Food · Mexico
What to eat in Mexico
Mexico's food, destination by destination.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with Cochinita pibil, Sopa de lima and Poc chuc. Pork marinated in achiote and sour-orange juice, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted, traditionally in an underground pit (pib).
Key facts
- Dishes in this guide
- 14
- Destinations
- 5
Dishes to try in Mexico
Try in Cancún
Cochinita pibil
Pork marinated in achiote and sour-orange juice, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted, traditionally in an underground pit (pib). It is served in tacos or tortas with pickled red onion and fiery habanero salsa.
Where: Downtown taquerías and market fondas, mostly in the morning; popular places often sell out by early afternoon.
Try in Cancún
Sopa de lima
A Yucatecan chicken broth perfumed with lima, a fragrant local citrus, and topped with crisp tortilla strips.
Where: Yucatecan restaurants downtown and in Mercado 28, and many Hotel Zone menus.
Try in Cancún
Poc chuc
Thin slices of pork marinated in sour orange and grilled over charcoal, served with charred tomato salsa, pickled onion, black beans and tortillas.
Where: Yucatecan restaurants downtown and around Parque de las Palapas.
Try in Mexico City
Tacos al pastor
Thin slices of chilli-marinated pork carved from a vertical spit (trompo), a method brought by Lebanese immigrants, served on small corn tortillas with pineapple, onion, coriander and salsa.
Where: Taquerías across the city, from long-established El Huequito in the Centro to late-night stands in Roma and Condesa; look for a busy trompo.
Try in Mexico City · Vegetarian
Chilaquiles
Fried tortilla pieces simmered in red or green salsa and topped with cream, cheese and onion, often with chicken or a fried egg; the classic Mexico City breakfast.
Where: Cafés, fondas and market stalls across the city; Roma and Condesa cafés serve elaborate versions.
Try in Mexico City · Vegetarian
Tamales and atole
Steamed corn-dough parcels filled with salsa verde chicken, pork in red chilli or rajas with cheese, eaten with a warm corn drink (atole); the 'guajolota' puts a tamal inside a bread roll.
Where: Street stands outside Metro stations and on corners in the early morning.
Try in Tulum
Ceviche and aguachile
Fresh fish or shrimp cured in lime with onion, coriander and chilli; aguachile adds a bright green chilli-lime sauce.
Where: Marisquerías in Tulum Centro and beach restaurants at lunchtime.
Try in Tulum · Vegetarian
Agua fresca and chaya juice
Cold drinks of fruit or flowers blended with water, such as hibiscus (jamaica) and horchata, and juices made with chaya, a leafy Maya green, often blended with pineapple.
Where: Juice bars and taquerías throughout town.
Try in Playa del Carmen
Cochinita pibil torta
Slow-cooked achiote pork piled into a crusty roll with pickled red onions and habanero; a classic Yucatecan breakfast.
Where: Morning stalls and loncherías away from Quinta Avenida, usually until they run out.
Try in Playa del Carmen
Fish and shrimp tacos
Battered fried fish or shrimp in tortillas with cabbage, creamy sauce and salsa, a seaside staple at lunchtime.
Where: Marisquerías and taco stands a few blocks back from the beach.
Try in Playa del Carmen
Panuchos
Fried tortillas stuffed with refried black beans and topped with shredded chicken or turkey, lettuce, avocado and pickled onion.
Where: Evening antojito stands and Yucatecan restaurants.
Try in Puerto Vallarta
Pescado zarandeado
A whole fish butterflied, rubbed with a chilli and citrus marinade and grilled over wood embers in a hinged basket, served with tortillas and salsas to make your own tacos.
Where: Beach palapa restaurants at Las Ánimas, Mismaloya and Bucerías, and seafood restaurants in town.
Try in Puerto Vallarta
Smoked marlin tacos
Shredded smoked marlin cooked with onion, tomato and chilli, folded into tortillas, often with melted cheese; a Pacific-coast speciality.
Where: Seafood taco stands and marisquerías in town, mainly at lunchtime.
Try in Puerto Vallarta
Aguachile
Raw shrimp 'cooked' briefly in lime juice blended with green chillies, served with red onion, cucumber and tostadas. It is fiery and fresh.
Where: Marisquerías across town and on the beaches.
Food scene by destination
| Destination | Food experience | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Cancún | Evening at Parque de las Palapas | Pay in pesos where possible; prices charged in US dollars usually use a poor exchange rate. |
| Mexico City | Street-taco crawl | Lunch (comida) is the main meal, usually from about 2pm to 5pm; dinner is lighter and often after 8pm. |
| Tulum | Taco crawl in town | Prices on the beach road are much higher than in town; many visitors eat dinner in Tulum Centro. |
| Playa del Carmen | Eat off Quinta Avenida | Check menus on Quinta Avenida for prices in pesos; some places quote in dollars at poor exchange rates. |
| Puerto Vallarta | Street-taco night | Restaurants in the Zona Romántica fill from about 7pm in high season; book ahead for popular places. |
Food experiences
- Cancún — Evening at Parque de las Palapas: Graze from stall to stall on marquesitas, esquites, panuchos and tacos alongside local families in the downtown square.
- Mexico City — Street-taco crawl: Taste al pastor, suadero and tacos de canasta at different stands in the Centro or Roma; busy stands with high turnover are a good sign of fresh food.
- Tulum — Taco crawl in town: Compare al pastor, cochinita and seafood tacos at the stands along Avenida Tulum, where prices are a fraction of the beach road's.
- Playa del Carmen — Eat off Quinta Avenida: Walk a few blocks inland to Avenida 10, 20 or 30 for taquerías and local restaurants at a fraction of the avenue's tourist prices.
- Puerto Vallarta — Street-taco night: Taco stands appear in the evening on street corners in the Zona Romántica and 5 de Diciembre, serving al pastor, carne asada and fish tacos at local prices.
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Mexico famous for?
Cochinita pibil, Sopa de lima, Poc chuc, Tacos al pastor and Chilaquiles.