ExploFood · North America
What to eat in Mexico
Five dishes to try in Mexico, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Mexico
Tacos al pastor
Spit-roasted marinated pork shaved onto corn tortillas with pineapple.
How to have it: A Mexico City night-time taco; order at stands with a spinning trompo and add salsa and lime.
Mole poblano
Dark sauce of chillies, spices, nuts and chocolate served over chicken or turkey.
How to have it: Puebla and Oaxaca are the mole capitals; Oaxaca has seven distinct moles to try.
Pozole
Hominy and pork or chicken soup, topped with cabbage, radish, oregano and chilli.
How to have it: Popular at night and for celebrations like Independence Day; red, green and white versions exist.
Tamales
Corn dough with a filling, wrapped in corn husk or banana leaf and steamed.
How to have it: Sold from street carts in the morning; in Mexico City try a guajolota, a tamale in a bread roll.
Chilaquiles
Fried tortilla pieces simmered in red or green salsa, topped with cream and cheese.
How to have it: A standard breakfast and hangover cure; add a fried egg or chicken on top.
What to eat next door
Plan the trip
Questions
What food is Mexico famous for?
Tacos al pastor (spit-roasted marinated pork shaved onto corn tortillas with pineapple) comes first on our list, followed by Mole poblano, Pozole, Tamales and Chilaquiles.
What is the national dish of Mexico?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Mexico is Tacos al pastor: spit-roasted marinated pork shaved onto corn tortillas with pineapple. A Mexico City night-time taco; order at stands with a spinning trompo and add salsa and lime.
Which dishes in Mexico are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Chilaquiles. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Mexico?
Tacos al pastor (spit-roasted marinated pork shaved onto corn tortillas with pineapple) and Tamales (corn dough with a filling, wrapped in corn husk or banana leaf and steamed).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
Keep exploring
Practical · 3 min readEat your way through a country: how to find the national dishesFood is the fastest way into a place. How to find a country's signature dishes, order them well, eat safely and keep a record of what you have tried.
Planning · 4 min readHow to build a travel bucket list you'll actually useTurn a long wish list into a short plan: sort places by ease, season and effort, pick your next three, and keep the list alive after every trip.
Planning · 4 min readHow to choose the best time to visit anywhereWeather is only one part of it. Learn how to weigh seasons, crowds, prices and events, with real examples of the best months for popular destinations.- Country guidesCountry guidesBest months, weather, holidays and plugs for every country.
- Free toolWhere can I go?Every country your passport opens, sorted by how easy it is.
Tick off every dish you try in Mexico
Explo is a free app: light up the countries you have visited, keep the dishes you have tried, and check visa rules, weather and holidays before you go.
Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.