The incredible gastronomy of Oaxaca. A series.
Oaxaca's strong food culture and a surprising concentration of Michelin restaurants.
“Oaxaca is an antidepressant that produces addiction" - anonymous
We landed in March on a warm evening. It was unseasonably windy and chilly and the only night we pulled out our jackets and pullovers. The drive to the city centre from the airport was 25mins. The drive is plain with small shops and eateries along part of the route.
Within three days in Oaxaca, we visited 8 restaurants and cafés. Eleven if I count the additional reconnaissance stops to confirm reservations at the best spots (after conducting copious search and reading many travel blogs) to preview the venues, prior to the larger group arrival. We were received warmly, at one we picked tables when presented the option, and moved the venue at another location. Soon, we would discover, that its impossible to have a bad coffee or food experience if one lets curiosity guide the tastebuds. The patisserie culture is rich and doesn’t disappoint. Michelin lists 17 restaurants in Oaxaca and we visited 11 of them, complete list here. Can you guess the three in this post?
Spanish-American Chef and restauranteur José Andrés says he tells stories through his food, that each plate is the opportunity for a culinary journey and has the power to change the world. As dramatic as it may sound, his words ring true in Oaxaca.
Before diving into the world of gastronomy, our favorites and why, I am sharing our collective accommodation choices.
Hotels | Between the group we stayed at six venues across the city. The early arrivals stayed at a small boutique hotel Casa Carlota with only five rooms. Casa Carlota was on Rufino Tamayo street, a small street with a rooftop. Since most buildings in the Oaxaca are couple of stories, most rooftops have rich views of the expansive landscape. They included a limited breakfast spread and were not equipped to give an extra slice of avocado.
I moved to City Centro Marriott in the Jalatlaco neighborhood for the rest of the trip, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Oaxaca. Its charming, has cobblestone streets without the traffic of centro neighborhood, walkable to cafés, shops, restaurants and the hotel was in front of the beautiful Templo de San Matías Jalatlaco. I preferred this location that had foot traffic and was not short on vibes. My friends moved to Hotel con Corazón Oaxaca that had a socially responsible model at the edge of the centro historico of the city. Other friends stayed at Los Pilares boutique hotel and at Hostal La Cochinilla, around the corner from each other. The last two are in the Jalatlaco neighborhood and hence walkable to many cafés, stores and restaurants.
Back to my favorite topic the act of eating - comida (food or meal in Spanish).
Comida, We All Deserve to Eat Well.
Day two we walked about town getting our bearings and stopped by Café Tradición to escape the dry heat for refreshing cocoa drinks. Lunch was at Tierra del Sol, and we walked down to the main square through the Benito Juarez festival parade to head back for a nap. Día de Benito Juárez is a national holiday that honors the birthday of the former president. The festival was one of several street festivals we experienced. The reverence Oaxacans have for their roots, history and culture is unmistakable.
“Those flavors that evoke memories are what give us life.” – Chef Olga Cabrera
Tierra del Sol, concept of Chef Olga Cabrera inspired by her grandmother is in the Michelin Bib Gourmand category. This restaurant was recommended to us first night, and our jet lagged bodies led us only few blocks down from the hotel. At Tierra del Sol, prepare to be led to The Comal with a live demo of fresh tortillas prepared with four different types of corn, and an education on different salsas prepared with different peppers and level of spice. The experience is delightful, taking in the fragrance of the local ingredients even before we could take the first bite. My favourite was the azul tortilla with a light fresh taste and probably closest to a freshly made chapati. The smoky Oaxaqueño salsa made with dried chile agua was perfect for my taste buds. At the street level there is Masea, inspired by Olga’s family bakery and La Atoleria, infusing food made with corn and cocoa.
Fun fact, Oaxaca cultivates thirty five (35) varieties of corn, and the indigenous Mexican corn boasts tradition dating back 10,000 years. When the government tried to introduce GMO corn, the farming communities protested and shut down the intrusion on thousands of years of legacy. NYT wrote about Oaxaca’s native maize here. With or without the star, the restaurant is a masterful gateway to Oaxaca’s culinary experiences that awaited us.
The main restaurant The Terrace is situated on the rooftop terrace with views of the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, link. The atmosphere is festive. There’s no bad view whether overlooking the centro neighborhood or the Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca. We ordered tamal chile rellano, tiradito de nopal (cactus), mole de torta de cammorones, and mole de laurel con costillar. I enjoyed nopal more than others. The beef marinaded in pineapple is a common technique, and let me tell you it works beautifully. There a light almost citrusy flavor to the beef and the fruit enzymes have broken the texture to deliciously melt in the mouth. Mole is the crown jewel of sauces, and Oaxaca is known for its seven moles. Mole sauces are rich and a complex balance of 20 odd ingredients prepared meticulously.
It was hard to miss Chef Olga’s commitment to local producers, financial inclusion, climate justice and her deep conviction for collective effort. The factura for a table of three was under $90. This was the only restaurant we visited twice.
Labo Fermento with Michelin nod, was recognized for its fusion cuisine and bold experimentation with fermented foods. After scanning the menu, we did not find it thrilling for our taste buds and decided to leave. We were in southern Mexican state after all. The server wanted us to sample few plates and it did not bother him that we planned to eat elsewhere. Thousand points for friendly service.
After Labo Fermento, we walked down the street to Sabina Sabe that had a small queue outside. We were told it was a 15 minute wait, and got seated within five. We were peckish, not quite dinner level hungry, and between two of us we split Agua Chile Verde, Tostado de Pescado and a creme brulee made with local goat cheese. The entire meal was fresh, light, delightfully flavorful. We polished the plates shockingly fast. The Agua Chile Verde became a trip favorite with shrimps immersed in a fresh lemon green soupy base. The shrimps we ate on this trip were the best we have eaten. Factura was 430MXN or $23.
Day 3 after moving to the Jalatco neighborhood, on the lovely front desk lady’s recommendation we walked few blocks west to Yegole café for a perfect chocolate croissant with nutella filling and a dark chocolate and pistachio on the outside. We walked through the El Llano square, simultaneously people watching and observing a baptism party, as we walked few blocks south to the famed Las Quince Letras Restaurante. A colorful entry boasted Michelin accolades and a packed dining area, we managed to get a table for three. Imagine doing that in New York! We tried salad with beets and tomatoes, ordered a big jug of fresh juice and my friends satiated their carnivorous appetite. Chef Celia Florián opened the restaurant in 1992 and it continues to impress. I had wanted to return with a fuller appetite another day, alas that did not happen. The factura was unbelievably easy on our pockets.
I had hoped to compress the culinary experience in one post, and its a mission impossible. At this rate, I predict a couple dedicated posts to follow. Engage in comments and ask any questions you may have.
You are in for a treat!
Few travel notes.
All establishments in Oaxaca accept credit cards. It wise to carry some cash on you. When paying electronically always accept the option to paying in local currency to avoid unpredictable exchange rates. Servers were often friendly and attentive, and somewhat used to tourists. The most visitors the southern state gets are Mexicans traveling south for a quick getaway, mountain biking trip, or nine times out of ten for a wedding. We even met a wedding planner during the stay at one of our hotels.
If you have questions, or have visited Oaxaca, let’s chat in comments.