7 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.