What is in season in Oaxaca. and what to order when the market changes.

Spring

  • Chiles de agua: The light-green chile is the only chile genuinely endemic to the Valles Centrales of Oaxaca, in season March to June and at peak in Mercado de Abastos stalls.
  • Escamoles: The ant larvae (caviar of the desert) appear in late spring at Mercado de Abastos and Mercado Benito Juarez, expensive (over 1000 pesos a kilo) and brief.
  • Jumiles: The stink-bug-shaped insects appear in March around Cuilapan and Zaachila, traditionally eaten live in tacos or ground into salsa.
  • Mango Manila and Ataulfo: Pacific-coast mango season runs March through June, with the Manila and Ataulfo varieties dominating Mercado de Abastos.

Summer

  • Chapulines: Grasshoppers are eaten year-round but peak summer through autumn, when they come in size-graded (small, medium, large) bags from Miguel Cabrera vendors at the Mercado Benito Juarez.
  • Cuitlacoche: The corn smut delicacy peaks in the rainy summer months (July-September) on Sierra Sur and Etla criollo-corn fields, served at Itanoni and Casa Oaxaca.
  • Flor de calabaza: Squash blossom is at its peak in summer, served in quesadillas, memelas and the Itanoni rainbow-maize tlayudas in Reforma.
  • Wild mushrooms (Sierra Norte): July to September rainy-season mushrooms (clavito, panza, hongo de pino) appear at Suculenta and Itanoni from Sierra Norte gatherers.

Autumn

  • Pan de muerto: From late October the Mercado Sanchez Pascuas and the Carmelita bakeries on Morelos sell pan de muerto, an egg-yolk-rich loaf for Dia de Muertos altars.
  • Mole negro: Mole negro is the season's headline for the Dia de Muertos table, made at every comedor with chilhuacle negro, chocolate, sesame, almonds and 25-plus other ingredients.
  • Chiles en nogada: In season from late July through October, served at Los Danzantes, Casa Oaxaca and other Andador rooms during patriotic season.
  • Cempasuchil (marigold): The marigold flower fills the markets and altars from mid-October, with petals used to dye and flavour traditional breads at the Day of Dead.

Winter

  • Romeritos en mole: Seepweed in mole negro is a Christmas-week tradition, with the bitter green served at Casa Oaxaca, La Olla and family Christmas tables across the city.
  • Bacalao Vizcaina: Spanish-tradition Christmas bacalao (salt cod stewed in tomato, capers, olives) is served at Asador Vasco, La Olla and family tables on December 24.
  • Buñuelos and atole: The Christmas and Three Kings buñuelos (fried dough on plates that buyers smash for luck) and atole de granillo run at the Posadas through December and early January.
  • Radish carvings: The Noche de Rabanos winter festival on December 23 brings massive oversized radish carvings to the Zocalo, with totomoxtle and flor inmortal competition categories.

Book food experiences in Oaxaca

The Mezcal Journey

Day trip6 hours4.8 from 108 reviewsfrom $107

Our experience is a full immersion in the mezcal culture and all the tradition that surrounds it. Transportation, agave fields, artisanal distillery, mezcal tasting & ...

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