Maria Fernanda sells tamales with her mother around the quarter of Jalatlaco, which is famous for its beautiful murals and street art.

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Travel

Photo story: savouring the street food of Oaxaca, Mexico

In the city often described as Mexico’s food capital, some of the best culinary experiences can still be found on the streets in the form of antojitos — traditional snacks sold from carts, stalls and baskets, carried by roaming vendors.

Story and photographs byGiulia Verdinelli

Published March 9, 2023

• 7 min read

This article was adapted from National Geographic Traveller (UK)

Other popular antojitos include molote — corn dough parcels stuffed with ingredients such as potatoes and chorizo, and sometimes topped with refried beans, crunchy vegetables or avocados and sprinkled with cheese.

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To the west of the city lies the Mercado de Abastos, where a stall holder serves up tajate, a traditional drink prepared with corn flour, cocoa paste and coca flour, diluted with water.

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On the northern side of town, Tortas La Hormiga serves up tortas — sandwiches made with soft, fluffy bread — containing a variety of regional fillings, including Oaxacan sausage and tasajo (dried beef).

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A range of spicy chilli sauces, based on tomato, jalapeno and habanero. Apart from the different levels of heat, each sauce is characterised by a distinct flavour — some are fresher, with hints of citrus, while others are warm and earthy.

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In the heart of the city centre, the covered market known as Mercado 20 de Noviembre is packed with stalls selling fresh produce and local street food. It’s one of several markets of its kind in the city.

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Memelas, one of the most popular snacks in Oaxaca, are eaten at all times of day. It’s common to find them topped with earthy frijoles refritos (refried beans) and quesillo — a semi-hard, stringy cheese that’s placed directly onto the hot tortilla. They’re then finished off with a generous drizzle of aromatic hot chilli sauce.

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Locals enjoying a coffee break in Jalatlaco, one of the most colourful and popular barrios for street art. A lot of private houses, as well as shops and restaurants, have their walls painted with traditional scenes from folklore.

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El Niagara is one of several neverias (stalls selling nieve, a type of Mexican ice cream) found around the Plaza de la Danza. Opened in 1927, this stall still makes sorbet-like nieve the traditional way — using metal containers in wooden buckets filled with ice. Unlike ice cream, nieve is water based, and only made with fresh fruit juice. Common flavours include prickly pear (known, confusingly, as tuna) and mango.

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A grandfather takes his granddaughters for a juice break after school. In a country with a tropical climate and high temperatures all year round, stopping for freshly squeezed juice is a good way to cope with the heat; popular ingredients include mango, prickly pear and pineapple, served in different combinations.

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Memelas with refried beans and salsa, from El Sabor de Cecy, made with avocado, tomatoes, cilantro and lime. The best memelas are prepared fresh on the comal (griddle) just before eating. A small handful of corn dough is rolled into an oval ball and squeezed in an iron press until flat. The handmade process gives memelas their unique oval shape and irregular look.

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At El Sabor de Cecy, the excellent meat from the central valley of Oaxaca is mixed with spices and turned into delicious fillings and toppings for memelas, tlayudas and tortas.

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Published in issue 16 (summer 2022) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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