What To Eat in Mexico: Best Mexican Foods
Where to even start with the best Mexican food? After six months living in Mexico, I’m obsessed. If you’re wondering what and where to eat in Mexico, pull up a chair because you’re in the right place with my Mexico food guide.
I never thought I could love another cuisine as much as Thai, Indian or Vietnamese but it turns out, I was wrong. And Mexican food is so, so right.
I never tire of Mexican food. There’s so much variety and absolutely none of it is nachos or fajitas. When I first moved here, I was surprised to learn these things didn’t really exist. Sometimes touristic places will serve nachos and you see burritos very occasionally but they’re mainly served close to the American border according to https://www.elranchohanoverpa.com/.
1. Tacos
What would a Mexico food guide be without tacos? I can’t believe I used to think tacos were hard, crispy shells. Maybe they are in the West but not here in Mexico City (or anywhere else in Mexico for that matter). These soft tortilla circles are made fresh from fresh corn mixed with limestone.
Tacos come in a variety of sizes. Al pastor tacos are typically small and you’ll want at least three of these to make a meal, while larger tacos can be eaten solo for a small meal.
2. Tortas
The only good thing that came from colonialism: the spread of bread around the globe. Tortas are essentially giant sandwiches packed full of meat, cheese, vegetables and sauce.
Tortas are usually enormous and oozing multiple fillings, leaving you full for hours. The ultimate torta is a Cubano which tends to include a bit of everything: ham, milanesa (a breaded meat fillet), multiple types of cheese, avocado, salad, chipotle. Only order one if you’re very, very hungry!
Alternatively, pick a torta with 1-3 fillings for a slightly lighter meal (although still not very light). My favourite combination is milanesa, cheese and pineapple. Another mouth-watering torta filling is a cochinita pibil, a type of slow-cooked pork originating from the Yucatan Peninsula.
3. Tostadas
Tostadas are crispy, fried tortillas topped with ingredients. I love a seafood tostada served with fresh prawns (camaron) and avocado, seasoned with a dash of lime.
If you’re in Mexico City, head to Coyocan neighbourhood for some of the best tostadas of your life at Tostadas Coyoacan inside Coyoacan Market. Here you can get all kinds of fish and meat tostadas. I’d recommend the chicken (pollo) and mole sauce or the octopus (pulpo).
4. Enchiladas / enmoladas
We’ve all heard of enchiladas before, right? Unlike fajitas and other Tex-mex dishes, enchiladas are ‘real’ Mexican food. These large tortillas are folded over and topped with sauce.
I’ve included enmoladas in the same entry because they’re so similar. Like much of the best food in Mexico, both dishes are smothered in sauce. Enchiladas are usually topped with tomato-based sauce while enmoladas are made with mole.
Given my love of mole, I’d take enmoladas over enchiladas any day, although let’s face it: I’d never say no to either.
5. Mole
Mole is a Mexican sauce combining chillis and other ingredients. Mole poblano is my favourite, made with chocolate. If you don’t know, chocolate actually originated in Mexico as a bitter drink before the Spaniards took it back to Europe and mixed it with milk and sugar.
Mole is one of the most complex Mexican dishes to make, as any Mexican chef or abuela (grandma) will tell you. Making it from scratch can take hours and involves blending all kinds of ingredients like pine nuts, golden raisins, garlic, chilli, then frying the paste, adding stock and stirring the sauce for hours.
