The 15 Top-Rated Oaxaca Food Tours Led by Locals (That No Foodie Will Want to Miss)

Looking for the best food tours in Oaxaca Mexico?

You’ve come to the right place because this guide will highlight the 15 best Oaxaca Mexico tours so you can experience all that this unique (and delicious) cuisine has to offer.

Eating local food is one of the great pleasures of traveling.

Exotic flavors, interesting ingredients, creative combinations, and traditional preparation methods all add to the joy of being in a new place — and eating is just plain fun!

On these culinary food tours, you can make tortillas from scratch, grind your own cacao for drinking chocolate, visit Oaxaca City markets, eat seven different moles, and chow down on the amazing tacos in Oaxaca Mexico.

Enter a whole new world of culinary delights, eat the best food in Oaxaca Mexico, and make lifelong memories while you’re at it.

Check out these amazing Oaxaca City tours for foodies listed below, and book yours today!

Top 3 Picks: Best Oaxaca Food Tours

Top 15 Best Oaxaca Food Tours

1. Eat Like a Local: Authentic Oaxaca Food Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.98 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 5 hours | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

Book this Oaxaca Street Food Tour and join your host, Betsaida (AKA Betsy), a Oaxaca local.

On it, you’ll get you out and about in the city’s main markets with someone who knows them like the back of her hand!

Spend a half-day with Betsy, tasting many of Oaxaca’s signature flavors.

Besides eating lots of yummy food, you’ll also learn local tips and history, which will add more depth and nuance to the experience.

Betsaida is incredibly passionate about sharing her culture through her vast knowledge of the local food. I felt honored to have been in her company, and the tour was one of the highlights of my time in Mexico.

-Allan (read more reviews)

Explore the markets and street food stalls of Oaxaca with your top-rated tour guide, Betsy, a Oaxaca local.

Along the way, you’ll eat more than 20 typical foods including grasshoppers, chocolate, quesillo (Oaxaca cheese), five different moles, tlayudas (AKA Oaxaca pizza), tacos, hand-made corn tortillas, tejate to drink and dessert.

You’ll also gain insight into the culture as you walk, drink, and eat. This highly-rated tour will introduce you to the best food in Oaxaca City.

It’s a great choice for any time on your trip, but especially great at the beginning — that way you’ll have time to eat more of your newfound favorites.

Note: This tour is not vegetarian friendly, nor vegan friendly.

2. As Seen On Netflix: Tour the Central de Abastos Market

⏰ Tour time: 2.5 hours | ⭐️ Rating: 4.95 out of 5 Stars | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

Located on the outskirts of town, Central de Abastos Oaxaca Market is one of oldest and largest markets in Oaxaca.

If you’re looking for anything, you’ll probably find it here, as the market spans more than 800 acres (3.25 km²).

While there’s a lot for sale here, from fresh flowers to Oaxaca Mexico souvenirs, many visitors make a beeline to try the famous Memelas Doña Vale — as seen on Netflix shows like Somebody Feed Phil in the “Oaxaca” episode.

Javier’s trip was perfect. I came to Oaxaca for this, a food tour through the amazing Central Market. Javier guided us like a pro, through what would have been disorienting and bewildering to any newcomer. Highly recommended!

—todd (read more reviews)

While you can visit on your own, it’s much safer to go here with a local guide.

It is intimidating if you’ve never been to a very crowded Mexican market, and if you don’t speak Spanish, the experience is much more stressful.

Led by a Oaxaca local, Javier will take you to sample the Doña Vale memelas and her morita salsa.

He’ll also take you to more of the other best places to eat in Oaxaca City — so all you have to do is show up, eat, and enjoy!

3. Mezcal and Mole with a Certified Sommelier

⏰ Tour Length: 1.5 hours | ⭐️ Ratings: 4.96 out of 5 Stars | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

This Mezcal and Mole Tour is led by Daniel, a professional mezcal sommelier.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime, immersive adventure into the worlds of Oaxaca mezcal and Oaxaca mole — and one you’ll never forget.

Located in a mountain-view tasting room, participants will taste all seven moles of Oaxaca (Note: They’re all vegetarian).

Each Oaxacan mole has been perfectly paired with seven artisanal and ancestral mezcals.

Absolutely incredible. I learned so much, loved all the moles and all the mezcals, and the host was exceptional in every way. Highly highly recommend!

-Carmen (read more reviews)

Each mezcal has been carefully chosen to showcase the characteristics of different agaves.

By the end of the meal, you’ll have a full belly, a nice buzz, and a vast knowledge of Oaxaca mezcal!

Along with tasting delicious moles and mezcal, this experience is the perfect place to learn about and discuss traditional Mexican foods and Mexico’s rich gastronomic heritage.

If at the end you discover a mezcal you particularly love, you can also buy one to take home with you as a souvenir.

After all, mezcal is one of the most popular Oaxaca souvenirs visitors take home.

Note: This experience is great for vegetarians and vegans; all the Oaxacan moles are vegetarian, but can be made vegan upon request. English and Spanish tour options are also available.

4. Eat Your Way Through the Markets in Oaxaca City

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 4 hours | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

This Oaxaca Mexico Food Tour offers the perfect way to explore the alleys, food stalls, restaurants, and local markets in Oaxaca City with a local gastronomic expert who knows where all the hidden gems are!

For many people, visiting the Oaxacan markets on your own can be overwhelming — and going with a local guide is the safest choice.

While the markets are generally safe, they’re bustling, so it’s more relaxing to be with a guide.

This was one of the best things I did in Oaxaca. I ate food that I never would have known to try, and experienced the markets which can be overwhelming on your own. Our guide Mildred was amazing, fierce with a huge heart and incredibly knowledgeable. Highly, highly recommend.

-martha (read more reviews)

During this tour, you’ll taste all the best food Oaxaca Mexico has to offer.

Enjoy more than 20 different kinds of delicacies, both savory and sweet, sip some Oaxaca mezcal, and crunch on lime-and-salt roasted grasshoppers.

This foodie experience is led by a team of local guides who grew up in Oaxaca and know the markets intimately.

They take great pleasure in introducing visitors to the traditions, culture, aromas, and flavors of their beloved city.

Plus, this tour supports the community. You’ll get to eat many traditional dishes prepared by local business owners.

5. Taste All Seven Moles of Oaxaca

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 2 hours | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

Booking unique Oaxaca culinary tours like this Seven Mole Experience makes for a meal you won’t ever forget.

Join Chef Oswaldo and his presenter, Javier, on a truly spectacular journey into the Oaxaca food scene.

During this two-hour tour, you’ll try seven different moles.

Five of these seven are very difficult to find in local restaurants because they’re reserved for special occasions like weddings, birthdays, christenings, and even funerals.

You’ll also sample the most popular Oaxacan mole — mole negro (black mole).

While this is the type some people have tried, the others will each have a unique flavor you won’t expect, ranging from soft and subtle to deep and bold.

The restaurant owner was really good and passionate about his mole. Having recipes passed down from his grandmothers is awesome. So great to keep up with the tradition.

-Raquel (read more reviews)

Besides black mole, there’s red mole, green mole, yellow mole, mole coloradito, mole estofado, and manchamantel mole.

You’ll enjoy them in a few presentations: with rice, in a tamale, in tostadas, tetelas, or tortas, as a broth, etc.

In between mole tastings, you can sip on locally-made Oaxacan mezcal, water, and refreshing horchata, a traditional beverage made from rice and cinnamon.

This is truly one of the most unique tours of Oaxaca on this list — as most people won’t get to sample each of the seven moles in one trip.

It’s no wonder other travelers have called this a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

6. Oaxaca City Street Food Tour with Local Guides

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 2.5 hours | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

Grilled meats, savory quesadillas, and hot cocoa are only a few of the flavors you can enjoy when booking this Oaxaca Foods Tour.

Join local guide Elisabeth on this 2.5-hour excursion into regional cuisine. First, you’ll visit Mercado Benito Juarez, the premier Oaxaca food market.

Taste delicious grilled meats in Pasillo de Humo, the famous Alley of Smoke in Oaxaca.

You can also try tamales, eat quesadillas made on a comal, drink local beverages, and more in this bustling mercado.

A good intro to the local food and a chance to try some things you will not find in tourist restaurants.

-Henry (read more reviews)

Next, you’ll visit another famous market in Oaxaca City, Mercado 20 de Noviembre.

Here, you’ll snack on chapulines (grasshoppers), drink tejate, one of the best Mexican drinks, and enjoy traditional sweets.

Travelers loved the guide on this tour, calling her “wonderful, gracious, and well informed.”

They also loved the delicious food, the length of the tour, and the information they learned along the way.

It’s one of the best things to do in Oaxaca City, and a fabulous way to get to know the town during your vacation.

7. Vegetarian & Vegan Friendly Oaxaca Street Food Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.98 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 2.5 hours | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

Being vegetarian or vegan doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the delightful food of Oaxaca! 

Booking this Oaxaca Food Market Tour will get you a top-rated host who knows the Oaxaca vegetarian and vegan food scene well.

Walk, eat, and get a sense of the history of Oaxaca on this 2.5-hour experience tailored to your dietary needs. Head out on this Oaxaca market tour to stop at different food stands.

Sara was an amazing guide and made sure to tailor the street food tour for everyone’s dietary needs and tastes. It was a great first day in Oaxaca City combining walking, eating and storytelling. Can’t recommend it enough!

-kate (read more reviews)

You’ll eat a variety of seasonal dishes, most of which are prepared by indigenous chefs. Learning the cultural background of the food adds a healthy dollop of interest. 

You’ll start off with a snack, move on to the main course, and finish off by satisfying your sweet tooth. Drink options include sodas or traditional beverages, which are often fruit based.

Guests loved the excellent value of this tour. It is available in English, Spanish, and French.

8. Gourmet Market Tour with 20 Food Tastings

⭐️ Rating: 4.8 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 3.5 hours | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

If you’re a foodie, this Oaxaca Gourmet Market Tour is a delicious crash course in local flavors.

Groups are capped at 10 travelers.

The tour starts at TeoLab (Xicoténcatl 609) in Centro and ends back at the same spot.

Along the way, you’ll work through about 20 tastings of traditional Oaxacan food and drinks.

The sample menu includes Tlacolula-style barbecue tacos, Oaxacan quesadillas, and grilled meat tacos. You’ll also sip pre-Hispanic drinks like tejate and pulque.

The absolute best part was shopping for our own items and getting to make our own tacos together

-Robert (read more reviews)

Travelers say the food is the star of the show, and that they got to experience it like locals.

All the food on the tour is included, plus snacks and a tepache or pulque drink.

Come hungry, because 20 tastings add up fast.

9. Ultimate Oaxaca Foodie Tour with a Local

⭐️ Rating: 4.88 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 4 hours | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

If you like walking, unique Oaxaca eats, and hearing amazing stories, book this Street Food Tour Oaxaca ASAP, because it’s one of the best Oaxaca cultural tours of them all.

Spend four hours enjoying the most traditional dishes in Oaxaca, including memelas, tlayudas, tamales, and mole.

Make new friends with locals and other travelers alike, discover new favorite flavors, and taste-test your way from street food stalls, to restaurants in Oaxaca City, to a bustling market or two.

Fantastic experience! Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in seeing local markets, eating from the best street vendors, and gaining a better understanding of Oaxacan cuisine. 

-jesse (read more reviews)

Travelers loved eating an amazing variety of delicious food while exploring the city with tour guide, Carlos.

He is personable, easy-going, speaks excellent English, and knows many interesting places and talented street vendors.

Be sure to come hungry, because you’ll be eating a LOT during this experience. This is one of the Oaxaca tours where you’ll be walking about one mile as you go from one gastronomic experience to another. 

10. Oaxaca Cooking Class & Mezcal Tasting with Sonia Silvia

⏰ Class Length: 4.5 hours | ⭐️ Rating: 4.98 out of 5 Stars | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

Ready to experience one of the highest-rated cooking classes in Oaxaca City?

Then you must book this Traditional Oaxacan Cooking Class with Sonia Silvia soon, as it often sells out!

Sonia is a local woman who’s had a passion for traditional Oaxacan cuisine since she was a child.

Her love of Oaxaca food is infectious, and she even passed it down to her son, who assists with the class.

Sonia learned how to cook from her mother, using clay pots and preparing dishes al carbon (over charcoal).

Today, she continues learning from some of the best traditional chefs in the region of Oaxaca.

I had an amazing time learning about the different types of mezcals, methods of cooking, and even ingredients! Just exactly the kind of knowledge I’ve been looking for!

—marie eliza (read more reviews)

Sonia begins the class by showing you the different ingredients you’d typically find in a traditional Oaxacan kitchen.

She’ll even take you for a quick look around her garden, where she grows herbs and organic chilies.

Sonia’s knowledge of food will be matched by her son’s knowledge of locally-made Oaxaca mezcal.

He’ll guide you through some of the region’s best mezcals and invite you to experience them during a mezcal tasting.

There is one catch, though! You’ll need to drink it Oaxacan style, which includes consuming chicatanas (winged ants), chapulines (grasshoppers), and gusano (worms). Are you brave enough?

Next, it’s time for the main event. Sonia will show you how to make handmade tortillas, tetelas and memelas.

She also specializes in salsas made the old school way, in a molcajete (Mexican mortar and pestle).

During the class, you’ll be able to create one of the seven Oaxacan moles from scratch. You’ll leave completely satisfied, but do make sure to come with an empty stomach.

If you want to cook authentic Oaxacan food in a family home while also trying some of the region’s best mezcal, then this is the experience for you.

Note: Classes are in English and Spanish, with vegan and vegetarian options.

11. Oaxaca Chocolate-Making Class

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 2.5 hours | ☕ Check Rates & Availability

If you love Mexican chocolate (AKA the “food of the gods”) this workshop will have you in heaven.

Book this awesome Oaxaca Cacao Workshop and you’ll learn about growing cacao, as well as the fermenting and roasting process.

You’ll taste different varieties of organic cacao from Oaxaca, and try chocolate in ways you never have.

Enjoy delicious squares of artisan chocolate seasoned with exotic ingredients like cardamom, Mexican vanilla and chili peppers.

Please take this class. It’s worth every minute and every penny. You will not regret it! 

-miriam (read more reviews)

Pick your favorite cacao beans and then grind your own personalized blend of drinking chocolate.

After your hard work, you’ll get the chance to drink your brew both cold and hot. It’s sure to be fabulous!

Other travelers said this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and that the host shared top-notch information.

This tour lasts 2.5 hours and is hosted in English, Spanish, French, and German. 

💸 Oaxaca Travel Tips: Bring cash so you can buy Chimalapa drinking chocolate to take home with you at the end of the tour.

12. Best Tacos in Oaxaca and Best Hidden Bars

⭐️ Rating: 4.98 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 3 hours | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

Nighttime culinary backstreets and delicious flavors will come alive for you on this Oaxaca City food tour.

Join top-rated host Gerardo by booking this Oaxaca Food Truck Tour Excursion.

Enjoy two of the city’s most fabulous taco stands in the historic center of Jalatlaco, Oaxaca City.

Learn about the history of this neighborhood (the oldest in Oaxaca), or simply enjoy the music and mouth-watering aromas.

Gerardo did a great job showing us hidden taco spots throughout Oaxaca. The food was amazing and we enjoyed hearing Gerardo’s perspective on Oaxaca’s food scene.

-patrick (read more reviews)

Next, you’ll visit a taquería in the Ex Marquesado neighborhood — one of the coolest Oaxaca neighborhoods.

Satisfied, you’ll head back to Centro Historico (downtown) for beers in one of Gerardo’s favorite bars in Oaxaca.

Travelers loved the value of this tour, Gerardo’s expertise about the food and neighborhoods, and the delicious cuisine in each.

This tour lasts about three hours and is hosted in English or Spanish.

13. Tortillas, Nixtamal and Salsas Workshop

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏰ Tour Length: 5 hours | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

Get hands-on during this amazing tortillas, nixtamal, and salsas workshop. If you’re passionate about cooking, book this Oaxaca Food Workshop and you’re going to love this experience.

Your foray into the world of Oaxaca Mexican food will begin at one of the best local markets in Oaxaca City. Here, you’ll meet Luis, your guide and instructor.

Together, you’ll buy the ingredients you need for the meal. Next, you’ll go to Luis’s cooking studio, where you’ll be introduced to the ingredients, process, and menu.

Brilliant authentic Oaxacan cooking experience. Luis is a great instructor and is very knowledgeable and passionate about the food. 

-ralph (read more reviews)

One of the main focuses of the workshop will be learning about nixtamal. This is a crucial process that maize must go through to transform into tortillas.

Nixtamal is one of the cornerstones of Mexican cuisine and culture. It’s also intriguing to learn about!

Since nixtamal takes time to prepare, you’ll make fillings and salsas under Luis’s expert direction while you wait. In the end, you’ll all sit down to a delicious three-course meal.

14. Oaxaca Mezcal Tour at a Distillery with Traditional Lunch

⏰ Tour Length: about 6 hours | ⭐️ Ratings: 4.9 out of 5 Stars | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

Looking for a combo food and Oaxaca mezcal distillery tour? You’ve found it!

This small-group mezcal tour heads to Santiago Matatlán and San Pablo Villa de Mitla for an up-close look at artisanal mezcal production.

You’ll visit agave fields and see how mezcal is made, then taste a range of artisanal mezcals.

My wife and I have done tours all around the world and this is one of the very best.

-Christopher (read more reviews)

Travelers say the tasting is generous, and some describe it as unlimited.

A traditional Oaxacan lunch is included, and reviewers call it delicious and generous.

Air-conditioned transportation, bottled water, and the mezcal tasting are also included.

Groups max out at 10 travelers.

The tour starts at 11 am in front of the Templo de San Matías Jalatlaco.

Reviewers consistently praise the guides as knowledgeable and passionate about mezcal.

15. Best Oaxaca Vegetarian Cooking Class

⏰ Class time: 4 hours | ⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

One of the best vegetarian cooking classes in Oaxaca, this Traditional Mexican Cooking Class is hosted by Luis Hernandez of Nomad Cook.

It is an all-hands-on-deck style cooking class and interactive workshop where you’ll learn a lot.

I would highly recommend this class to anyone visiting Oaxaca City! You will come away with real cooking skills as well as a deeper understanding and appreciation of the place you are visiting.

-Nicola (read more reviews)

The class starts at Mercado de la Merced, one of the best Oaxaca markets, where you’ll buy ingredients.

From there, you’ll head to the host’s cooking studio to learn more about each ingredient before you prepare the dishes.

Next, the group will create a divine three-course vegetarian menu.

During this cooking class, you’ll learn techniques you can use in your own kitchen but also discover all the delicious local produce and veggies in Oaxaca.

The best part? A portion of the profits fund Nomad Cook’s community projects in Oaxaca City.

If you want to practice sustainable travel that directly benefits the local community, this is the best Oaxaca cooking class for you.

BONUS: Oaxaca Vegan Cooking Class with Etnofood

⏰ Class time: 4.5 hours | ⭐️ Rating: 4.9 out of 5 Stars | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

It can be difficult for vegans to find cooking classes in Mexico, a meat-heavy country, so here’s one more option — the Oaxacan Vegan Food Cooking Class — hosted for a popular Oaxaca tour company called Etnofood.

Final Thoughts: Best Oaxaca Food Tours in Mexico

From chocolate and mole to grasshoppers and tacos in Oaxaca City, there’s a whole world of flavors and textures awaiting you on the best food tours Oaxaca Mexico has to offer. Which one from the list caught your eye?

🌮 Here’s our recommendation: The best Oaxaca food tour is the Eat Like a Local in Oaxaca City, with a near-perfect Five Star rating.

Explore the cobblestone streets and markets with a local foodie guide, join a Oaxaca mole tasting experience, get hands-on with a nixtamalization and salsa workshop, or eat tacos in the oldest neighborhoods in Oaxaca City.

No matter which foodie Oaxaca tours and excursions you go for, you’re sure to treat your taste buds to the time of their lives.

Besides eating delicious food, you’ll also gain unique appreciation and insight into the history, traditions, and culture of the world around you. It’s a win win!

If you like historical stuff, don’t miss the Santo Domingo Cultural Center and Monte Alban Archaeological Site.

The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City isn’t the only place to learn about Mexican history and culture.