My Honest Review of Restaurante Alfonsina Oaxaca (Was it Worth the Hype?)
Want to visit Restaurante Alfonsina in Oaxaca?
You’re in the right place because I had the chance to eat there, and I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about dining at Restaurante Alfonsina Oaxaca Mexico.
As it’s one of the most famous Oaxaca off the beaten path restaurants, you’re going to want to read every word in this article, because Alfonsina was not easy to find — even with GPS!
However, after reading, you’ll be much better prepared than I was 🤪
For foodies who love hidden gems, this place is a must (even if it’s basically in the middle of nowhere).
You can think of the trip there as the adventure, and the food as the hidden treasure you’ll find once you arrive.
Wondering, Is Restaurante Alfonsina Oaxaca worth visiting? — the answer is YES.
The food was worth making the 45-minute drive from Oaxaca City. Ready to see what I ate, figure out how to find this place, and more? Let’s dive in!
What kind of food do they serve at Restaurante Alfonsina Oaxaca?
Restaurante Alfonsina serves traditional Oaxacan foods, including memelas, tamales and the seven Oaxaca moles (pronounced moe-lays).
The menu is always changing, but you’ll always get a five-course meal using whatever’s fresh in Central de Abastos Market that day.
🤤 Some of the Food at Alfonsina Oaxaca That We Ate
Is Restaurante Alfonsina vegan friendly?
Yes — The staff at Restaurant Alfonsina Oaxaca will ask if you have dietary restrictions before serving your meal.
While my husband and I did not, there was a pescatarian and a vegetarian at the table next to us, and they were served different plates than the rest of the people in their party.
You can also ask if they know what will be on the menu the day you plan to visit.
While the La Alfonsina Oaxaca menu changes often, they just might already be serving vegan dishes the day you visit.
How much does it cost to eat at Alfonsina Oaxaca?
We paid $400 pesos (about $20 USD) for lunch, per person. However, the price increases a bit to $600 pesos ($30 USD) in the Oaxaca high season months of November to March.
The dinner at Alfonsina is $600-$800 pesos ($30-40 USD) per person, depending on the time of year you’re dining.
Of course, prices are always subject to change, so double check by contacting the restaurant before your meal.
⚠️ Note: your prix fixe meal does not include drinks
Those range from $20 pesos to $100 pesos per drink, depending on if you’re ordering Oaxaca mezcal, Mexican beer, or agua del día — one of the most popular Mexican drinks.
I had the agua del día, or “water of the day,” which is water made with whatever fresh fruit they have a lot of that day.
The day we went to eat at Alfonsina Oaxaca, it was agua de tuna.
Tuna is the Spanish word for prickly pear cactus, and one of the desserts at our meal also had tuna in it.
What is Restaurante Alfonsina famous for?
Alfonsina is known as one of the best restaurants for traditional Oaxacan foods. It is also known for its beautiful ambiance.
Foodies will love venturing to this off the beaten track Oaxaca culinary gem to sample foods unique to Central Oaxaca and Oaxaca state.
Who is the chef at Restaurante Alfonsina?
The restaurant is the brainchild of Chef Jorge León, one of the best Mexican chefs working today.
However, it’s his mother, Doña Elvia, who runs the kitchen at Alfonsina. The restaurant is named in honor of her late-mother, Alfonsina.
👨🍳 Who is Chef Jorge León?
Jorge León’s first job in a restaurant was as a dishwasher at Casa Oaxaca Restaurant, one of the best restaurants in Oaxaca.
(They also have a hotel, so it’s also one of the best hotels in Oaxaca City.)
He worked his way up, and eventually Chef Enrique Olvera offered León a position at Pujol Mexico City.
Pujol is one of the best Mexico City restaurants, though many consider it the best restaurant in all Mexico.
León’s job at Pujol was to make the mole, and his proficiency with this complex Oaxacan cuisine earned him the nickname, “Moles.”
He was in charge of the signature dish at Pujol, the Mole Madre, which is based on one of his family’s recipes.
He worked at Pujol for six years, before returning to his native Oaxaca.
When we ate at Alfonsina, we saw him walking around, as the restaurant is actually in his family’s home.
Restaurante Alfonsina on Somebody Feed Phil
One of the Oaxaca Netflix restaurants, you may have seen Restaurante Alfonsina on the Oaxaca episode of Somebody Feed Phil.
For fans of the show, Alfonsina is a must-try on the Somebody Feed Phil Oaxaca restaurant list.
If you want to visit more Oaxaca restaurants on Netflix, here are a few more to try:
- Memelas Doña Vale
- Crudo Oaxaca
- Empanadas del Carmen
- La Cocina de Humo
- Tlayudas la Chinita
- Lechoncito de Oro, which some say has the best tacos in Oaxaca
Where is Restaurante Alfonsina located?
Restaurante Alfonsina Oaxaca is located in the small pueblo of San Juan Bautista la Raya.
It is about 40 minutes by rental car or taxi from Downtown Oaxaca City, and 20 minutes south of Oaxaca International Airport.
There aren’t really any street signs in San Juan Bautista la Raya, but you need to be on Calle García Vigil, between Calle Cinco de Mayo and Camino A. Villa de Zaachila.
📍 Restaurante Alfonsina Address: Calle García Vigil #183, San Juan Bautista la Raya, Oaxaca, Mexico 71232. Find it here on Google Maps.
👀 Look for this sign outside Alfonsina Oaxaca
🚨 Warning: GPS may get you lost
Restaurante Alfonsina wasn’t easy to find — even with GPS, and a strong signal thanks to our Mexico SIM card.
We took a taxi to Alfonsina, using GPS the whole way, and still ended up having to walk a few blocks to find the restaurant because the taxi driver was going in circles.
I included a photo of the outside of the restaurant to help, but still, you might not find it on the first try.
For those (like us) who do get lost, don’t worry! This is a small town where everyone knows everyone else, and it felt perfectly safe.
Also, just because GPS failed us, doesn’t mean it will fail you — so I wish you better luck with your GPS than we had.
To find it, you’ll want to ask one of the locals you see walking around where Alfonsina is.
This is what we had to do, and a friendly man pointed us in the right direction — as everyone who lives in San Juan Bautista la Raya, Oaxaca, knows where Alfonsina is located.
🚌 Is there public transportation to Restaurante Alfonsina?
There’s no direct bus that will take you from Oaxaca City to Restaurante Alfonsina, so you’d have to use a combination of colectivos (small shared vans) and taxis.
In the end, the trip would take you about 2.5 hours, so just go by rental car or taxi.
🚕 If I take a taxi there, how do I get back?
The staff at Restaurante Alfonsina Oaxaca will call you a taxi to take back to the city if you need one.
Or, you can pay for a taxi to wait for you while you eat, so they’re ready to take you back as soon as you’re ready to leave.
Are reservations required at Restaurante Alfonsina?
Yes — This is a small restaurant with only about four tables and 12 seats, so you must make a reservation if you want to eat there.
Depending on the time of year, you’ll want to make your reservation 3-14 days out.
In the slower spring and summer months, a few days out should be fine. However, the busier months of the year require at least 7-14 days.
How do I make Restaurante Alfonsina reservations?
There are a few ways to make a reservation at Restaurante Alfonsina.
The easiest way is via their website; you can make your Restaurante Alfonsina reservation here.
If you or someone in your group speaks Spanish, you can also call them or send a Whatsapp message to make Alfonsina Oaxaca reservations.
The Restaurante Alfonsina phone number is +52-1-951-204-8137.
When is Restaurante Alfonsina open?
Alfonsina Oaxaca Restaurante is open for lunch and dinner service, Monday to Sunday.
There is a 1pm seating and a 2pm seating for lunch, and a 6pm seating and a 7pm seating for dinner.
Regardless of if you choose lunch at Alfonsina or dinner at Alfonsina, you’ll get five courses.
After our fourth course, they asked if we wanted to try anything else they had cooked that day, so we paid for an additional savory course before dessert.
It was $100 pesos ($5 US) extra per person.
The menu changes daily, and is inspired by whatever Chef Jorge and his mom, Chef Elvia, picked out at the local market that day.
💁♀️ Alfonsina Reservations Pro Tips
I did the lunch because I knew Alfonsina Oaxaca has a beautiful outdoor courtyard, and I wanted to enjoy it in the daytime.
This was in mid-October when the Oaxaca weather is on the cooler side, so in the summer, dinner might be a better option.
Is Restaurante Alfonsina worth visiting?
It was worth it for the experience, for sure.
However, it’s hard to say if the food is always worth it because the menu changes daily.
While I loved what I ate, I can’t say I’d love the food as much the next time — so it’s a bit of a gamble with their menu.
That said, for foodies with no dietary restrictions, and enough time on your Oaxaca itinerary to venture a bit far outside of Oaxaca City — yes it’s worth visiting Alfonsina Oaxaca.
Restaurants Similar to Alfonsina Oaxaca
If you don’t have the time to visit, or just want to check out similar places in the city itself, here are some of the best restaurants in Oaxaca City that are similar to Alfonsina in cuisine and vibe:
- Restaurante Casa Oaxaca
- Criollo Oaxaca
- Levadura de Olla
- Ancestral Cocina Tradicional
- Origen Oaxaca
- Las Quince Letras
Mo-Kalli Oaxaca Restaurant
For those die-hard foodies who will go anywhere for a great meal, I can’t recommend Mo-Kalli enough.
In my opinion, they have the best mole in Oaxaca (a controversial statement, I know).
It is located on a dirt road in the small town of Tlacolula de Matamoros, Oaxaca — so you’ll want to visit in your rental car.
This town is famous for the Tlacolula Sunday Market, one of the best Oaxaca markets — so Sunday makes a great day to go.
Tlacolula is also near the Oaxaca pueblo magico of Milta, which has some ancient ruins.
Final Thoughts: Eating at Alfonsina Oaxaca
From chocolate and mole to grasshoppers and tacos, there’s a whole world of flavors awaiting you with traditional Oaxaca cuisine.
In fact, Oaxaca is known as the foodie Capital of Mexico, so there’s almost too many great options.
For foodies, Alfonsina Oaxaca Mexico is a must-visit. It combines the best of both worlds, spectacular food and rustic ambiance, for a meal you won’t soon forget.
You’ll really feel like you’re family when you step into Chef Jorge León’s home, and enjoy food cooked by his mother, Doña Elvia, and other members of the family.
If you have space on your Oaxaca itinerary, don’t miss Alfonsina.
Even if you’ve been once, it might night be a difference experience the second time around, as the Restaurant Alfonsina menu changes often.
