up a stool at one of the many late night stands that fill the streets south of the zocalo.
While tacos are most often eaten for breakfast, at night nothing beats a warm, comfy bowl of pozole… The hearty hominy stew with pork and ancho chiles is supposed to be a great hangover cure but it does just as well as a filling dinner before hitting the mezcal bars.
Finish the day at In Situ Mezcalería with a tasting of their fine mezcal.
You’ll get tasting notes and detailed card to educate your palate on the type of mezcal you prefer and can take your time going through their very extensive list… Hopefully your hotel is nearby!
