43 Best Restaurants in Oaxaca, Mexico

Chef Alejandro Ruiz is behind some of the most creative food in southern Mexico—rack of lamb in pineapple-and-vanilla sauce and venison tamales with mole are just a few examples. Wild game is featured heavily on the menu, though the kitchen also has a way with red snapper. Not one course falls short here: appetizers incorporate local herbs and greens, and desserts such as a guava tart with rose-petal sorbet perfectly balance citrus and sweetness. The specialty cocktails are excellent, especially the sangria. The room is modern, open, airy, with white stucco walls, simple wooden tables and chairs, and a beamed ceiling. It's casual and effortlessly romantic. The restaurant shares a building with one of the finest art galleries in town, Galería Quetzalli, so you can browse after you eat.

El Che Guacho is owned by Argentinians and specializes in Argentinian cuisine. Look forward to enjoying a delicately cooked steak in a beautifully designed indoor-outdoor restaurant with glass walls that (in good weather) open to provide access to a quiet, covered, terrace garden. The bar is well stocked, the staff are friendly and knowledgeable about their menu, and the choices available are phenomenal. There is nowhere else in Oaxaca to savor the juices of such a perfectly cut, perfectly cooked, and perfectly presented steak, accompanied by a wine handpicked by the owners. It's a favorite with locals and visitors alike.

Don’t let the location down a dusty dirt road scare you from dining at this breezy restaurant in the boutique hotel Villas Carrizalillo. Perched on a terraced cliff overlooking the white-sand crescent of Carrizalillo Beach, Espadín offers a winning combination of sophisticated cuisine and stunning ocean views (try to arrive at sunset). Even at its busiest, the ambience is pure romance, thanks to the soaring palapa roof, fresh flowers, and attentive service. Popular menu choices include perfectly grilled whole red snapper, a delicate roasted beet–and–Oaxacan cheese salad, and chicken in a fragrant mole negro. Finish your meal off with an artisanal mezcal. On weekends, there's often a guitarist playing soft ballads. It's open all day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

A 10% gratuity is included in the bill.

The delicious aromas from the busy kitchen lure fans to the outdoor patio of this cheerful trattoria in a neighborhood that's fast becoming known as "Little Italy." Ebullient chef-owners Manuel and Giordana have a warm energy that matches their classic Italian cuisine; la dolce vita begins with a basket of bread sticks and crusty bread served with two addictive pestos (one habanero and the other anchovy herb). The menu includes a tempting array of house-made pastas including spinach ravioli and tagliatelle. But don't hurry to make your choice; wait to hear the daily specials, which are always market-fresh and simple, using the finest seasonal ingredients. Portions are generous and offer excellent value. The wine list is better than average.

If you have time for only one restaurant in Zipolite, then this should be it. Expect creative takes on the traditional in dishes such as Oaxacan shrimp or beef medallions in aromatic hoja santa (Mexican pepperleaf) butter. Reserve for one of two nightly seatings, and arrive early to enjoy a mezcal cocktail in the stylish bar. The restaurant tends to close down during the low season, which can begin as early as September and continue as late as November.

Origen is one of the best restaurants in Oaxaca. Chef Rodolfo Castellanos is an expert at producing sharp, clean flavors that compliment the dining environment. This city-center town house has been turned into a quick lunch restaurant, a cooking-class workshop space, and a formal evening dining space (on the second floor). The food here is expensive, but it is worth every peso. The service is attentive, and the variety of options on the menu will have your mouth watering from the very moment you step in the door.

This culinary laboratory is famed for developing new dishes using both inventive techniques and traditional ingredients. Everything served here is sourced locally and used imaginatively to create a contemporary Oaxacan cuisine. The head chef, Jose Manuel Baños, heads of team of leading culinary talents to prepare the finest and most delicate meals available in city. The beautifully restored restaurant also features a mezcal tasting bar and both indoor and outdoor eating areas. The six- and nine-course tasting menus, showcasing the best of the best in Oaxacan cookery, are highly recommended.

Welcoming chef-owners Shalxali and Quetzalcoatl Zurita focus on presenting traditional Zapotec, Mayan, and Mixteco ingredients in contemporary ways. Begin your evening with a margarita made with seasonal fruits such as prickly pear or mandarin, and then embark on a culinary adventure of new tastes such as tixinda (a local mollusk) appearing in a refreshing salad rather than the more traditional tamale, or beef tenderloin wrapped in fragrant hoja santa leaf (Mexican pepperleaf). Opting for the five-course tasting menu is a good way to dive in. If you like beer, try a Bendita, which is brewed in the town of Santa Catarina Juquila, the pilgrimage site of the Virgin of Juiquila, midway between Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca City. Although the restaurant lacks a view, its earthy, minimalist decor is stylish, and the location in the heart of the Rinconada restaurant row offers interesting people-watching.

Sky-high prices are justified by the sky of stars above your head as you dine at this romantic bay-side restaurant. Hanging lanterns, a glowing blue pool, and a sleek lounge complete the scene. The menu is ambitious and international, highlighting lobster, shrimp, and fish tartare. Although at times the views can seem to outshine the cuisine, the service is always top-notch.

In Colonia Reforma, this café is, as its name suggests, a more informal version of the Casa Oaxaca restaurant in the historic center. This open-air, garden-themed restaurant maintains the same incredibly high levels of food preparation and presentation, and the same attentive service, but with a menu suited more to breakfast and lunch, featuring more fruit, salads, and lighter options. One of the highlights is the huitlacoche omelet served with pumpkin flowers, and bathed in chile guajillo salsa, a true taste of Oaxaca.

This restaurant takes up the entire first floor of a colonial house. You can dine beneath the arches or in the sun next to a fountain. Popular dishes include mushroom soup flavored with epazote (a pungent local herb), chicken with salsa de flor de calabaza (pumpkin-blossom sauce), and a superbly prepared lechón (suckling pig). On Sunday, there's a buffet from 2:30 to 7.

Cofetarika, on a terrace above the Danzantes restaurant in the heart of the city center, is open all day from 8 to 6, making it a perfect place for lunch. It offers freshly prepared food and a wide range of gourmet drinks in a relaxing environment.

In Ocotlán the only place to eat is at Comedor Frida Kahlo, located within the main market building. Here, Frida (or her doppelgänger) will offer you the best in local cuisine. Afterwards, you can have a photo with Frida herself.

This little restaurant east of Parque Paseo Juárez is packed with locals—sometimes there's not a tourist in sight—who appreciate the traditional fare like enchiladas suizas (with sour cream) and the prices. It's a 10-minute walk from the zócalo. You'll know you're there when you spot the huge green eyes painted on the side of the building. It closes early, at 7 pm.

This lively street-side café-bakery-restaurant is a hub for locals, visitors, and those passing through; everything you need to know is being passed around by word of mouth here. Almost always full but with speedy service, the restaurant is best known for its hearty breakfasts, Mexican specialties such as enchiladas and quesadillas, aguas de frutas (fruit water), and reliable Wi-Fi. Kid-friendly chow such as hamburgers and spaghetti plus sturdy high chairs make it extra appealing to families with toddlers. The daily special is an especially good deal. Popular bakery items include fruit-filled pastries, whole-wheat bread, and cinnamon buns. There's another branch—slightly spiffier but minus the view—on La Rinconada

There's no kids' menu, but you get 30% off on half orders of any dish.

A neon sign bearing the namesake hummingbird draws you to this little cafeteria. Mothers who have packed their kids off to school and cell-phone-toting business executives favor this place, perhaps for its free refills of super-hot coffee and the extensive menu of Mexican favorites. If you're homesick, you can always order a burger with fries. While you wait, browse in the gift shop. The restaurant is across from the ADO bus station, making it a great escape from the crowded waiting area.

Situated alongside the artisan market in Santa Maria del Tule, El Milenario is famous for its breakfasts. Enjoy entomatadas or enfrijoladas in a family environment where the portions are huge and the prices are low. It makes a great stop off on a trip to Mitla or Hierve El Agua.

Just two blocks from the plaza, this local favorite family restaurant serves traditional seafood dishes at reasonable prices. Try one of the seafood cocktails featuring shrimp, octopus, and oysters, or splurge on a pineapple stuffed with seafood and smothered in cheese.

It may not have the easiest name to remember, but Estrella Fugaz (which means "shooting star") is one of Mazunte's most popular hangouts. This funky Mexican café-restaurant offers an impressive collection of artisanal mezcal, good Wi-Fi, strong coffee, and a breezy second-floor location with fantastic views of Playa el Rinconcito, Mazunte's most swimmable beach. The menu is packed with choices from Mexican breakfast specialties to seafood to pasta, but if you're undecided, the chiles rellenos stuffed with vegetables (or seafood or cheese) is a whopping portion that will fuel you for the rest of the day. Live jazz and special theme nights keep the action happening until long after dark.

Helmed by warm and gracious owner-hosts, the restaurant in the Hotel Posada Edén Costa is widely considered the best in Huatulco. Its menu is certainly more varied than the competition, with French, Mexican, and Italian dishes—all well prepared. The huachinango en crema de poro (red snapper with a creamed leek sauce) is wonderful as is the boeuf bourguignon; the creamy almond-paste ice cream with fruit sauce is memorable. The bar has a fine selection of artisanal offerings such as Fidencio mezcal from Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca. The hotel's serviceable rooms (the largest have full kitchens) are beloved as long-stay havens by snowbirds from the United States and Canada.

La Capilla is a truly Oaxacan experience. Sitting under a palm roof listening to the animals play in the petting zoo and the children playing in the gardens, you can enjoy platters of traditional Zaachilan food: mountains of fabulous cooked meats, cheeses, and vegetables will come your way.

An outdoor lunch buffet, from 1:30 to 6:30, is a great reason to venture outside the city to this restaurant 3 km (2 miles) east of Oaxaca on the road to Mitla. Waiters bring you a welcome cocktail and a typical appetizer, such as taquitos de pollo (small tacos filled with chicken) or memelas (fried discs of cornmeal topped with goodies). You then select from more than 70 Mexican dishes, including several kinds of meat fresh from the grill. You can linger here, listening to wandering mariachi and marimba musicians—and let the kids loose on the small playground.

Every inch of wall space at this elevated restaurant on the west end of the Adoquín is filled with paintings. And every inch of your small, square table will be covered by platters of homemade pasta, like tortellini, ravioli, and lasagna. Pizzas are also popular; try the one with eggplant, garlic, mushrooms, and basil. Though service can be spotty, the brick-and-stone floors and red tiles peeking through the rafters make for a pleasant environment. The bacon-wrapped shrimp Culiacán is a popular choice.

A few steps up from street level and offering views of Playa Zicatela from most tables, this casual yet impeccably clean restaurant with traditional Mexican decor offers an expansive menu with something to please everyone. Signature thin-crust, wood-fired pizza is always a good option as are the house-made pastas and even some authentic Mexican dishes. Add to that friendly service, and the unusually late opening hours—you can sit down for dinner at 11:45 pm—and you've got a winning formula.

With a calm beachside atmosphere, fresh seafood, and attentive service, it's hard to top this local favorite at the west end of Playa Agustinillo. Begin your afternoon by settling into one of the comfy loungers, where you can sip on a La Ola cocktail, a mojito of mezcal, cucumber, and lime that tastes as healthy as it is delicious. Good options for lunch are dorado tostados or arrachera (grilled steak) served with a perfect trio of black beans, tortillas, and rice. There's also a wide selection of ultrafresh salads. You'll appreciate the spiffy clean washrooms, showers, and prime views of bodyboarders riding and wiping out on the waves.

The service is a bit distracted at chef Pilar Cabrera's combination gallery-café, so you'll have plenty of time to admire the works by local artists that adorn the walls. The food makes up for any shortcomings, however. Start with the tlayuda azteca, a Mexican-style pizza topped with chicken, avocado, and stringy Oaxacan cheese. The sampler plate includes everything from strips of beef to seasoned pork to chapulines (fried grasshoppers). They also serve a different comida corrida, or prix-fixe menu, every afternoon. Cooking classes are also available.

This toes-in-the-sand beach restaurant is a local favorite for whiling away a pleasant day at Playa Manzanillo. Owners Pablo and Doris Carrasco are always happy to whip up a coco loco or offer a shot of fruit-infused mezcal. All the seafood is fresh and reasonably priced. You can eat while lounging just steps from the water or at a table under the shade of an almond tree. The vuelve a la vida (return to life) seafood cocktail is particularly recommended as it's packed with shrimp, pulpo (octopus), and clams. Or try the popular shrimp or dorado topped with creamy tequila-chipotle sauce. The owners' son is working on Blue Flag eco-certification for Manzanillo Beach, so restaurant patrons get the bonus of access to modern and environmentally friendly toilets. If you are going for dinner, be aware that the restaurant closes early—by 7:30.

This Italian restaurant serves salads, calzones, and artisanal pizzas with a vast choice of toppings baked to perfection in a wood-burning oven. Try the nutella-banana pizza for dessert. The bar and the restaurant are under one big palapa, and there are small palapas with individual tables on the beach. With the sounds of the waves and soft lighting, it makes for a romantic night out. La Termita also serves a hearty Mexican-style breakfast (but closes for lunch). Five clean, ocean-view guest rooms are available, but book early.

This contemporary Italian restaurant sits within one of the colonial houses of Jalatlaco, one of the oldest parts of the city. Toscana was one of the first successful Italian restaurants in the city and still provides an eclectic menu, focusing on a wide range of pizzas, pastas, and seafood. Sitting under its archways, looking out on the rock garden, you might think you are in Italy. The cocktail menu aids your relaxation, and the food, when it arrives, is always crisp and flavorsome. Afterwards, a stroll around the picturesque neighborhood and a visit to the church are great ways to digest the food.

Named for the dancing figures carved in stone at the nearby ruins of Monte Albán, this restaurant fuses the new and the old with dishes such as hierba santa asada, a local leaf stuffed with goat cheese and Oaxacan cheese; and ravioli with huitlacoche (corn fungus) in one sauce of squash flower and another of green chili and cream. The three-story earth-color walls, consisting of triangular columns of rough stone, are reflected in a pool that takes up about half the open-air space. The service is perfectly attentive. Expect to dine exclusively in the company of other tourists.