40 cheap eats places in Oaxaca, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in Oaxaca: the places editors actually return to. All Oaxaca food.
Itanoni Flor del Maiz ★ 4.7
reforma · Av Belisario Dominguez 513, Colonia Reforma, 68050 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Itanoni on Belisario Dominguez is Amado Ramirez Leyva and Gabriela Fernandez Orantes's criollo-corn tortilleria since 2001, a room that nixtamalizes rainbow.
Itanoni Flor del Maiz ★ 4.7
reforma · Av Belisario Dominguez 513, Colonia Reforma, 68050 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Itanoni on Belisario Dominguez is Amado Ramirez Leyva and Gabriela Fernandez Orantes's criollo-corn tortilleria since 2001, where rainbow maize lands.
Boulenc ★ 4.7
centro-historico · Calle Porfirio Diaz 207, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Boulenc on Porfirio Diaz is Oaxaca's masa-madre flagship, with a stone-mill country loaf, cardamom spirals and a vegan-marked menu in a hotel courtyard.
Mezcaloteca tasting room ★ 4.7
centro-historico · Reforma 506, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Mezcaloteca on Reforma is the appointment-only library tasting room with 100-plus family-producer mezcals, opened in 2010 to educate palates on traditional.
Tlayudas Libres ★ 4.7
centro-historico · C. de Los Libres 212, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Tlayudas Libres on Calle de Los Libres is Oaxaca's canonical late-night tlayuda stand, with cooking fires on the street and tasajo, chorizo and quesillo.
Lechoncito de Oro ★ 4.7
centro-historico · C. de Los Libres S/N, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Lechoncito de Oro on Calle de Los Libres is Oaxaca's most famous lechon stand, with suckling-pig tacos, tostadas and tortas with pierna or chicharron.
Pan con Madre ★ 4.6
centro-historico · Calle Quetzalcoatl 205-D, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Pan con Madre on Quetzalcoatl is Oaxaca's sourdough pioneer, an open-kitchen bakery with cardamom spirals, focaccia and dulce-de-leche rolls on the counter.
Boulenc ★ 4.6
centro-historico · Calle Porfirio Diaz 207, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Boulenc on Porfirio Diaz is the cafe and sourdough bakery courtyard with masa-madre breads, mushroom banh mi and a sit-and-stay terrace inside an old hotel.
Pan con Madre ★ 4.6
centro-historico · Calle Quetzalcoatl 205-D, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Pan con Madre on Quetzalcoatl is Oaxaca's sourdough pioneer (masa madre), a courtyard cafe-bakery with cardamom spirals, focaccia and a wood-fired oven.
Pasillo de Humo (Mercado 20 de Noviembre) ★ 4.6
centro-historico · Calle 20 de Noviembre S/N, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Pasillo de Humo inside Mercado 20 de Noviembre is the smoke-alley grill where vendors over wood coals char tasajo, cecina enchilada and chorizo to order.
Itanoni memelas counter ★ 4.6
reforma · Av Belisario Dominguez 513, Colonia Reforma, 68050 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Itanoni's outdoor comal in Reforma sells memelas, tetelas and tlayudas hot off the wood-fired griddle with criollo-corn masa stone-ground in-house since 2001.
Memelas Dona Vale (Mercado de Abastos) ★ 4.6
centro-historico · Mercaderes 3, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Memelas Dona Vale at Mercado de Abastos is the famous comal counter with thick masa memelas topped with morita-chile sauce, asiento (pork lard) and quesillo.
Pasillo de Humo ★ 4.6
centro-historico · Calle 20 de Noviembre S/N, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Pasillo de Humo inside Mercado 20 de Noviembre runs charcoal-grilled tasajo, cecina and chorizo by the half-kilo from a dozen stands, 80-150 pesos a plate.
Tlayudas Libres ★ 4.6
centro-historico · C. de Los Libres 212, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Tlayudas Libres on Calle de Los Libres serves a full tlayuda from the wood-grill stand for 80-120 pesos, the canonical Oaxacan late-night cheap meal.
Lechoncito de Oro ★ 4.6
centro-historico · C. de Los Libres S/N, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Lechoncito de Oro on Calle de Los Libres slings tacos de lechon (suckling pig) for 25-60 pesos each from 8pm to 3am, cash only, the late-night standard.
Memelas Dona Vale ★ 4.6
centro-historico · Mercaderes 3, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Memelas Dona Vale at Mercado de Abastos charges 15-30 pesos per memela with morita-chile sauce, asiento and quesillo on the comal, the budget breakfast.
Muss Cafe ★ 4.5
centro-historico · Miguel Hidalgo 911, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Muss Cafe on Miguel Hidalgo is Aurora Tostado and Stefano De Bellis's 2019 specialty cafe, sourcing organic Finca Las Nieves beans from the Sierra Sur.
Cafe Brujula Alcala ★ 4.5
centro-historico · Macedonio Alcala 104, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Cafe Brujula Alcala on the Andador is the founder location of the in-house Oaxacan specialty roaster, with Sierra Norte and Pluma beans roasted small-batch.
Itanoni ★ 4.5
reforma · Av Belisario Dominguez 513, Colonia Reforma, 68050 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Itanoni in Reforma charges 25-70 pesos for criollo-corn memelas and tetelas off the wood-fired comal, the best price-quality for traditional Oaxacan masa.
Cafe Brujula Garcia Vigil ★ 4.4
centro-historico · C. de Manuel Garcia Vigil 509, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Cafe Brujula on Garcia Vigil is the roastery branch with in-house Oaxacan beans, a small-batch Probat roaster on display and pour-overs every morning.
Marito y Moglie Cafe ★ 4.4
centro-historico · Miguel Hidalgo 1204, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Marito y Moglie Cafe on Pino Suarez is the Centro pour-over and brunch room famous for Turkish eggs, ciabatta sandwiches and pastries from the in-house oven.
Nieves Manolo ★ 4.4
centro-historico · Calle Macedonio Alcala 706, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Nieves Manolo on Macedonio Alcala is the Velasco-Cuevas family's 1953 nieves stand, with leche quemada, tuna and sorbete by the Jardin Socrates lake.
Tlayudas Las Animas ★ 4.4
centro-historico · Mariano Matamoros 203, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Tlayudas Las Animas on Mariano Matamoros is the Thursday-to-Saturday-only tlayuda stand near Carmen Alto, a quieter neighbour to the Libres counter nearby.
Nieves Manolo ★ 4.4
centro-historico · Calle Macedonio Alcala 706, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Nieves Manolo on Macedonio Alcala is the 1953 stand for leche quemada, tuna and sorbete sorbets, scooped to order by the Velasco-Cuevas family generation.
Nieves Manolo ★ 4.4
centro-historico · Calle Macedonio Alcala 706, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Nieves Manolo on Macedonio Alcala scoops nieve de leche quemada and tuna for 30-50 pesos, the 1953 family stand near the Plaza de la Danza lake.
Chocolate Mayordomo (Mina) ★ 4.3
centro-historico · Francisco Javier Mina 219, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Chocolate Mayordomo Mina is the 1956 family chocolate house from Tlacolula, with cacao milled to order, drinking-chocolate tablets and pan de yema on offer.
Cafebre ★ 4.3
centro-historico · C. de Manuel Bravo 108, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Cafebre on Manuel Bravo is the Centro specialty roaster pouring Mixteca Alta and Sierra Norte beans in small lots, with a Reforma second branch since 2024.
Santa Hierba ★ 4.3
jalatlaco · 5 de Mayo 505, Barrio de Jalatlaco, 68080 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Santa Hierba in Jalatlaco on Cinco de Mayo 505 is the plant-based cafe with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free plates in a tropical rooftop courtyard.
Chocolate Mayordomo ★ 4.3
centro-historico · Francisco Javier Mina 219, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Chocolate Mayordomo on Mina and 20 de Noviembre is the 1956 Tlacolula family chocolate house, with chocolate de agua and pan de yema for dunking on demand.
Hierba Dulce ★ 4.3
centro-historico · C. Porfirio Diaz 311, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Hierba Dulce on Porfirio Diaz is a tranquil plant-based cafe in Centro with Oaxacan ingredients on a fully vegan menu, named after the local sweet-leaf herb.
Mercado Benito Juarez chapulines row ★ 4.3
centro-historico · Calle Miguel Cabrera S/N, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
The chapulines row outside Mercado Benito Juarez on Miguel Cabrera lines a dozen vendors selling grasshoppers fried with garlic, salt and chile to take home.
Tamales oaxaquenos at Mercado Sanchez Pascuas ★ 4.3
centro-historico · Calle Porfirio Diaz 719, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
The tamal counter inside Mercado Sanchez Pascuas runs banana-leaf tamales oaxaquenos (mole negro, amarillo, rajas) from 6am, the Oaxacan breakfast standard.
Tejate vendors at Mercado Benito Juarez ★ 4.3
centro-historico · Las Casas S/N, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Tejate stalls at Mercado Benito Juarez whisk the maize, cacao, mamey seed and cacao flower into a foamed prehispanic drink, served cold from gourd bowls.
Chocolate de agua at Mayordomo ★ 4.3
centro-historico · Francisco Javier Mina 219, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Chocolate Mayordomo's counter on Mina mills cacao on demand and pours chocolate de agua (water-mixed) into ceramic mugs with pan de yema for dunking.
Empanadas de amarillo street vendors ★ 4.3
centro-historico · Plaza Llano, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
The empanada-de-amarillo vendors at Plaza Llano fold thin masa around mole amarillo with quesillo and hierba santa, the late-afternoon Oaxacan classic.
Empanadas del Carmen Alto ★ 4.3
centro · Jesús Carranza 102, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Oaxacan empanada stall on Jesus Carranza, Centro, Oaxaca. Mole amarillo, hoja santa and shredded-chicken empanadas on a comal; under MXN $40.
Tamales oaxaquenos (Mercado Sanchez Pascuas) ★ 4.3
centro-historico · Calle Porfirio Diaz 719, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
The tamal counters inside Mercado Sanchez Pascuas charge 20-30 pesos for a banana-leaf tamal oaxaqueno (mole negro, amarillo, rajas) from 06:00 each morning.
Pan:am ★ 4.2
centro-historico · Abasolo 103, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Pan:am on Abasolo bakes housemade bread and pastries each morning, paired with a breakfast room serving chilaquiles, waffles and pan dulce platters.
Chocolate Mayordomo (Mercado 20 de Noviembre) ★ 4.2
centro-historico · Mercado 20 de Noviembre, Casetas 21-23, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Chocolate Mayordomo's Mercado 20 de Noviembre stall (Casetas 21-23) is the in-market branch of the 1956 chocolate house, milling cacao on demand and bagging.
Mercado 20 de Noviembre pan dulce row ★ 4.2
centro-historico · Calle 20 de Noviembre S/N, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Mercado 20 de Noviembre's pan dulce row runs the southwest aisle, with conchas, pan de yema and pan de muerto every October from a dozen Oaxacan home bakers.