Oaxaca Restaurants

Oaxaca is known as "the land of seven moles." You may sample a mole made with sesame seeds one day, then a pineapple- or banana-inspired mole the next. Be sure to try Oaxaca's specialty spirit, called mezcal, which, like mole, is subject to delicious interpretation. Some varieties can be as high as 120 proof. Other favorites include jicuatote, a sweet milky dessert flavored with cloves and cinnamon, and chapulines, seasoned and fried grasshoppers, which are said to charm you into returning to Oaxaca. The best complement to an Oaxacan meal is the music that you'll encounter in and out of the restaurants: mariachis, brass bands, and other live music will provide a sound track for your visit.