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!

Don’t have time to read the whole article? The best Oaxaca food tour is this Eat Like a Local in Oaxaca City Tour — with a near-perfect Five Star rating.

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 15 Best Oaxaca Food Tours

1. Eat Like a Local: Authentic Oaxaca Food Tour

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.

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.

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, Javiar 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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. Earth, Corn & Fire: Tasting the Roots of Oaxacan Cuisine

If you’re a foodie, booking this “edible crash course” on traditional Oaxaca food is a must! It truly is the best way to experience Oaxaca food and Oaxaca culture from all angles.

This 5.5-hour tour takes you to neighborhood markets, mom and pop restaurants, artist galleries, and street vendor stands.

Along the way, you’ll eat a fabulous array of iconic dishes, snacks, and famous culinary creations.

You’ll learn how maize (corn) is transformed from hard kernels into soft masa (corn dough) through the nixtamalization process, and how it finally becomes hand-made, steaming corn tortillas.

During this badge-of-excellence excursion, you’ll follow your Oaxaca food guide to three famous Oaxaca City markets: Mercado Sanchez Pascua Market, Mercado Benito Juarez Market, and Mercado 20 de Noviembre Market.

Grilled meats, freshly-squeezed juice, artisanal ice-cream, specialty mole, and even crunchy roasted grasshoppers await you on this fun gastronomic adventure!

Besides eating till your heart’s content, you’ll also learn about the history and preparation that goes into the famed cuisine of Oaxaca City and Oaxaca state.

9. Ultimate Oaxaca Foodie Tour with a Local

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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: 10 hours | ⭐️ Ratings: 5 out of 5 Stars | 🌮 Check Rates & Availability

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

The best way to understand how mezcal is made is by participating in the production.

Booking this Oaxaca Mezcal Tour means immersing yourself fully in the creation process — from agave harvest to drinkable, distilled mezcal.

You’ll visit several palenques (mezcal distilleries in Oaxaca), and taste about 25-30 different artesian mezcals.

When you fall in love with a particular mezcal, tour guide Alvin can arrange to have it bottled up for you.

On this thoughtfully-curated tour, you’ll experience the various mezcal states of production alongside the palenqueros (pronounced paw-lan-care-ohs, and meaning mezcal distillers), as well as their family members.

You can try cutting agave in the field, preparing the oven, getting the baked agave ready for macerating, crushing the agave piña by hand, and working with the fermentation vats.

There’s no shortage of work on the palenque!

Throughout the day, you’ll have breaks to simply enjoy your surroundings. There’s an optional lunch at a local eatery which serves traditional Oaxacan cuisine.

Note: Lunch is not included, but costs about $15 USD.

During the tour, you’ll sample a wide variety of mezcals — upwards of 30 types. You can purchase a couple of bottles for yourself, and since you’re buying direct from the farmers, the prices are all well below retail.

If you want to get your hands dirty while working alongside indigenous Zapotec producers on a palenque, don’t miss out on this incredibly unique experience.

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.

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.

Oaxaca City Travel Guide and FAQ

🗺️ Oaxaca Map

The southern edge of the state sits on the Pacific Ocean. Oaxaca City is the state’s capital city, and located about six hours south of Mexico City, you can book direct flights.

If you don’t mind some rain during the Oaxaca rainy season, you will also get lower prices — as this is the slow season.

🌡️ Oaxaca weather

If you want to avoid the crowds, the Oaxaca busy season runs from about late-October for Day of the Dead, through mid-January.

Many also visit Oaxaca de Juárez (Oaxaca City) for the Guelaguetza in July, the second biggest Oaxaca festival.

Oaxaca City has a desert climate, so hot days and cool nights. The temperature in Oaxaca City fluctuates a lot, so be mindful and bring layers when packing for Oaxaca.

If you hate the heat, avoid the hottest months of April to May so you have an enjoyable Oaxaca vacation.

Oaxaca City is the country’s 67th largest city, with a population of about 275,000, but retains a humble, pueblo vibe.

⚠️ For a deep dive into this topic and a Oaxaca safety guide, check out Is Oaxaca Safe to Travel to Right Now?

That’s not to say bad things don’t happen in Oaxaca City; they do.

However, if you take the same general travel precautions you would anywhere else — ie. stay aware of yourself, your belongings and your surroundings — you should be safe traveling to Oaxaca City.

You might see this airport called Xoxocotlán International Airport, but that is the same as OAX Airport. ▶ Book your Oaxaca flights now!

They do have DiDi Taxi through the DiDi Rider app, which lets you call a Oaxaca taxi via the app.

It’s basically like using Uber or Lyft, but you will get a regular cab.

• Download DiDi Rider for iPhone
• Download DiDi Rider for Android

If you’re doing Oaxaca day trips, a rental car or group tour is your best bet, and I recommend booking Oaxaca tours via Viator and Airbnb Experiences.

I personally prefer to call taxis via the DiDi Rider app, so I have a record of my trip and the price is already set for me, but you can also just hail a cab on the street.

If you want to explore the artisan towns and unique areas surrounding the city, you’ll want another 1-2 full days.

🚗 Oaxaca City Pro Tip: The best way to do this is by renting a car in Oaxaca and driving.

The best things to do near Oaxaca include exploring Hierve el Agua in San Lorenzo Albarradas, San Agustín Etla, Teotitlán Del Valle and San Pablo Villa de Mitla, a pueblo magico (magic town) and UNESCO Site.

Want to visit the best Oaxaca beaches — including Puerto Escondido, Zipolite, Huatulco, San Agustinillo and Mazunte?

Then you’ll want another 3-4 full days (more more) for just the coast.

In fact, Oaxaca is known as the Foodie Capital of Mexico, so try both the street food in Oaxaca and the restaurants — and of course, don’t miss these best Oaxaca mezcalerias (mezcal bars).

For a deep dive into this topic, check out this What is Oaxaca famous for? article. In it, you’ll learn even more about what makes Oaxaca unique.

There’s everything from rich history, colorful festivals, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, locally-made Oaxacan mezcal, beautiful nature, colonial architecture, indigenous artisan communities, and of course, the Oaxacan food.

As you’ll usually need to take at least two flights to Oaxaca, Mexico, or even a flight and a bus, you might still be wondering if traveling to Oaxaca is worth it.

I hope this guide to Oaxaca made it clear that YES IT IS!

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.