Oaxaca de Juárez, Shortlisted
Hi all,
I hope you’re having a beautiful month so far. This month Shortlisted is heading to Oaxaca de Juárez. The capital of the State of Oaxaca is one of my absolute favorite places in the world to eat (quesillo! tlayudas! mole!) and drink (mezcal! coffee!) + shop (pottery! textiles! sal de gusano!). A few years ago, I had the incredible chance to visit over Día de los Muertos (and highly recommend) and recently I spent a long, hot spring weekend visiting from CDMX, heading back to all my favorites + picking up a few more to share with you here. (A tip if you’re also coming from Mexico City / through terminal 2 at MEX: it’s an easy 1h~ish flight *and* you can stop at Iwashi for pre-flight hand rolls.)
I hope you enjoy this shortlist as much as I enjoyed writing it. As always, it’s such a pleasure to share this space with you. Thank you for your support and trust — see you again next month!
xR
[restaurants | bars]
Alfonsina | classic dishes using seasonal, local ingredients + outdoor patio + a solid selection of mezcales as well as natural wines. If it’s on the menu that day, their mole is particularly special. It’s maybe a 30m drive outside the center and close to the airport so either book a reservation timed for a first lunch on your way in from the airport or a last lunch before your flight back home
El Lechoncito de Oro | go for truly spectacular suckling pig tacos topped with chicharrón and a perfectly spicy green salsa. Order in multiples (the tacos are small and perfect to eat in a few bites) and squeeze plenty of lime on top. You can also get tortas and tostadas and I especially love heading here for a pre- / post- dinner / mezcal snack
La Cocina de Humo | If you’re going to book only one reservation while you’re in town, make it here, make it in advance, and come hungry. The space is stunning, the food is incredible, the clay vessels you’re eating off of are gorgeous and the whole experience is so transportive from the moment you walk in the door, I’d honestly prefer you to experience it yourself rather than give too much away. If you like, you can also book a cooking class (classes are only in Spanish + if you don’t speak the language, I highly recommend taking the option to hire a translator to get the most out of the experience)