A Glossary of Mexican Street Food & Specialties
What started as a guide to Mexican street food evolved into a roadmap of the street foods we love and would hate for you to miss. Not sure where to start? We didn’t know this going in, but you’ll find some of Mexico’s best “street food” in the markets. You’ll regret not including them in your street eating plan. Read on for everything from breakfast tamales to late-night churros.
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Street Food
Tamales
A breakfast favorite, tamales are stuffed with mixture of corn dough (masa) and meat, wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf and then steamed. A particularly delicious Oaxacan tamal comes in a banana leaf stuffed with shredded chicken and mole negro.
Memelas
Also on the brunch menu: memelas start with a thick corn tortilla base, toasted on the comal, then spread with asiento (pork lard) refried beans and crumbly cheese. Our favorite toppings are potatoes and chorizo.
Chilaquiles
Corn tortillas fried in oil or lard (made into chips) then simmered in a red or green (rojo or verde) salsa. Often topped with eggs, shredded meat, avocado, “cotija” (crumbly cheese) and “crema” (a thinner sour cream).
Tacos
Ok, tacos are not new and you might also know about the wide variety of Mexican taco flavors and fillings. However, the myriad subcategories of taco preparation might catch you by surprise – dorados, gorditas, gringas, vampiros, chalupas (to name just a few). This is before you start talking ingredients. Adding to the adventure, you cannot expect taco stands and restaurants to define these in the same way. Pro tip: point and ask.
Tortas
A crusty roll sliced in half, stuffed with a variety of meats and smothered with bold sauces and garnishes found in many other types of Mexican dishes. Like tacos, almost endless variety. Ironically, we love the cubano.
Cemitas
Very similar to a torta, this Mexican sandwich is specific to the Puebla region. What distinguishes the cemita is the bread (also called cemita), which is similar to a brioche bun topped with sesame seeds.
Tlayudas
A large, toasted tortilla, layered with asiento (pork lard), black bean puree, and Oaxacan cheese (“quesillo”) and usually topped with meat and shredded lettuce or cabbage. Served folded or open face, like a pizza. Originating in the Oaxaca region.
Tacos Arabes
Similar to Lebanese shawarma, these “tacos” use a pita-like flatbread called “pan arabe” instead of a tortilla. Replacing lamb, cumin-marinated pork slow roasts on a vertical rotisserie that caramelizes the exterior while it bastes in its own fat. Sliced fresh to order. Originating in the Puebla region.
Elotes
Grilled and skewered corn slathered with mayo and lime and dunked in cotija (crumbly cheese) and chili powder. Undeniably a perfect snack.
Mole
Mole literally means “sauce”. It differs from other Mexican sauces, particularly salsa, in that it’s not a condiment. A mole forms the backbone of a dish. Moles are made on their own and often poured over prepared meats, fish, enchiladas, etc. Despite the diversity of moles, most include toasted nuts or seeds, chili peppers and dried spices. Some also include fresh or dried fruit. The whole mixture is ground or pureed together, resulting in a thick, pourable sauce. Maybe not a perfect fit in a Mexican Street Food Guide – moles can be incredibly elevated and complex – but some of the best we tried were on the streets and in the markets.
Chorizo
You probably know chorizo, but this isn’t the greasy stuff that you might find at grocery stores in the U.S. The chorizo we came to love in Oaxaca is drier and crumblier in texture. Minced pork is seasoned with spicy chili peppers, clove, cinnamon, oregano, garlic, cumin, and black pepper, placed in a natural casing and aged.
Barbacoa
Translates as “barbeque”, but this is definitely not barbeque. Mexican barbacoa consists of slow cooking meat over an open fire until it steams into a soft and tender state, like a stew. Delicious and deceptive.
Tasajo
Thinly sliced grilled beef, usually flank steak, pounded thin and then cured in salt.
Sides and Toppings
Cotija
Salty, crumbly and moist cheese, similar to feta. Originating in the Michoacan region, you’ll find cotija topping everything from elotes, enchiladas, tacos, chilaquiles and more.
Quesillo
A stretchy, stringy cheese, similar to mozzarella. Originating in the state of Oaxaca, quesillo is often used as a melting cheese on quesadillas, tortas, queso fundido and more. It’s also known for its shape, stretched and wound, resembling a ball of yarn.
Cebollas
Small onions charred and steamed in foil. Where were these our whole lives? Do not skip this frequently available side to your street food meals.
Chapulines
This Oaxacan delicacy consists of grasshoppers, usually fried or roasted and seasoned with chilis, garlic, and lime juice. Often used as a garnish or crunchy, salty snack. High in protein, low in fat. Live a little!
Tajin
A Mexican seasoning consisting of dried red chilies, salt and lime. This chili-lime salt is often sprinkled on fruits and deserts.
Beverages
Agua Fresca
Ubiquitous in taco stands, restaurants and bars across Mexico, aguas frescas (“fresh waters”) are typically made from a chilled blend of fresh fruit juice, water and sugar. Our favorites: gauyaba (guava) and guanábana. While most aguas frescas contain fruit, two of the most popular – horchata and jamaica – do not. Horchata is rice milk flavored with cinnamon sticks while jamaica is made from hibiscus flowers boiled with sugar.
Limonada
Fresh limeade, not lemonade. Listed separately from aguas frescas because 1) it usually appears separately on a menu, and 2) it can be ordered with either still or, even better, sparking water (limonada mineral).
Lima vs Limón
There is more controversy here than one might think. From Spain to different regions of the Americas, these words do not refer to the same fruits. However, in most parts of Mexico, Lima = Lemon and Limón = Lime.
Mezcal
A distillate of the ever-present agave plant and produced primarily in the State of Oaxaca. Remarkably, the majority of Mezcals are still artisanal or handmade and small-batch. Correspondingly, distilleries dot the countryside and there are a lot to choose from. While we’re not big drinkers, you should at least consider sampling – and maybe take a guided tour.
Atole
A water or milk-based Mexican hot drink thickened with either corn dough or corn flour. Often flavored with sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and chocolate. Imagine your chai or hot chocolate as food.
Treats
Churros
Pastry dough piped into hot oil and usually dusted with sugar or cinnamon. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a place that makes them fresh to order. Changed our lives but will ruin all other churros forever.
Mexican Chocolate
What makes Mexican chocolate different is that they include ground cocoa nibs, cinnamon and ground nuts like almonds.
Nieves
Nieve translates as “snow” and refers to a cold treat similar to shaved ice that’s sold in markets and carts across Mexico. A Oaxaca specialty is the bright red nieve de tuna variety which has a floral raspberry flavor. Tuna does not refer to the fish (átun) in Spanish, but the fruit of prickly pear cacti. Don’t worry.
Paletas
Close relative to the popsicle but much more like a frozen smoothie with some fruit parts. Often sold in in ice cream shops.
Chamoyada
Scoops of fruit sorbet flavored with a chamoy, a sauce made from pickled fruit. This is like a frozen skwinkle on steroids, so lovers and haters should break down the same way. Some Chamoyada lovers may take offense at the comparison.
Packaged Foods
Jumex- Black Label
Not scotch, but no-sugar-added juice. Super fancy. Seriously though, most juices sold Mexico have sugar added – not great. That said, we prefer the black label orange and pomegranate juices to most we find in the U.S.
Roasted peanuts
Coming in both more and less spicy varieties, these are widely available, especially in Oaxaca. What makes them truly special is the whole, skin-on roasted garlic. These were a revelation, so do not make the mistake of eating around them!
Skwinkles
A sweet, sour and kind of spicy tamarind-flavored candy. You will probably either love (Ali) or hate these (Lincoln).