Oaxaca is often referred to as the food capital of Mexico. The magic happens in the markets, where acclaimed chefs and grandmothers alike come for fresh, local products. While the food and drink are a highlight for visitors and the focus of this article, the markets are the center for all kinds of trade. Everything from clothes to leather and silverware is sold there, making it the perfect place to soak up everyday life in Oaxaca City.
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Mercado Sánchez Pascuas
This market north of the city center (by some of Oaxaca’s best shops!) is my favorite because it’s more of a local neighborhood market. It has a complete selection of local food products for grocery shopping, but is relatively small with less traffic, so you can enjoy it at your own pace without feeling rushed or in the way. A few highlights for eating and drinking here are the juices from Angelitas Super Jugo and the tamales across from Angelitas. Note that tamales are eaten for breakfast, so they usually sell out early in the day.
Inside the fruit and vegetable section of the market.
Poinsettias, native to Mexico, on sale for Christmas.
Mercado Benito Juárez
Mercado Benito Juárez, near the Zócalo, has been a center for trade since 1894. As the city’s most centrally located market, it’s also the most frequented by visitors. In addition to food and drink, shops sell household items, clothing, leather goods, school supplies, souvenirs, and more. The market is home to Casilda Aguas Regionales, a family shop that has been selling aguas frescas for a century. You’ll also find Nieves Chagüita selling icy, Mexican-style sorbet (nieve) made by the same family for 200 years.
Try tejate, a pre-Hispanic drink, at the market.
I love how vendors decorate stalls for the holidays!
Mercado 20 de Noviembre
Mercado 20 de Noviembre is right next to Mercado Benito Juárez. It stands out for its smokey, grilled meat aisle (pasillo de carnes asados). There, you buy raw meat and have it grilled to your liking. At one of the long, shared tables nearby, you order all the fixings to go with your meat, like tortillas and salsa! You’ll also find lots of hot chocolate and pan de yema (egg yolk bread), which locals traditionally pair for breakfast.
Central de Abastos
Central de Abastos is a massive workaday market that’s a bit out of the way. Diverse products from Oaxaca and all of Mexico are sold there. Saturdays are the busiest day when vendors from across the region come to sell their goods. It’s so large and full of hustle and bustle that I recommend visiting this market on a food tour or with a local guide if it interests you. Even as a Spanish speaker, I found it overwhelming and difficult to navigate on my own. Oaxacking, led by local Omar Alonso, offers a food tour through the market. He was featured on Eva Longoria’s foodie show “Searching for Mexico.” On his tour, Alonso visits Netflix star Doña Vale for her famous memelas. If you go alone, note that her stall closes around noon.
Stock up on local chiles to make Oaxacan mole!
Maíz y masa (corn and dough).
Mercado de la Merced
Mercado de la Merced is close to Barrio de Jalatlaco, one of Oaxaca’s oldest, most colorful neighborhoods. I recommend strolling through or having a bite to eat at this market if you’re in the area. Like Mercado Sánchez Pascuas, Mercado de la Merced is smaller, has a slower pace, and gets fewer tourists than the Benito Juárez and 20 de Noviembre markets near the Zócalo. Fonda Florecita, in business for over 60 years, is a popular spot in the market to enjoy traditional Oaxacan breakfast dishes and drinks.
For market lovers and foodies short on time…
If you have limited time in Oaxaca but want to pack in a lot, I recommend doing this half-day tour to the Sánchez Pascuas, Benito Juárez, and 20 de Noviembre markets. The tour is led by local Betsaida López, featured on Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil, and accommodates vegetarians with advance notice.
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