We had never heard of Oaxaca (pronounced wa-ha-ka) until we watched an episode of the Netflix show, Somebody Feed Phil. We watched as Phil danced through cobblestone streets beneath towering papier-mâché figures, savored deep, earthy moles made from indigenous chiles, and ate his way through what’s been dubbed the food capital of Mexico.
We were salivating by the end of the episode.
Since we love to eat, Oaxaca joined our nomad adventure list, and we eventually spent six weeks there.
This highland city pulses with life. The air is punctuated by the rhythmic slap of corn tortillas as they pass from hand to hand before hitting hot comales. Smoky mezcal – an ode to generations of tradition among thick agave plants flows freely here as does an abundance of the seven celebrated moles, each made from different chiles slow-roasted to perfection.
We spent our weekends wandering the cobblestone streets leading to the grand zócalo (square). Occasionally, we’d get swept up into a wedding procession – brass bands blaring, dancers twirling beneath giant colorful papier-mâché caricatures, confetti raining down as the bride and groom followed behind, giddy with perspiration, laughter, and pure joy.
With each procession, we saw strangers become instant celebrants, cheering and dancing alongside the wedding party as if we’d all been invited.
Markets here overflow with chapulines (toasted grasshoppers), towers of golden quesillo cheese, and mounds of chocolate ground fresh with cinnamon. Mezcalerías tucked into colonial buildings offer tastings that educate as much as they intoxicate, and street vendors serve tlayudas – massive crispy tortillas topped with beans, cheese, and whatever protein you’re in the mood for.
This is a city where food is more than sustenance. It’s a culinary heritage worth savoring.
My Intimate Itinerary to Oaxaca, Mexico
Los Danzantes Restaurant
“Bugs. There are bugs.”
That line has been etched in my memory since April, 2023. Every time I think of it, I ask myself – what were you thinking?
But I wanted to do something different and memorable for Phil’s birthday, and well… this one lives on in the hallways of our minds.
Los Danzantes is a fine dining restaurant in Oaxaca, and I wasn’t there for the ambiance or the wine list. I was there for the appetizer, an assortment of toasted insects – chapulines (grasshoppers), chicatanas (flying ants), and other seasonal insects – served with guacamole, salsa, and chips.
The protein of the future, they call it. In Oaxaca’s markets, it’s completely mainstream. For us? Completely uncharted territory.
Phil is more adventurous than I am. I calculate too many details, run through too many possibilities, and often talk myself out of these kinds of experiences. But this time, I didn’t.
When the plate arrived, I carefully selected a few small chapulines, sprinkled them on a chip, added a heaping dose of guacamole, and took a bite.
Honestly? I couldn’t tell you what it tasted like because I was too busy shaking from the notion that insects were in my mouth, voluntarily!!!!
Phil, on the other hand, was already reaching for seconds. He’d been bracing himself for soft, mushy textures, especially with the thicker bugs, but instead found them crispy, smoky, salty, with a flavor reminiscent of smoked herring. He loved it!
I’m proud I tried it. Would I order it again? That’s a H-E-double L NO!
Would I recommend you try it! Absolutely!
Oaxaca free walking tour
Before you dive into Oaxaca, take the free walking tour. It’s the best orientation to the city that you’ll get.
Led by passionate local guides, these tours weave through the historic center, stopping at key landmarks like the zócalo, where locals gather and wedding processions pass; the Textile Museum housed in its 18th-century mansion; prominent colonial buildings that survived earthquakes; and the markets overflowing with chapulines and chocolate.
But it’s the stories between the stops that matter most.
You’ll learn about Zapotec culture and how it shapes everything from the geometric patterns in textiles to the seven moles simmering in kitchens across the city. You’ll hear about Benito Juárez, Mexico’s first indigenous president, born in the mountains outside Oaxaca. You’ll understand why this region fiercely preserves its traditions while welcoming the world to experience them.
The tour runs about two to three hours and gives you a mental map of places to revisit, like that mezcalería tucked down a side street, the market vendor grinding chocolate on a metate, and the courtyard you glimpsed that’s now on your must-see list.
While the tour is free, guides work for tips. Bring cash and tip generously. You’re investing in local families and supporting people who genuinely love sharing their city.
Note: Several free walking tours operate in Oaxaca. We went with the one highly recommended on Google: Free Walk Oaxaca.
EXIT HERE
About 40 minutes outside Oaxaca City, in the rural foothills of the Sierra Norte, is the village of Teotitlán del Valle – Oaxaca’s beating heart of textile tradition.
The drive itself is part of the experience. Agave fields stretch toward the mountains. Donkeys pull stone mills, and indigenous women walk narrow streets with baskets of bread from the local panadería. This is where ancient Zapotec weaving techniques are still practiced on wooden looms, passed down through generations.
Give yourself about four hours to experience this village properly.
Vida Nueva Weaving Collective
Start here. This all-female cooperative is where Zapotec women, mostly single mothers and widows, are quietly rewriting tradition. In Zapotec culture, weaving has historically been men’s work. These women chose a different path.
Talia, one of the collective’s members, led us through their natural dye process entirely in Spanish. Four glass jars lined a long wooden table. She added water to wood shavings, creating a brown dye. Then came the cochineal – tiny insects ground into white powder, which, when mixed with water, turned scarlet red. As Talia swirled in lime, we watched it transform from red to pink to light orange to pale yellow. So mesmerizing!
Some dyes take a month to develop, she explained. Others happen immediately. Behind her, wool hung in varying shades of red, brown, and yellow, the palette of their work.
Sylvia took over next, guiding us to the looms where women worked in rhythm, their feet pressing pedals, their hands weaving wool across threads, creating patterns both traditional and modern. The steady click-clack of the looms filled the space.
In their small shop, completed rugs of all sizes lined the shelves, and every purchased piece leaves with a note with the weaver’s name and her dreams. I bought a small modern-design rug for my mom from a woman who dreams of traveling internationally. It felt fitting. My mom shares that same dream.
Your purchase is just a rug. It is a tangible lifeline that connects women to the life she’s envisioning beyond the borders that have traditionally contained her.
The Village Center
The red-and-white church stands as a visual anchor – visible from most streets and a good landmark if you get turned around in the small town square.
Across from the church, a small covered market houses vendors selling fresh produce and meat. Just outside, street food vendors line up over glowing coals, grilling meat and making memelas – thick corn cakes brushed with black bean sauce, sprinkled with cheese and shredded chicken, all prepared on a hot comal. We sat at a vendor’s stall with locals (and a few curious stray dogs), practicing our Spanish and savoring every bite.
There’s also a small art museum with a beautiful minimalist courtyard, worth a quick stop if you have time.
Casa Viviana
Down a dusty, pot-holed road, behind an unassuming wooden door, in a dirt courtyard, is a master artisan at work on a piece of cardboard. Doña Viviana is renowned for melting colored beeswax and shaping it into intricate, ornate candle creations. Her work, which is traditionally carried by young Mayan children as they process the aisles on wedding days, has caught the attention of magazines like Vogue for good reason. They’re simply breathtaking and a work of art.
