Discover Oaxaca: Color, Mole & Mezcal

Why Oaxaca Deserves a Spot on Your Travel List

Discover Oaxaca: Color, Mole & Mezcal

A Tapestry of Tradition, Taste, and Art

“This is the land of bold moles and smoky mezcal, where history, culture, and flavor come alive at every corner.”

Discover Oaxaca: Oaxaca should be on every traveler’s bucket list. Moreover, it’s a quick 90-minute flight from Mexico City. Oaxaca (pronounced Wah-hah-kah) is a safe, vibrant, friendly, and welcoming city that is perfectly walkable.

Visually, Oaxaca is a symphony of pastel colors. To illustrate, Oaxaca’s streets are a vibrant tapestry, with buildings painted in striking shades of purple, pink, blue, and deep red, creating a lively and colorful atmosphere. Furthermore, political murals and Zapotec-inspired street art graffiti adorn the walls, while centuries-old churches—some dating back to the 16th century—stand proudly among them. In addition, Oaxaca’s streets are filled with political murals and Zapotec-inspired street art, reflecting both contemporary activism and deep indigenous heritage. Undoubtedly, the city has a rich tradition of public art, with walls covered in bold messages, intricate designs, and vibrant colors, showcasing everything from social movements to ancestral symbols, making every wall a testament to its history and culture.

This is the land of bold moles and smoky mezcal, where history, culture, and flavor come alive at every corner. Oaxaca has 17 restaurants included in the Michelin Guide Mexico 2024. Notably, some of them received Michelin Stars, while others earned distinctions like the Bib Gourmand for offering great quality at a reasonable price or the Green Star for sustainability efforts. Additionally, Oaxaca City is estimated to have 1,044 bars as of August 2024. Thus, chances are if you are out walking and need to rest for a bit, cool off, and have a beer, mezcal, or a cocktail, you’ll find a cafe or bar close by.

Mole Tasting at Los Danzantes

Read about my trip to Mexico City here.

Read about Insider Tips for Paris travel here.

Discover Oaxaca: The Rich Tradition of Mole in Oaxaca

The Seven Moles of Oaxaca

“These are the traditional seven, but in reality, there are dozens of variations …”

What is a Mole: Mole is a rich, flavorful sauce that is a staple of Mexican cuisine, especially in Oaxaca and Puebla. It’s made from a blend of chiles, spices, nuts, seeds, and chocolate, creating a complex taste that can be smoky, sweet, and slightly bitter. These are the traditional seven, but in reality, there are dozens of variations, especially across families, villages, and regions of Oaxaca. Mole is less a recipe and more a deeply personal expression of regional and cultural identity.

  Oaxaca is famous for its seven classic moles, often called “Los Siete Moles de Oaxaca”—each with its own complex flavor and ingredients:

1. Mole Negro – Dark, rich, and made with chocolate and chilhuacle chiles.

2. Mole Rojo – Red mole, slightly spicy, made with guajillo and ancho chiles.

3. Mole Coloradito – Lighter red, with hints of sweetness and spice.

4. Mole Amarillo – Yellow mole, often with a tangy, herbaceous flavor.

5. Mole Verde – Green mole, made with tomatillos, herbs, and seeds.

6. Mole Chichilo – Smoky and earthy, using burnt tortillas and beef stock.

7. Mole Manchamantel – “Tablecloth stainer,” a fruity, bright mole often made with pineapple and plantains.

Tequila vs. Mezcal: Understanding the Key Differences

How Production Methods Shape Their Flavors

Tequila and mezcal are both made from the agave plant. The key difference is that tequila must be made from blue agave, while mezcal can be made from multiple types of agave. Mezcal is typically produced using traditional methods, including roasting the piña, or the heart of the agave, in pits, giving it a smoky flavor. Tequila, on the other hand, is usually steamed in ovens.

A Few Things to Know Upon Arrival

Essential Travel Tips for Oaxaca: Transportation, Dining, and Navigation

Uber is not available in Oaxaca. Instead, the town center is a 20-minute taxi ride from the airport. To take a taxi from the airport, you must book it at the airport’s front counter, where credit card payments are accepted. However, taxis within the city only accept cash, as drivers do not take credit cards.

Restaurants: I was able to pay by credit card at all restaurants. Therefore, I suggest making dinner reservations even during the week at popular spots for lunch and dinner. I was there in January, which is typically off-season, but popular spots can still get busy.

Water & Tipping: Hotels, restaurants, and bars I visited have filtered water available on request at no additional cost. Tipping in Oaxaca is optional, yet it is often appreciated by service workers. While it’s not mandatory, leaving a tip is a welcomed gesture, especially in bars, restaurants, and cafes. Personally, my policy on tipping is that the prices are inexpensive due to the exchange rate, and I tipped generously. Notably, servers in Oaxaca may not earn a livable wage from their base salary and often rely on tips from tourists to supplement their income. Furthermore, many restaurants depend on tourism, making visitor contributions an essential part of their earnings.

Apple Maps & Google Maps: When I travel in a foreign city, I use Apple Maps. In my experience, Apple Maps consistently provides more accurate navigation than Google Maps, which often struggles with correctly orienting directions—north, south, east, and west—leading to confusion. Even so, I download Google Maps for the city I’ll be staying in just in case I can’t get a cell signal.

Air Travel from CDMX to Oaxaca

Volaris: Volaris is a budget airline. My ticket was $200 round trip. The airline was modern, clean and on time.

Discover Oaxaca: Restaurants & Bars in Oaxaca

A Curated Guide to the Best Dining and Drinking Experiences in the Heart of Oaxaca

Boulenc:  Amazing breakfast, fabulous coffee and flat whites. Boulenc is a popular bakery and restaurant in Oaxaca, Mexico, known for its artisanal bread, pastries, and brunch offerings. Specializing in sourdough {“masa madre”}, Boulenc focuses on nutritional, locally sourced ingredients to create high-quality food. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere and serves a mix of Mexican and international flavors, including pizzas, sandwiches, and vegetarian options.   Adress:  C. Porfirio Díaz 207, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico

Casa Taviche: Incredible breakfast. Charming location. Very easy in a miss you can walk right by it and not even know it’s there. Super cute courtyard location, excellent service, very quiet, great place to relax and unwind for breakfast after a self-guided early morning tour of Oaxaca.  Address:  Miguel Hidalgo 1111, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico

Casa Oxaca el Restaurante: I don’t like to bash restaurants, but I want to save you the disappointment of dining here. Casa Oaxaca el Restaurantecame highly recommended by people I met in Mexico City and boasts a 4.4-star rating on TripAdvisor with over 2,500 reviews. Unfortunately, during my two weeks traveling through Mexico, this was hands-down the worst meal I had — so bad that I left before even ordering a main course. What does it have going for it? It’s a beautiful location with a charming rooftop and a view of the church across the street.The downsides? The food was terrible, the service painfully slow, and the rooftop dining area was so dark I couldn’t even read the menu — or see what I was eating. The “squash flowers stuffed with cottage cheese,” were the only decent dish, but again, it was too dark to fully appreciate. The “chile de agua stuffed with local fish ceviche” was so overpoweringly spicy it was inedible. I sent it back. The “bean soup with rabbit grass and pasilla mixe chili,” was bland and flavorless. I asked the manager to remove it from the bill. I’m writing this in the hope it saves you from a similarly bad experience.

Catedral de Oaxaca Restaurante: Exceptional, outstanding cuisine and service, along with a remarkable staff. Fantastic pastries, coffee, chicken tamale with black mole, and fresh green juice made to order. I dined here four times—three for breakfast and once for dinner. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in both their charming open courtyard and cozy dining room. Address:  C. de Manuel García Vigil 105, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico

Los Danzantes, Oaxaca: Hands down, the best culinary experience of my trip to Mexico. This exceptional restaurant is proudly recognized with a Michelin Green Star for its commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing. Reservations are essential at this popular destination. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, offering seamless, attentive service. Cocktails are sublime, the wine-by-the-glass list is phenomenal, and the food is nothing short of divine — a perfect balance of presentation, texture, and bold yet subtle flavors. I enjoyed a leisurely lunch that began at 3:00 PM and lasted until 6:30 PM — never once feeling rushed. An unforgettable dining experience from start to finish. I enjoyed a Marigold mezcal cocktail, a delicious beet salad, a mole tasting ~ Moles Danzantes de Oaxaca, Sopa de Quelites, ABORIGEN, Chenin Blanc · Chardonnay · Baja California · 2022, JC BRAVO​1200, Carignan · Baja California · 2017​,  Address: C. Macedonio Alcalá 403-interior 4, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico

Santisima Flor de Lupulo:  A wonderful small “gourmand delicatessen,” with excllent beer selections, cocktails and sandwiches. Address:  Calle Ignacio Allende 215, 68000 Oaxaca.

Tradición Chagoya:  Amazing bar, with excellnet Mexican food. The also own a palenque “DONA Ji,” website, producing some excellent mezcals. Tradición Chagoya has an expendio (mezcal bar) located in Oaxaca, Mexico. This bar is dedicated to serving traditional mezcal, offering tastings and a curated selection of artisanal spirits. Address:  Reforma 309, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico.

Mezcaloteca ~ Reforma 506 {mezcalería}: Guided Mezcal tasting. On my second night in Oaxaca, I visited Reforma 506 for a guided mezcal tasting. The tasting bar is housed in a small, discreet storefront, with an intimate setup that seats 10–12 people. Tastings are by appointment and well worth the visit. A guided tasting means that my guide is an expert in mezcal, offering deep insights into each pour. Mezcaloteca specializes in sustainable mezcals, sourcing from independent, artisanal producers under its own label while giving full credit to the Maestro Mezcaleros behind the craft. During the tasting, I sampled a range of mezcals, from 3-year-old to 25-year-old varieties, as well as special wedding mezcals—some distilled with regional ingredients like chicken and buffalo to add unique depth to the spirit. Adress: Reforma 506, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico. If you want to learn about the art of making mezcal, the botanica and taste artisinal mezcals produced by Maestro Mezcaleros this is the place for you.

Discover Oaxaca: What to Do & See in Oaxaca

The Vibrant Tapestry of Oaxaca’s Architecture and Heritage

The tradition of colorful buildings in Oaxaca is deeply tied to its colonial history, indigenous influences, and artistic culture. The Spanish introduced vivid pigments to the region, and over time, Oaxaca’s residents embraced these colors as a way to reflect their heritage and identity. Today, many buildings follow a regulated color palette, ensuring harmony in the streetscape while preserving the city’s vibrant aesthetic. This tradition dates back to the 16th century, when Oaxaca was a colonial city. Over time, indigenous Zapotec and Mixtec influences blended with Spanish architecture, creating the distinctive, colorful streets seen today.

Day Trips & Walks

Walk through Jalatlaco: Jalatlaco is a hidden gem a short 20-minute walk from the town center and worth the jaunt. Jalatlaco is one of Oaxaca’s most charming and artistic neighborhoods, known for its cobbled streets, colorful murals, and colonial architecture. Originally a Zapotec village, it has retained its historic character while evolving into a hub for street art, cozy cafes, and independent galleries. You may want to visit Jalatlaco for its vibrant atmosphere, stunning murals, and relaxed, local vibe. Whether you’re looking for authentic Oaxacan food, boutique shops, or a quiet escape from the city’s bustle, Jalatlaco offers a unique blend of history and creativity.

In Jalatlaco, Día de los Muertos [Day of the Dead] murals cover the walls of Jalatlaco. It is a vibrant celebration of life and remembrance, adorning walls with murals of skulls, skeletons, and marigold flowers. These murals reflect the belief that death is not an end but a continuation of the soul’s journey, blending Zapotec traditions with Catholic influences. The art captures the essence of Día de los Muertos, showcasing themes of family, spirituality, and cultural pride in stunning, colorful detail.

Jalatlaco is filled with picturesque streets and architectural landmarks that showcase its colonial and indigenous heritage. Here are some highlights:

• Church of San Matías Jalatlaco – A historic 16th-century church with beautiful stonework and traditional Oaxacan design.
• Calle Aldama – One of the most photogenic streets, lined with colorful facades, cobblestone paths, and vibrant murals.
• Zapotec-Inspired Murals – Many buildings feature intricate street art that blends Zapotec symbolism with modern artistic expression.
• Hidden Courtyards – Throughout Jalatlaco, you’ll find charming courtyards tucked behind colonial-style wooden doors, offering a glimpse into traditional Oaxacan architecture.

Drive to Salvaodres Mezcalera

Visit a Palenque: A palenque is where agave is grown and where mezcal production takes place. The piña [the heart of the agave] is harvested, roasted over coal and wood, fermented, distilled, and bottled. It’s also where you can sample artisanal mezcals that range from 5-year to 25-year mezcals. During my visit I tried 17 different mezcals. A half-ounce at a time. When talking about the age of a mezcal, there are two different categories to consider. 

Salvaodres {mezcalera artsininal}: I had the distinct pleasure of visiting Destilería Casa Palacios, also known as Casa Salvadore, the palenque of a friend’s family in Tlacolula de Matamoros, Oaxaca. Sal guided me through every facet of mezcal production—from harvesting to cooking and smoking, crushing, fermentation, distillation, and bottling. I didn’t just sample a few; I tasted all 17 mezcals he produces. I left with a profound appreciation and understanding of artisanal mezcal production. Destilería Casa Palacios, Address: Calle Del Bosque no. 24, Colonia sección Séptima, Tlacolula de Matamoros, Oaxaca, México C.P. 70400

Getting There: The trip from town to the palenque is about 45 minutes. I hired a taxi driver through my hotel and paid him in cash. It cost me $200 U.S. for five hours. We departed town at 9:00AM.  I spent 2 hours learning about mezcal production and tasting. Then I took the driver out to lunch with me to a small cafe a mile from palenque and headed back to town.

From Earth to Glass: The Real Story Behind Mezcal Aging

Mezcal’s Essence: Aging Rooted in Tradition

• The True Age of Mezcal: Unlike wine that can be harvested and aged in a bottle. Mezcal’s age is instead determined by the botanical age of the agave plant.
• Botanical Age: A purely artisanal and traditional approach. How long the agave was in the ground before being harvested. Some wild agaves, like Tobalá, Tepeztate, Coyote, or Jabalí, can take 10 to 35 years to mature. The age of the plant greatly affects the flavor: older plants = more sugar complexity, deeper minerality, and often more elegant or wild profiles. This aging is before distillation and has nothing to do with time in a barrel or bottle. When you see mezcals with long age numbers like 13, 20, or 25 years, they’re almost always talking about the plant’s maturity, not aging in barrels or glass. And those older agaves? They’re rare, wild, and often harvested sustainably, which is why those bottles are so prized.
• Post Distillation, Barrel & Bottle Aging: A Nontraditional Approach. Often labeled as: Joven – Unaged [most traditional mezcals,] Reposado – 2 to 12 months in wood, Añejo – At least 1 year in wood, Madurado en vidrio – Rested in glass, usually years, sometimes decades.