Tacos, Tamales, and Tlacoyos: Top Food Tours in Mexico
Mexican cuisine is among the greatest pleasures in the world. The vivid blend of Indigenous and Spanish food traditions, enriched by the mighty chili pepper, is also more diverse than first meets the tongue. But travelers overwhelmed by what to try have an opportunity to expand their palettes beyond tacos, beer, and fresh seafood (although there’s plenty of each on these tours). There’s no time like your trip to push beyond comfort zones and try new things—or foods. Here are a baker’s dozen of the best food tours in Mexico to help you get started.
1. Get a crash course on Oaxaca’s characteristic creations
Skip the tourist restaurant scene and explore the intersection of food, tradition, and culture in beautiful Oaxaca on this tour. Visit working stalls at three markets in the heart of the city—Mercado Sanchez Pascuas, 20 de Noviembre, and Benito Juarez, to be exact—to meet vendors and gallery artists, as well as learn local kitchen customs that transform corn kernels into tortillas.
2. Taste Mexico City’s culinary Renaissance
Move over Italy—the new gastro hotspot is Colonia Roma, Mexico City’s trendiest neighborhood. The former Euro-enclave brims with bistros, coffeehouses, mezcal bars, and Oaxacan and French cuisine—sample it all in half-a-day of exploration on this comprehensive tour. Once you’ve seen what the foodie buzz is all about, hop over to Plaza Luis Cabrera, an open-air art gallery where the locals love to hang out.
3. Try Tulum’s tasty traditions, without the tourists
Tulum is more than boutique beach clubs and Euro-style restaurants—get off the beaten path to try traditional dishes and desserts away from the most touristy parts of town on this tour. Start at Las Cazuelas, a casual taco-joint hot spot if there ever was one, and eat your way through town, stopping for juice, mole, tamales, ice cream, and more.
4. Mix art and snack delights in San Miguel de Allende
Snack your way through San Miguel’s historic center to Fabrica Aurora on this foodie favorite tour, a renovated textile mill with shopping and art galleries. Along the way, feast your senses on more than just food, checking out beautiful arts and crafts at the local artisan market. Breakfast, snacks, Mexican fast food, and coffee fuel your outing.
5. Cut through “catch of the day” confusion in Cabo San Lucas
There is, perhaps, only one perennial question among seafaring restauranteurs in Cabo: Which spot serves the freshest seafood? Skip the tourist traps on this tour and find out by visiting four restaurants serving only the most succulent, boat-fresh seafood Baja Sur has to offer. Leave with a full belly and more tips about top seafood restaurants in the region.
6. Savor Yucatecan street food specialties in Mérida
Sample Yucatecan specialties while strolling from Hidalgo Park to the main food market in Mérida, Yucatán’s vibrant capital lying somewhat off the main tourist track. Try staples such as empanadas, tamales, and tacos, but also local delicacies such as cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork) and panuchos (tortillas stuffed with refried black beans) on this tour.
7. Uncover kitchen secrets and backstreets in Mexico City
Uncover the best-kept culinary secrets in Mexico City’s historic center on this tour, chowing down a veritable feast of carnitas, escamocha, enchiladas, botanas, and other classic dishes. Catch your breath by going off the beaten track, visiting attractions such as the Palacio de Mineria, the House of Tiles, and the Synagogue Justo Sierra 71, among the oldest synagogues in Mexico City.
8. Eat like a local in Pitillal, Puerto Vallarta
Travelers strive to live like the locals, but few can make it happen. This tour helps by exploring the food scene in El Pitillal, a traditional barrio 10 minutes from downtown Puerto Vallarta. Sidestep the average tourist spots and indulge in neighborhood dishes such as slow-cooked meat, tacos, freshly grilled shrimp, churros, and more.
9. Sample Sayulita’s specialties with a true street food pro
Follow a born-and-bred local to Sayulita’s most divine food and drink spots on this tour, learning about local history and traditions along the way. Legend has it that the colorful surf town on the Pacific Coast produces some of the best street food in Mexico. That's quite the claim—visit about seven eateries to discover if it's true or not.
10. Find the most delicious tacos in Mexico City’s Centro
Sometimes, in Mexico, tacos and beer are all you want. On this tour, hunt through Mexico City's bustling historic center for the tastiest, most locally beloved options. To top it off, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in typical Mexican life, passing through the Centro neighborhood, home to museums, architectural marvels, churches, street vendors, and your basic, beloved taquerías.
11. Take a night out for food, fun, and tacos in Mexico City
On this nighttime taco tour, tuc into tacos, mezcal, and Mexican craft beer by night as you explore some of the capital’s most vibrant neighborhoods. As an added bonus, you’ll be shuttled around the city with ease by your driver in a comfortable, private vehicle.
12. Swap street food for gourmet twists in Puerto Vallarta
The ocean and Vallarta’s beautiful waterfront are your backdrops as you try a broad sampling of the best food in town on this walking tour. Prepare to taste traditional Mexican delicacies with a gourmet twist—and in generous servings, too. Sample a full dozen of dishes paired with cocktails at each of the four restaurants on the itinerary.
13. Go beyond Playa del Carmen’s tourist restaurants
Bypass the Riviera Maya tourist crush and discover Playa del Carmen’s locally-owned cafés and street food stalls. Come hungry for food and drinks highlighting local flavors on this tour, such as elotes, esquites, tamales, marquesitas, squash blossom quesadillas, and a cornucopia of salsas. Before departing, get insider tips on the best restaurants, bars, and markets to visit—so your Mexican feast can continue.
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