Food destinations within easy reach of Oaxaca, worth the early start.
Food destinations within easy reach of Oaxaca. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Famous for: Tlamanalli restaurant with Abigail Mendoza, Reyna Mendoza cooking school, weaving
Teotitlan del Valle is the Zapotec weaving village 30 km east of Oaxaca, home to Tlamanalli (Abigail Mendoza) and El Sabor Zapoteco cooking school with Reyna.
Famous for: Mitla archaeological site, 200-plus mezcal palenques in Matatlan, structured tastings
Mitla and Santiago Matatlan are the World Capital of Mezcal: the Zapotec ruins at Mitla and 200-plus palenques in Matatlan running tours and guided tastings.
Famous for: Petrified waterfalls, mineral-spring pools, Comedor Citlaly nearby for tlayudas
Hierve el Agua is the petrified-waterfall site east of Mitla, with mineral pools to swim in and Comedor Citlaly nearby for tlayudas before the drive home.
Famous for: Zapotec ruins, on-site restaurant overlooking the valley, nearby La Capilla open-air restaurant
Monte Alban is the Zapotec capital ruins 10 km west of Oaxaca, with a museum and on-site restaurant for buffet lunch and a long valley view from the plaza.
Famous for: Feria del Tejate in March, ancestral tejate makers, nicuatole, pan
San Andres Huayapam 10 km north of Oaxaca is the tejate village, hosting the Feria del Tejate every Palm Sunday with 88-plus producers of the recipe.
Famous for: Wednesday tianguis, Reyes Etla quesillo origin, mezcal counters
Reyes Etla is the village 30 km north of Oaxaca that put quesillo on the map; the Wednesday tianguis at Mercado Reyes Etla draws the valley producers weekly.
Famous for: Sunday tianguis, barbacoa, mezcal, chapulines, Cathedral of Tlacolula
Tlacolula's Sunday tianguis fills the plaza around the Cathedral of Tlacolula every week with Zapotec valley farmers, barbacoa de chivo and mezcal producers.
Famous for: Mole-paste vendors, Ex-Convento de Cuilapam, Oaxaca tradicional
Cuilapan de Guerrero is the mole village south of Oaxaca, with mole-paste vendors selling negro, coloradito and amarillo by the kilo for home cooks.