Oaxaca’s Top 7 Must-Try Restaurants: A Food Lover’s Guide

Credits: Michelin Guide, Food and Pleasure, Larousse de la Gastronomía Mexicana 

Oaxaca’s gastronomic culture goes beyond mole, corn, and mezcal. It is increasingly positioning itself as one of the most exquisite and important food destinations not only in Mexico but in the entire world because of its rich heritage, diverse use of endemic ingredients, and the deep cultural significance of its traditional dishes. 

Their culinary diversity reflects the region’s varied geography and Indigenous cultures, evidenced by dishes like Seven Moles, a complex multi-ingredient sauce that showcases the region’s essence by blending spices, chilies, and other amazing ingredients. 

As the home to various Indigenous groups with singular culinary traditions, Oaxacan cuisine shines for its local ingredients, which are unique to this state and deeply rooted in the region’s history, such as chilhuacle, pasilla mixe chili peppers, quesillo, chicatana ants, even Hoja Santa (aromatic herb reminiscent of anise), and chapulines (toasted grasshoppers). The ingredients add distinct flavors to the final dishes and connect the food to the regions and traditions.

The region’s commitment to preserving its culinary traditions while also innovating and adapting them for modern tastes has made it a focal point for chefs, hospitality industry members, and food enthusiasts worldwide. This global interest has been further fueled by the rise of culinary tourism, with Oaxaca being a key destination for those seeking authentic and traditional Mexican cuisine.

So, if you’re visiting Oaxaca, we encourage you to check out these must-visit restaurants:

1. Criollo

As a bartender, you understand the importance of creating an experience that goes beyond just serving drinks. This philosophy extends into the world of Oaxacan cuisine at Criollo, one of Enrique Olvera’s renowned culinary establishments, led by Chef Luis Arellano. 

Set in a beautiful old house in Oaxaca, Criollo offers a unique and authentic dining experience that reflects the region’s diverse heritage. 

While mixing up your signature cocktails, consider how the restaurant’s seasonal dishes can complement your drink offerings. For example, at Criollo, some standouts are the Vegetarian Tlayuda (a large, thin, crispy tortilla made from corn, about 12 inches in diameter, usually toasted on a comal until it becomes slightly crispy), Fish and Potato Gorditas (corn dough shaped into small, thick round cakes), or Puerto Angel Shrimp Rice. Pairing the right flavors can elevate the overall experience for your guests, making their visit truly unforgettable.

2. Origen

Origen restaurant opened in 2011. Chef Rodolfo Castellanos leads this venture, which offers a dynamic and contemporary menu and aims to “Oaxacanize” international dishes with a native and authentic twist, or as Chef Castellanos puts it when describing his dishes, “aoaxaqueñar”. In Origen, risottos, ceviches, meats, and more are mixed with endemic ingredients that give them an identity. Chef Castellanos uses a wide variety of ingredients found in markets, ranches, farms, and seas close to their land.



“The Oaxacan Umami” is found in the different types of corn, in the vastness of herbs, fruits, vegetables, beans, and chiles, and in processes such as smoking, burning, fermenting, slow cooking, and more. The elegance of simplicity and harmony are the intrinsic hallmarks of the menu, which changes seasonally. Recent highlights include exquisite Plantain Molotes (fried turnovers made from corn dough, which is typically flavored with lard) with Kidney Tomato Sauce, Dried Shrimp, Chilcostle (smoky and slightly sweet chili pepper native of Oaxaca) and Isthmian Cheese (native from Oaxaca, it’s typically made from cow’s milk and is known for its fresh, slightly salty flavor), as well as a Roasted Duck with Quince Purée and Mole Coloradito that is well worth trying.

It certainly is a space that has its own evolution! Ingredients are transformed to offer the diner a contemporary approach that opens the doors to techniques, ideas, and imagination. 

3. Las Quince Letras 

Since 1992, Celia Florian and Fidel Mendez have been running this place, where the aroma of roasted chiles, local flavors, and native ingredients seduce the palate.

At Las Quince Letras, you’ll find a selection of specialties from every corner of the state, including the iconic black mole. An honest culinary expression that reflects the best of our identity and embodies rich tradition and a sense of familiarity. 

As a bartender, consider how the bold and diverse flavors of dishes like the Oaxacan-Style Taquitos stuffed with oregano-seasoned chicken and drenched in mole coloradito, water chile peppers in vinaigrette, or Roasted Criollo Squash in Black Mole—stuffed with chickpeas and served with nopal sauce and quelites (edible wild plants and greens)—can be perfectly complemented by craft cocktails. Visiting Las Quince Letras is an opportunity to discover new ways to pair your drinks thoughtfully with Oaxacan traditional flavors. 

4. Levadura de Olla

Levadura de Olla is one of the most special restaurants in the heart of Oaxaca. A place whose main purpose is to transport its diners to a family table abundant with ancestral cuisine from the southern Sierra of Oaxaca through the use of creole ingredients and ancestral cooking techniques that converge with a deep understanding of the land and its seasons. The restaurant also has a deep sensitive respect for regional ingredients. 

For Chef Thalia Barrios, originally from San Mateo Yucutindoó, this place is much more than a restaurant; it is an infinite shelf that elevates local gastronomy through research in the markets of distant towns and their traditional culinary habits.

In Levadura de Olla menu, you can find atypical ceremonial dishes, some proposals with a unique perspective inspired by our journey through Oaxacan cuisine, and beverages native to different corners of the state of Oaxaca. For example, they offer Barbecue Tamales with Black Mole, Dry Pozole, Roasted Vegetable Salad, Bean Segueza (a thick stew made with beans and corn masa, often flavored with various chilies and spices), Stone Soup (a traditional dish from Oaxaca, made of fish or shrimp, vegetables, chilies, and herbs such as epazote which are placed in a hollowed-out gourd, clay pot, or another heat-resistant container), Solteco Wedding Cake made with almonds, pecans, cinnamon, cloves, fried fruits among other ingredients, and a classic, a variety of Native Oaxacan tomatoes served with Beet Purée, Fruit Vinaigrette and Quelites.

5. Casa Oaxaca

The flavors are exceptional in Casa Oaxaca because its cuisine has a homemade and natural touch, so that you can take home the best memories of this culinary tradition. Dishes are prepared with only the finest local, native, and organic ingredients to create a haven of extraordinary flavors. 

Chef Alejandro Ruiz Olmedo created this gastronomic concept with the goal of bringing his diners closer to the most authentic experience with expertise, techniques, and innovation. 

The must-tries are the Catch of the Day Ceviche with mango, tomato, onion, cilantro, orange juice, and passion fruit jam, the Crispy Tasajo Tacos (thinly sliced, salted beef that is either dried or lightly cured), and the Grilled Octopus with Chorizo Mojo and Huitlacoche (fungus that grows on corn) Purée. A delightful piece of heaven!

6. Los Danzantes Oaxaca

If you are looking for a gastronomic ritual of ancestral and modern Mexico, you should visit Los Danzantes. Their cuisine is an evolution and revolution!

Ingredients are carefully selected from small local producers to become the protagonists in dishes prepared with cutting-edge techniques. They also promote ethical, conscious, and responsible consumption, demonstrating that sustainability and exquisiteness can coexist.

In Los Danzantes, eating is a ritual to enrich the spirit. Gastronomy and culture are connected in art and design environments. 

We invite you try their different Moles of Oaxaca: Yellow, Red, Chichilo (smoky, and slightly bitter mole), Black, and Manchamanteles Tradicional Mole (made with chiles ancho and guajillo, fruits, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, almonds, peanuts and sesame seeds among other ingredients) and Macho Plantain Chochoyotas (small, round dumplings made from corn dough).

7. Crudo 

Chef Ricardo Arellano has brought to life a creative omakase that fuses Japanese flavors with local ingredients and recipes. According to the Michelin Guide, “that means that his Kampachi may be accompanied by nixtamalized papaya, or that the tuna is grilled over binchotan charcoal before being presented on a chicory leaf with charred onion purée.” The eel roll, for example, is served with an agave pulp purée with sweet and smoky notes. Sounds delicious, right?

Crudo’s menu is lighter, but flavors leave a lasting impression, conveying a sense of authenticity in the most simple and natural way. We recommend you reserve a table in advance because the place is quite small.

And there you have it. Those are seven of Oaxaca’s most incredible restaurants that promise to take your taste buds on a journey through time, tradition, and tantalizing flavors. Whether you’re savoring the complex moles that Oaxaca is famed for or discovering the unexpected harmony between Japanese techniques and local ingredients, each of these dining experiences is a love letter to the region’s rich culinary heritage.

So pack your appetite, bring a friend (or two), and get ready to be wowed by dishes that are as vibrant and diverse as Oaxaca itself.