Quesillo is Oaxacan string cheese pulled into long ropes and wound into a ball, the melting cheese on tlayudas, quesadillas, memelas and tetelas.
Quesillo was traditionally made in Reyes Etla, north of the city, by Oaxacan cheesemakers since the late 19th century. The pulled-curd technique winds the warm cheese into long ropes, then loops them into a ball that locals untangle by hand to top tlayudas, quesadillas and memelas. The Mercado Benito Juarez sells fresh quesillo by the kilo; the Reyes Etla Wednesday tianguis is the origin source.
5 editor picks for Quesillo (queso oaxaca) in Oaxaca, ranked by editorial score. All Oaxaca signature dishes · Quesillo (queso oaxaca) across every city.
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.
Mercado Benito Juarez ★ 4.6
centro-historico · Las Casas S/N, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Mercado Benito Juarez opened in 1894 one block from the Zocalo, with chapulines on Miguel Cabrera, mole pastes and the chocolate rows facing 20 de Noviembre.
Casa Oaxaca el Restaurante ★ 4.6
centro-historico · Constitucion 104-A, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
Casa Oaxaca el Restaurante is Alejandro Ruiz's 18th-century townhouse below Santo Domingo, the rooftop terrace room with contemporary Oaxacan menus.
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.
Mercado de Reyes Etla (Wednesday tianguis) ★ 4.3
etla · Mercado Reyes Etla, 68260 San Pablo Etla, Oaxaca
Mercado de Reyes Etla is the Wednesday-Sunday tianguis half-an-hour from Oaxaca, the home of the Reyes Etla quesillo tradition and valley produce stalls.