The Insider's Guide to Oaxaca City

Who

Four local Oaxaca City tastemakers share their favorite spots across the southern Mexican state capital. The technicolor kaleidoscope is known for its pre hispanic foodways, craftsmanship, and vibrant traditions. These insiders — each with their own tie to the city, from spirits to fashion, cuisine to design — are Yola Jimenez, founder of Yola Mezcal; Javier Reyes, founder of rrres studio; Sofía Jiménez Marrufo, creative director of clothing store Marchanta; and Jorge León, chef and founder of restaurant concept Alfonsina.

What

What to Bring

For Marrufo, a camera is a must-have, something to capture “the beautiful colors and trees all around,” and a notebook to capture what the camera cannot. “The inspiration will be everywhere,” she says. Above all, check the weather, she adds. “It changes a lot! From January to March it’s cold but not that crazy, from April to July it’s very hot, and then it starts to rain until October. So the type of clothes to bring really depends on the season.” Hats are a must for Reyes, as well as light, fresh garments, along with a light sweater.

“Days are usually hot and dry, at night it gets cooler,” he explains. More so than what to bring however, is a reminder to leave things behind. “Travel light,” he urges, “you might end up buying a lot of stuff to bring back with you.” León recommends long sleeves, huaraches (a type of lightweight traditional leather sandal), and for protection against the elements: a cap, ample sunblock, and bug repellent.

What to Leave Behind

Reyes advises you ditch your high heels. It’s a laidback city. Not without a sense of pageantry, however, and play. “I love dressing up in Oaxaca, so feel free to wear dresses and have fun. And feel free to be yourself! It’s a kind and open place,” says Jimenez. “Oaxaca is a very chill but cool city,” adds Marrufo. “Cosmopolitan and with a lot of very beautiful restaurants and bars that you can visit with fashionable but comfortable clothing.” The takeaway? Bring your fun pieces. Leave anything stuffy behind.

What to Keep in Mind

Be careful with the tap water, advises Marrufo. And come with a hunger to learn. With a rich heritage across art, artisanship, textiles, and food, there’s much to soak up here. “Oaxaca is a city with a lot of culture,” she says. She also recommends renting a car to explore the towns around the city (Teotitlán del Valle, Mitla, and Santiago Matatlán are all within an hour from the center). Taking local taxis is another option, according to Jimenez, who also notes the importance of not speaking too loudly and maintaining general respect for the local culture. Don’t take photos of people without asking, and try to learn some basic Spanish, he suggests. “At least try to make an effort, people will appreciate that.” When buying gifts, “try and buy directly from the artisans in the market or stores within artisan unions,” he adds. Lastly, “don’t be afraid of trying street food.” Between Google Maps and Apple Maps, opt for Google — Apple Maps doesn’t work the best here. León urges travelers to get out of the city center and get to know the towns and projects outside like eateries or workshops, many of them run from within people’s homes. And of course, bring the utmost respect when entering these homes. “Try and understand their culture,” he says.

Where

Where to Stay

Grana BnB, an old restored mansion, is a group favorite for its affordability, location, and breakfast.

For swankier options, Jimenez and León are both fans of Quinta Real, “a former hacienda, very old, and with a lot of history,” says the chef. “Or either of the two Grupo Habitas properties if you’re feeling hip: Escondido Oaxaca and Otro Oaxaca,” recommend Jimenez and Reyes.

He and Marrufo also love Casa Antonieta for its wonderful hospitality — “they also have a coffee shop and a nice terrace, the place is stunning,” and Boulenc Bed and Bread for its “Oaxacan vibe, really nice location, amazing terrace, and restaurant where you can drink and stay for the afternoon,” shares Marrufo. For more of a contemporary vibe, she likes Jr-Kiyo. “If you’re a fashion designer, I think this one is your place,” she says.

Where to Start the Day

Sagrado Filemón is Marrufo’s favorite breakfast spot at the moment for its coffee, bread, and a local specialty called pizzayuno.

Boulenc is another must for its music, great food, and unique environment (be warned: sometimes there can be a wait). Almú is another excellent option. “I like the one that is in San Martín Tilcajete, it’s a traditional Mexican restaurant far from the city, in a town where alebrijes (vibrant Mexican folk art sculptures of magical creatures) are made, so it’s a colorful and joyful place with great traditional food.”

Criollo is an iconic and aesthetic spot where Marrufo is particularly partial to their breakfasts — “their Conchas are amazing!” For a non-traditional choice, she enjoys Onnno for its sandwiches and chill vibe, and Terno for its “unique and special coffee, close to a wonderful park for a morning stroll called El Conzatti.” Jimenez likes the markets for a “wonderful, very old Mexican experience, a must in Oaxaca.” León gets his morning bread and coffee at Bodaega, a minimal, high design style bakery known for their sourdough and pastries, and also loves a breakfast at Tacos de Cazuela del Carmen Alto.

Reyes shares a plethora of coffee spots: Muss for its broader menu and convenient location, Nono, the buzzy Once in Oaxaca, Caracol Purpura, and Yegolé Café. For breakfast food, “Chepiche is special, Oa Cafe Studios, and Llevadura de Olla — which recently obtained a Michelin star.”

Where to Eat

“The food in Oaxaca is the best in the world,” says Jimenez, who names fellow insider León’s restaurant, Alfonsina and the traditionally Oaxacan Llevadura de Olla as her ultimate picks. Try the ensalada de tomates featuring all the tomatoes from the region, “crazy and beautiful,” and the moles de mayordomia — two moles in the same plate, recommends Marrufo. “In Oaxaca we have seven moles,” she explains of the region’s traditional sauces.

She also loves Terrazo Istmo for its coastal Mexican cuisine (order the garnachas istmeñas, “greasy but delicious”); Cobarde for Asian fusion and great views of the Iglesia de Santo Domingo; Caldos de Piedra for traditional dining (try their special Oaxacan soup, caldo de piedra); Adamá for Lebanese in a beautiful neighborhood called Los Arquitos; Crudo for Japanese omakase with Oaxacan ingredients (“very unique and mindblowing, I recommend sitting in the chef’s kitchen area of the restaurant”); Labo Fermento for fermented Mexican ingredients with Asian inspiration in an ambient environment with great music; and La Olla for the best pastel de chocolate Oaxaqueño.

Criollo is “a must, go for the tasting menu,” adds Reyes, of perhaps the most famed Oaxaca City fine dining institution. León loves La Teca in the Reforma neighborhood, outside the city center, featuring cuisine from Mexico’s southern region — the Isthmus of Tehuantepec — prepared by a “cocinera tradicional,” a traditional female cook preparing meals in her home. Order the “mole estofado, molotes, and esferas de queso,” advises the chef. Also outside of the city center, he loves El Comedor de Frida, in the Octolan market, “from one of my favorite cooks.” His go-to order: The verdolagas en salsa verde and the mole estofado.

Where to Shop

Shop owner Marrufo unsurprisingly has a plethora of recommendations. A visit to her store Marchanta is of course a must, for elevated pieces from designers based in México, Colombia, Perú, and India.

Also on her list is Habitáculo, a small shop for unique ceramics and jewelry by Mexican designers; Once in Oaxaca for art and souvenirs like postcards featuring Oaxacan front doors (“the owner Jaime is one of the nicest people I know”) Museo Textil’s store for jewelry by different artisans, great books, and more textiles; Suculenta, a general store for organic food, cool crafts, great chocolate, and wine; La Contra for Mexican wine (mostly from Valle de Guadalupe); and rrres studio (run by Reyes) for amazing contemporary rugs and sculptures in the lovely Jalatlaco neighborhood.

Reyes himself is most partial to the markets, “I recommend going to all of them,” he says. “The Benito Juarez is one of the most popular ones. Casa de las Artesanías Oaxaqueñas is run by the artisans themselves like a union and they sell traditional things.

Colectivo 1050 is great for ceramics, Origen Textil is great for textiles featuring natural dyes and traditional techniques, and Marchanta is wonderful for contemporary fashion.” León loves Los Bahules de Juana Cata for their exquisite textiles, which is run by Remigio Mestas and devoted to preserving ancestral textile techniques; and Miku Meku, an atelier producing contemporary Oaxacan textiles and garments. Jimenez loves buying traditional candles in Teotitlán del Valle, a town 40 minutes from the city’s center, and encourages all travelers to buy small batch mezcals whenever they come across them.

Where to See Art (And Artisans)

Jimenez looks to the botanical garden for its beauty, and recommends a visit to any place producing natural dyes (there are many) — “not a museum, but an old tradition.”

León and Reyes share some favorites, both recommending the Museo Textil, a small museum featuring historic to contemporary textiles (“after seeing the exhibition, pass through the giftshop, they sell beautiful jewelry here” urges León); the Centro Cultural San Pablo, housed in a restored 16th century Dominican monastery; Centro de las Artes de San Agustín Etla, a former textile factory turned center for contemporary arts — “taking a walk around the entire Center to appreciate the architecture is the loveliest,” says León; and IAGO, the graphic arts institute housed in an old colonial house. Both the Arts Center and IAGO were created and run by famed Mexican artist Francisco Toledo, León explains.

Marrufo adds one more to the list, the Museo Alvarez Brazo, a photography museum, which is “small but nice and with very interesting artists.”

Where to Unwind

While less of a traditional wellness destination, Jimenez says climbing the pyramids (like Monte Alban or Dainzú) is a great workout, “and much more beautiful and interesting” than a typical class. “In Oaxaca the wellness trend is just beginning,” explains León, but an interesting place his wife frequents is an indoor cycling class called Auura. Be Studio is another option, says Marrufo, for pilates, yoga, and barre.

Where to Get Some Fresh Air

“Everything outdoors is beautiful,” says Jimenez, but a favorite spot of hers is by one of the biggest and oldest trees in the world: El Tule.

León is partial to San Andrés Huayapam, a village just outside the city center featuring lush parks and hiking trails. Marrufo’s favorite park is the compact Jardín Conzatti, “very local and quiet, with traditional Oaxacan life around.” Her grandmother is an artist known for painting the Virgin of Guadalupe on trees around the city, some featured right here in Conzatti. “When I go, I remember my grandma María Elena,” says the creative director.

Where to Have a Cocktail

“Great bars are Mezcaloteca for a tasting of beautiful mezcals, Casa Oaxaca for a view of the central church and La Popular for a fun mingle,” says our spirits authority Jimenez. Her philosophy for imbibing like a local? “Mezcal, mezcal and mezcal, and a michelada in the afternoon.” León, who finds his favorite tipples at Salon de la Fama agrees: “If you’re in Oaxaca, I recommend drinking mezcal and local beers,” he says. His rule: “Order house mezcal, and don’t mix it in cocktails. Learn to enjoy mezcal alone,” he says.

“It’s an incredible spirit produced uniquely and served in one of the purest ways you can drink alcohol nowadays. Mezcal is made from agave and there are over 30 different types of wild agaves, each one with a different scent and flavor,” says Reyes. His favorite spots for mezcal, and a variety of other offerings, are Los Amantes and Nois.

Marrufo loves Florería Macarena, which is “very local but chic, great music and good quality cocktails.” The bar is a flower shop by day, “so it always smells really good,” she shares. She also owns “a very feminine” bar, located within her shop, called BocaFlor. “It not only has alcohol, we also have coffee, ferments and tea.” The most chic bar in the city for her is Selva. “In here you can be as fashionable as you want. The best plan is to have dinner at Los Danzantes on the lower floor of the building and afterwards go upstairs and have a nice evening at Selva.” For great Mexican wine, and kind, cozy hospitality, she opts for Cuarto de Vino.

Where to Stay Up Late

Many of the above cocktail bars can run later into the evening and foster a buzzy atmosphere. For something a little more dynamic, León enjoys La Tentación for latin music and salsa dancing. Marrufo suggests Sala Toro for vinyl and a breadth of music.

When

Winter months — November, December, January, and February — are the best, most say. “It’s not as hot as the rest of the year,” says León. “But you have to reserve hotels in advance.” October is a popular time for Oaxaca, whose Day of the Dead celebrations are particularly vibrant, but it can get very busy, warns Jimenez. Reyes loves the rainy season most, June to September. “Everything turns green and feels fresh. It does not rain all day, just a moment, so it’s perfect.” He has mixed feelings about recommending the city during the famous Day of the Dead celebrations as it’s reached a bit of a fever pitch the last couple of years. He presents December as another great time to experience festivities. “There are fewer people and a lot of Calendas which are traditional parades with music, fireworks, and giant marmotas (crafted sculptures people carry through the parades).”

Why

“If you’re a person who loves culture, arts, music, food, design, Oaxaca is for you. The Oaxacan people are very creative. You can feel creativity all around,” says Marrufo, with a reminder that two or three days won’t be enough in this city. “The colors, the sky, the kindness, craftsmanship, and flavors are like nothing you have experienced. It feels ancient and relevant at the same time,” describes Jimenez. For Reyes, the city’s singularity is due to its undiluted heritage: “Oaxaca has been able to preserve most of their pre-hispanic traditions. Coming here sometimes feels like you are witnessing a lifestyle that belongs to the past, in a good sense.”