A Mexican Food Tour

Join Karla on a mouth-watering tour of the most delicious and photo-worthy food we've enjoyed in Mexico.

Jan 26, 2022

“Food is everything we are. It's an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It's inseparable from those from the get-go.”

-Anthony Bourdain

Karla enjoying a “sope”. Sopes are flat rounds of thick “masa”, a maize dough that is also used to make tortillas, tamales, and other food staples. This one is topped with cheese and chicken in “mole”, a traditional sweet and spicy sauce made from chocolate, nuts, chiles, and other ingredients.

To visit Mexico and not explore its culinary delights is like going to New York City and never looking up to appreciate its towering skyscrapers. Or like going to Las Vegas without losing a few hard-earned dollars at a casino. Certain things simply go hand-in-hand, like food and Mexican culture.

Naturally, food is a centerpiece of our daily adventures in Mexico, so for this edition, Karla will lead a visual behind-the-scenes exploration of the food that has shaped our daily lives. Warning: drool-worthy photos ahead!

Karla, your Mexican culinary tour guide, eating “gorditas”. Gorditas are similar to “arepas” from other Latin American countries. They consist of a thick corn masa shell stuffed with a filling of choice (cheese, meat, beans, pork cracklings or “chicharrón, to name a few).

Why is Mexican food so special?

Mexico is not unique in its deep cultural connection with food. Across many countries, food carries rich knowledge across generations. It creates social bonds within and among societies. For most humans, the act of preparing and eating food is not only a necessity; it’s an emotional experience.

What sets Mexico apart from other countries’ relationships with food involves factors like time and diversity. Staple ingredients like corn and beans (and chocolate, which originated in Mexico) have been used for millennia, surviving colonization and time1. Mexican food varies from region to region, with food in Yucatán being significantly different from that of Oaxaca or Puebla. Some of the ancient methods used to cultivate food (like milpas) still shape food production today.

The retention of history, food diversity, and the rich connection between food and identity are some of the reasons UNESCO deemed Mexican food worthy of protection. In 2010, Mexican cuisine landed on the “Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”2, a designation that enables advocacy and the promotion of safeguarding policies and legal frameworks.

I (Karla) grew up learning about and savoring Mexican food from various regions, including Mexico City, Tamaulipas in the northeast, Yucatán in the south, Oaxaca in the southwest, and Colima on the central west coast. Knowing how valued Mexican cuisine is in the international sphere is not surprising and inspires pride. Over the next few sections, I’m proud to share with you some of the most interesting and delicious Mexican food that Noah and I have enjoyed while in the state of Guanajuato.

When and where do Mexicans eat?

Like many other cultures, Mexicans typically eat three meals a day: “el desayuno” (breakfast), “la comida” (a heavy meal typically around 2 or 3 pm), and “la cena” (a light to mid-size nighttime meal). Growing up, my family and I would eat in one of three places: usually at home, at restaurants on special occasions, and often on the street on weekends.

Since we arrived in Mexico, Noah and I have rarely eaten at home. Staying in San Miguel de Allende next door to a “Mercado” (a market) and where many locals live, means we have easy access to some of the best food in town, usually for under USD $10 (for us both). We’ve eaten at many food stands, food carts, “fondas”, and restaurants. In the next few images and their captions I share some of the best food experiences we’ve had at these establishments.

Food stands

Hungry? In Mexico, chances are that you’ll find someone selling food on the street within a few blocks’ radius. Some stands seem well-established; others follow the whims of the seller and whichever location they choose to set up for the day. Here are some of the noteworthy meals we’ve had at food stands.

A family-run stand on a street in Atotonilco, Guanajuato. This talented family served incredible sopes and quesadillas handmade with black corn. Some of the toppings we chose included mole (pictured) “rajas con crema” (poblano peppers in a cheesy sauce), and “papas con chorizo” (potatoes and Mexican sausage).

In the city of Guanajuato, we stopped at this stand selling quesadillas, sopes, and “tlacoyos” (rhomboid-shaped masa with various toppings). We learned that the women who run it have been so financially successful, they bought a large two-story house across the street from the stand. There, they rent out space to other residents and businesses, and store food stand tools, like the “comal” cooking surface seen here. What a phenomenal story of female entrepreneurship!

Look at all that corn! Mexican corn is in my favorite street food. It’s usually served in two forms: 1) corn mixed in a cup with mayonnaise, cream, lime juice, salsa, chili powder, and cheese; this version is called an “esquite”, “trolelote”, or just “elote”, depending on the region in Mexico 2) the other version is corn on the cob on a stick with the same toppings

Unique to Guanajuato, these are “tortas” or large sandwiches called “guacamayas” (or “macaws'“ in English). True to their colorful name, guacamayas contain chicharrón (or pork cracklings), avocado, pico de gallo salsa, and boiled egg. Vegetarians rejoice: some vendors can replace chicharrón with crispy fried tortillas! The tortas are so large, they’re served to eat out of a plastic bag. Messy to eat but so delicious!

Food carts

Though more mobile than their food stand counterparts, it’s common to see food carts here reappear daily at the same tried-and-true spots. Carts vary in size, from the large ones that require at least two people to push (like the taco one below) to simple one-person setups.

A few people recommended this famous nighttime taco cart called “Tacos San Francisco” in San Miguel de Allende. Their “tacos al pastor” were worth the wait! To make them, “taqueros” marinate pork in a mix of spices, dried chiles, pineapple, and often achiote (“ah-chee-oh-teh”) paste. The meat is then mounted on a “trompo”, a vertical rotisserie that takes the shape of a spinning top. The meat is slowly cooked with a charcoal or gas flame before being shaved off onto warm tortillas and topped with pineapple slices, cilantro, onion, and salsa.

This food cart served a street food I’d never seen in other states: steamed garbanzo beans in their shell, soaked in salsa and lime juice. A bit work-intensive to find the beans inside the shell but delicious!

“Fondas”

Most Mexican markets typically have “fondas”, a word of Arabic origin that means “small restaurant” or “tavern"3. For me, fondas bring memories of my dad eating a “comida corrida” at a fonda close to his office in the middle of his workday. While the terms “comida corrida” imply “fast food”, this cuisine is a far cry from hamburgers. Rather, comida corrida usually involves a plate with rice, beans, and a “guisado” (a main dish stew). Warm corn tortillas and a cold Coke in a glass bottle (the one with real sugar) to accompany your meal are a must.

At this fonda in the market next door, Doña Raquel prepares all kinds of meat stews, rice, and beans to serve the rushed, hungry worker stopping in for a bite. I chose “albóndigas” (meatballs) in a yummy broth with lots of rice and beans.

Doña Raquel also sells “pozole” at her fonda on the weekends. Pozole is my favorite Mexican dish - hominy and pork or chicken stew, either in a red, green, or white variety, depending on the spices and chiles used. Pozole is typically eaten on weekends, during our independence day celebrations in September and the December holidays.

Restaurants and cafés

We have mostly avoided restaurants and cafes (since our dog, Lolis, is usually with us), but on occasion, we have stopped at those that offer outdoor seating to enjoy “antojitos” (traditional Mexican dishes, sometimes served as appetizers). Here are some of the best ones we’ve enjoyed.

“Enchiladas de mole” (tortillas stuffed with chicken or cheese, covered in a mole sauce)

These are two typical desayunos (breakfasts): The first is “chilaquiles”, made up of fried tortillas, sometimes mixed with egg or chicken, drenched in either a red or green salsa; the second is “molletes", french baguette bread or “bolillo” topped with refried beans, melted cheese, and in this version, chorizo.

Staying hydrated

Here’s a secret I’m not proud to admit: I’m Mexican and I don’t like margaritas. Instead, I’m a big fan of excellent tequila and mezcal served and sipped “derecho” or straight - no water, no frills. I’ve also grown to appreciate “pulque”, a more mildly sweet beverage.

On the left, Maestro Dobel Diamante, a tequila I haven’t seen in the U.S. and enjoyed very much (comparable to Herradura, in my opinion). On the right is “pulque”, an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant. It is viscous and has a sour (but yummy!) yeast-like taste. It can be plain or in this case fruit-flavored (this one is guayaba). It goes down way too easily!

What’s for “postre” (dessert)?

As the descendants of those who first turned the cacao plant into chocolate4, Mexicans sure have a sweet tooth.

A Mexican food post wouldn’t be complete without “pan dulce” or sweet bread. “Panaderías”, where these amazing creations are baked (pictured here is a “concha”), are sprinkled throughout every town, where people typically buy bread for the desayuno or cena. Fortunately, we have one across the street from us!

These are “dulces típicos”, typical confections of all sorts, including sweetened dried fruit and milk-based candy. Walking around one of these candy stores is a real delight for the senses!

“Helados de garrafa”, an artisanal hand-made ice cream made in “garrafas” (ice cream maker) and wooden buckets. Shown here is “Beso de Ángel”, cherry ice cream with marshmallows and chocolate. The cone was almost as good as the ice cream!

Know anyone who would enjoy this yummy culinary tour? Share our post!

While sitting at an outdoor patio restaurant, a man walked by with bags of “chapulines” or grasshoppers, crisped up in garlic and waiting to be drenched in hot sauce and lime juice. Though this wasn’t our first time eating insects, it was interesting to eat them in a bag, while sitting at a restaurant. Were they good? They were crunchy and delicious!

Thanks for joining us on this culinary adventure! We hope you’ll continue to follow our travels and be inspired to pursue adventures of your own, whether at home or on the road! If you haven’t already, subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss our upcoming editions.

¡Provecho!
(If you’re at a restaurant and you leave while other people are still eating, this is a polite way of saying goodbye, wishing other patrons “bon appetit”).

Karla is a Mexico-born writer and coach for women, and one-half of Aventura Road, a couple of Mexican/American nomads who live in an RV and travel full-time. Connect with Karla on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Aventura Road by Karla & Noah

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