tortaahogada,a porksandwich“drowned”in
a salsaofchiledeárbol.Internationalbrunch
fareincludeschiabowlsandblue-cornhotcakes.
Genaro Vázquez 6a, Xochimilco, +52 951 518 6273Itanoni
AmadoRamírezLeyvaandLeaGabrielaFernández
Oranteshavededicatedtheirrestauranttothe
recognitionanduseofheirloommaize,basingtheir
dishesonfourtypesoforganicstone-groundcorn
flours.Thecity’sbesttraditionalcorn-basedbreakfasts
areservedhere:potatoandchorizotacos,sweet
tamales,memelas(thick,oval-shapedcorntortillas)
andtetelas.Thesetrianglesofcorndough,originally
fromtheMixtecaBaja,areusuallyfilledwithbeans,
creamandquesofresco,butarealsoavailablewith
mushroomsorchicharrón.AvBelisario Domínguez
513, Reforma, +52 951 205 2282Mercadode la Merced
Eatlikea Oaxaqueñoat oneofthecity’sliveliest
neighbourhoodmarkets.Thoughit’sopendaily,
Sundayis theofficialmarketdayhere,whenregular
vendorsofmeat,fruitandvegetables,cheese,
breadandhomewaresarejoinedbytemporarystalls
outsidesellingflowers,plants,furnitureandmore
food.Favouritefood-hallrestaurantsspecialising
intraditionalOaxacanfoodincludeFondaRosita
(two-for-onechilaquilesonMondays!)andFonda
SanDiego,wheretheowneralsorunscooking
classesandnearbyaccommodation.Musicians
oftenroamthemarket,gatheringtoplayaround
thefountaininthecentreofthe hall.Cnr Murguía
& Nicolás del Puerto, CentroPasillode Humo
Thisbustling“smokehall”is locatedinthe
sprawling 20 deNoviembremarketneartheZócalo,
thecity’smainplaza.Dinerschoosetheirmeat
bythekilofromoneofthemeatstallsandwatch
asit’sgrilledovercoals.Popularchoicesaretasajo
(thinlyslicedbeef),cecina(pork)andchorizo.
Otherstallsselltortillas,salsaandgrilledvegetables
includingnopal(cactus),radishandspringonions
to complete the meal.Miguel Cabrera 116, CentroSabinaSabe
Teammezcalandgincocktailswithanimpressive
rangeofpicas,orsmallplates,at thisrelaxed
restaurantandbar.Amongthehighlightsare
suckling-pigtacosandgorditas(smalltortilla
turnoversofcheeseandmeat).Trythechapulín
(grasshopper)tacosfortheperfectmixofcrunch,
saltandumami.SabinaSabeis popularonSundays,
whenmanyotherplacesareclosed.5 de Mayo 209,
Centro, +52 951 514 3494Right:scenes
atMercado
de la Merced.StreetFood
Lechoncito de Oro
Thissmallfoodtruckis famousforitslate-night
suckling-pigtacos,consideredbylocalsasreliable
hangoverprevention.Thesalsahereis verygood
and very spicy.Cnr Libres & Murguía, CentroTlayudas
ThemostpopularstreetfoodinOaxacais tlayuda,
a largetortillafilledwithbeans,cheeseandmeat,
foldedandgrilledovercoals.They’reavailable
everywhere,includingrestaurants,butfora more
authenticexperience,graboneonthestreet.
Theonesmadeat thestallonthecornerofCalles
BustamanteandMinaarepopular;alsotryits
hotchocolateatoledrink,a thickcorn-based
beverage made with milk, sugar and cinnamon.See
Jardín Etnobotánico
Designedbya teamincludingartistFranciscoToledo,
thisgardenshowcasesthedazzlingdiversityofflora
indigenoustoOaxacastate.Therearegardensfor
medicinal plants and traditional food crops, and➤154 GOURMET TRAVELLER