Atlixco is a food day trips in Puebla.
Editorially verified August 1, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Tip: Go in August if you can: the cecina fair, the Elotada and nogada season all land within a fortnight of each other.
Cuetzalan is the Sierra Norte food town of Puebla, cooking smoked cecina with wild mushrooms, tlacoyos de alverjon with chiltepin and pipian ranchero.
Tip: This is an overnight rather than a day trip from Puebla; the road into the sierra takes about three hours each way.
Zacatlan de las Manzanas grows the apples behind the cider Puebla drinks at Christmas, and its kitchens cook mixiote, mole de guajolote and stuffed bread.
Tip: The cider houses are the reason to come, and the pan relleno de queso y requeson is what to eat while you taste.
Chignahuapan cooks escamoles in spring and barbacoa de hoyo year round, roasted in a pit rather than a pot, an hour north of Puebla on a good road.
Tip: Barbacoa is a Sunday-morning trade here, so arrive before midday if you want it straight out of the pit.
Xicotepec grows coffee in the northern sierra of Puebla and fries molotes xicotepenos smaller and denser than the city version, plus gorditas in sauce.
Tip: Buy coffee at source here rather than in the city, because the northern sierra grows most of the Puebla crop.
Huauchinango sits in the Sierra Norte of Puebla and serves tamales de punete, toasted peanuts and reservoir trout, plus taquitos sold a dozen to the order.
Tip: Order the taquitos by the dozen, which is how they are portioned locally, and follow them with trout rather than more meat.
Cholula sits ten minutes west of Puebla and eats differently: sopa cholulteca, orejas de elefante stuffed with beans, and cacao served the old way.
Tip: The portales and the San Pedro market are where the town actually eats, rather than the restaurants facing the pyramid.