Guajolota appears as a signature dish in 1 Mexico cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.
Guajolota (Torta de tamal) · Mexico City
A whole steamed tamal slipped inside a soft bolillo roll, the carb-on-carb breakfast Chilangos eat at dawn from street tamaleros. Heretical outside Mexico City, well-regarded within.
The guajolota is a Mexico City invention from the late 19th century, born of the city's tamalero street trade. The name comes from the Nahuatl guajolote (turkey), a joke about fattening up the eater. By the early 20th century, the format had become the canonical pre-work breakfast for working-class Chilangos; tamaleros set up at metro exits and bus stops by 5am every weekday. The most common fillings are rajas con queso, mole negro, salsa verde con pollo, and dulce de fresa for the sweet version. Costs 20 to 30 pesos at street level; the format is unique to Mexico City and considered insane by the rest of Mexico.
Where to eat in Mexico City:
- Tamales Dona Emi
- Mercado de San Juan
- Mercado Roma
- Mercado Medellin
- Mercado de Coyoacan