Market Food is the New Street Food
Your bucket list is not complete unless it includes at least one traditional Oaxacan Market. This Oaxaca market guide explains the various markets in downtown Oaxaca (and beyond) to help you decide which markets to visit and what to eat while you’re there.
We didn’t realize this until we got to Mexico, but market food is just as important as Mexican street food. Seriously, you are going to miss out if you don’t eat at least a few meals in an authentic Oaxacan Mercado. If you find yourself lost in a sea of mystery chilaquiles, quesillo and memelas, our Mexican Food Guide can help.
Should You Book a Guided Tour of the Market?
You definitely don’t need a tour guide to navigate the markets in Oaxaca – and I hope our market guide helps – but if you feel more comfortable having someone walk you through your first time, go for it! It is undeniably a fun experience, and your trip is all about experiences after all. Airbnb Experiences lists local tour guides.
Pro Tip: If you plan to attend a Mexican cooking class in Oaxaca, find one that includes a tour of a local Oaxacan market. You’ll have a personal guide who can answer questions and point out the market foods and specialties you don’t know. Here’s some info on our cooking class and market tour with Casa Crespo.
Oaxaca Market Guide
La Merced
Mercado de la Merced is the perfect medium-sized Oaxacan market with diverse foods and artisan goods. It’s got everything from produce and groceries to clothing and piñatas. Plus, the central comida hall features a delicious market brunch.
What to get: Chilaquiles and coffee
The specialty here is chilaquiles served in a large clay bowl. Expect incredible homemade sauces, ladled from a bubbling pot over fried tortillas and topped with your choice of stewed meat or fried eggs. Chef’s kiss.
*Don’t confuse this market in Oaxaca with the much larger La Merced market in CDMX!
Mercado Sanchez Pascuas
Sanchez Pascuas is a small neighborhood market, but it made this guide because it ended up being our favorite. There’s a lot packed into this small space and in has a distinctly local feel. Mostly this is a food, groceries and produce market and two of our favorite breakfast places were here.
What to get: Tamales to go, memelas, handmade tortillas, marinated meat
If you’re cooking during your visit, this in a great place for groceries. For more info on the tamales and memelas visit Everything We Ate in Oaxaca.
Mercado 20 de Noviembre
20th of November and Benito Juarez are across the street from each other and form a kind of mega market. This one is primarily for food service and baked goods. But 20th of November is most famous for its Pasillo de Humo, or “Smoke Hall”. If you eat meat, you MUST experience a smoke hall once in your life.
What to get: Lunch or dinner in the Smoke Hall
What’s a smoke hall? We have a dedicated post for you.
Mercado Benito Juarez
This is a large market with nearly everything but focusing on packaged foods and Mexican specialties. Expect piles of dried peppers, Mexican candy, chocolate, bulk coffee beans, hot sauces and mole alongside handmade baskets and similar market fare. It’s a great place to grab souvenirs.
What to get: Snacks like roasted garlic peanuts, Mexican chocolate or chapulines
Make sure you’re allowed to bring your snacks through customs before you try! Maybe don’t try to import/smuggle the bugs, for example.
Central de Abastos
Central de Abastos is beyond massive. Saturday is Market Day, when the market is in her full glory and you can explore 12 city blocks of comidas, produce, kitchen utensils and cookware, cow heads, party supplies, prayer candles, wall hangings, children’s backpacks, underwear, funeral flowers, baked goods, leather bags, whole chickens, still alive chickens, etc…
What to get: Breakfast at Doña Vale or literally anything
Note that some part of the market is open every day. We went on a Wednesday to scope it out during a less busy time. Also DO NOT try to drive here. If you’re driving, park a km away. (Ask me how I know)
Why Doña Vale? We explain in Everything We Ate in Oaxaca – A Food Guide.
Oaxaca Valley Market Guide
Tlacolula Market Day (Mercado Municipal Martin Gonzalez)
SUNDAYS ONLY: If you have ample time, I highly recommend a trip to Oaxaca’s oldest and largest indigenous peoples’ market. Vendors from all over spill out onto the surrounding streets every Sunday, but it’s really beautiful with the best selection of artisan goods and a festive atmosphere.
What to get: Barbacoa, artisan goods
Barbacoa is a customary meal served on Sundays in Mexico and it goes great with a homemade hot chocolate. After lunch, get lost in a maze of locally grown produce and makers stalls. It seems like everyone in the valley turns out for this weekly tradition.
Teotitlan Market Day
Teotitlan is the center of textile design in the Oaxaca Valley. It’s famous for the generations of artisans who dye, spin and weave wool into the most beautiful rugs and tapestries. Any day that you visit there will be plenty to see, but Market Day is fabled to be fabulous. I say “fabled” because we failed.
What to get: Textiles, yarn
Here’s an example of listed hours being confusing in Mexico. We tried to visit Teotitlan on market day (supposedly Sunday) but didn’t find it. Maybe we were too late in the day. Elsewhere, market day is listed as “Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.” On google it’s listed every day until 1:30pm. Our recommendation is to try to visit early (it might close at noon), and I’ve heard that Wednesday is best.