Oaxaca cuisine is as varied as the climates and mix of peoples who call the state home. Some of the most well known products include Oaxaca cheese, chocolate, and of course, mezcal. Mezcal is produced from the agave plant like its more famous export: Tequila. We love substituting mezcal for tequila in our margaritas or negronis, and mezcal is gaining popularity both in Mexico and abroad. There is a saying in Oaxaca, "Para todo mal, mezcal, para todo bien, también."




Oaxaca is also the land of seven moles which are prepared with a variety of chili peppers like pasillas Oaxaqueños and herbs like pitiona. We quickly began to recognize both of these ingredients on menus or in a table side explanations. We also noted the omnipresence of grasshoppers or chapulines everywhere from the artwork in our room to ingredients on menus at the city’s top restaurants. Locals say if you eat grasshoppers, at some point you will return to Oaxaca, so why not?

Insert drumroll. Here is the full list of our favorites, the best restaurants and bars in Oaxaca:

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