Tlacoyos
Photo: Arnold Gatilao from Oakland, CA, USA · CC BY 2.0

Hand-pressed oval cakes of blue or yellow corn masa stuffed with frijol refrito or requeson, cooked on a comal and topped with nopales, queso fresco, salsa verde and chopped onion. Pre-Hispanic street food.

Tlacoyos are a Pre-Hispanic dish dating to the Aztec era, originally made on the comal griddle from nixtamalised corn masa stuffed with the same wild beans, fava beans or chickpeas. The name comes from the Nahuatl tlatlaoyo (corn cake). The blue-corn version comes from the heirloom maize varieties of Tlaxcala and Estado de Mexico that still survive at Mercado de San Juan and Tlacoyos Dona Jose. Modern restaurants like Expendio de Maiz have built modern Mexican cuisine around this canonical dish.

4 editor picks for Tlacoyos in Mexico City, ranked by editorial score. All Mexico City signature dishes · Tlacoyos across every city.

Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre ★ 4.6

$$Heirloom-corn MexicanRoma Norte

Expendio de Maiz in Mexico City is chef Jesus Salas' tiny no-reservations heirloom-corn counter in Roma Norte, the kitchen that built its name on native masa.

OrderThe daily handwritten menu; the blue-corn tlacoyo with squash blossoms.

TipTen counter seats; no reservations. Open Wed-Sun 13:00-19:00; arrive at opening with cash.

Molino El Pujol ★ 4.6

$$Heirloom-corn MexicanCondesa

Molino El Pujol in Mexico City is Enrique Olvera's Condesa heirloom-corn cafe on Sinaloa, the daytime molino that grinds native maize for tlacoyos.

OrderA tlacoyo de haba; a quesadilla de masa azul de huitlacoche; a torta of the day.

TipOpen daily 08:00-18:00. The blue-corn tortillas to take home are sold in stacks at the counter; the public is welcome to watch the milling.

Mercado de Coyoacan ★ 4.5

$MarketCoyoacan

Mercado de Coyoacan in Mexico City is the southern neighbourhood market on Ignacio Allende near the Frida Kahlo Museum, a 350-vendor traditional market.

Tlacoyos Dona Jose ★ 4.3

$Street foodRoma Norte

Tlacoyos Dona Jose in Mexico City is the Roma Norte breakfast comal on Cordoba, the comal-griddle counter that puts out blue-corn tlacoyos filled with frijol.

OrderTwo tlacoyos de haba topped with nopales, queso fresco and salsa verde.

TipCash only and weekday mornings only; the queue forms around 09:00 with neighbourhood regulars. Last sale is when the masa runs out.

Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide

Tlacoyos makes more sense with someone from Mexico City explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.

Book food experiences in Mexico City

Mexico City: Roma Norte Food Walking Tour★ 4.8 (16)

Guided tour · 4 hours

Mexico City: Roma Norte Food Walking Tour

A mouthwatering walk of contemporary Mexican food. Taste the flavors that the chefs have created at some of Colonia Roma’s best specialty restaurants, sharing their st...

from$110 Check dates

See all 802 bookable experiences in Mexico City