What to eat in Mexico
A culinary guide to Mexico: from street tacos al pastor and Yucatecan cochinita pibil to mole poblano, pozole, and real mezcal.

[ ] Try tacos al pastor
    Thinly sliced pork marinated in achiote paste, dried chiles, and spices, roasted on a vertical rotating spit. The taquero slices the crisped meat directly into a warm corn tortilla, topping it with a flick of roasted pineapple, raw white onions, and fresh cilantro.
[ ] Try mole poblano
    A velvety sauce born in Puebla crafted from over twenty ingredients, including dried ancho and pasilla chiles, nuts, raisins, warm spices, and Mexican dark chocolate. It is traditionally ladled over tender poultry and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.
[ ] Try cochinita pibil
    The culinary pride of the Yucatán Peninsula: pork shoulder marinated in bitter Seville orange juice and earthy red achiote paste. Wrapped in banana leaves, it is slow-roasted until it melts into succulent shreds.
[ ] Try pozole
    A pre-Hispanic stew featuring giant hominy corn kernels simmered for hours with pork or chicken. It comes in three styles matching the Mexican flag: red (rojo) with dried chiles, green (verde) with tomatillos and pumpkin seeds, or clear broth (blanco).
[ ] Try chilaquiles
    The definitive Mexican morning staple made of crisp corn tortilla chips simmered in tart salsa verde or rich salsa roja until lightly softened. They come topped with crumbled queso fresco, Mexican crema, and raw onion rings.
[ ] Try birria
    A rich, aromatic meat stew originating from Jalisco, slow-braised with beef or goat in a fragrant broth seasoned with roasted chiles, cloves, and Mexican oregano until falling apart.
[ ] Try chiles en nogada
    A roasted poblano chile stuffed with sweet-savory picadillo made of shredded meat, seasonal fruits, raisins, and nuts. It is draped in a chilled, velvety walnut-cream sauce and garnished with jewel-like red pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley.
[ ] Try a torta ahogada
    Guadalajara's quintessential street food: a crusty birote sourdough roll packed with crispy fried pork carnitas, then literally drowned (ahogada) in a bowl of fiery red chile de árbol and tomato sauce.
[ ] Try aguachile
    Sinaloa's coastal masterpiece consisting of raw, butterflied shrimp flash-cured in cold lime juice blitzed with fiery green serrano chiles, cucumber, and fresh cilantro. It is garnished with red onion and served with tostadas.
[ ] Try tamales
    Delicate, steamed corn dough parcels wrapped in dried corn husks or banana leaves. Filled with savory combinations like shredded pork in red sauce, chicken in salsa verde, or queso fresco with poblano strips.
[ ] Try elotes and esquites
    Mexico's staple twilight snack: elote is whole boiled or grilled corn on a stick, while esquites are corn kernels simmered with epazote herb, served steaming hot in a cup.
[ ] Try Michoacán-style carnitas
    A specialty originating from Michoacán where whole cuts of pork are gently simmered in their own lard in massive copper cauldrons for hours until deeply flavorful, fork-tender, and crispy on the edges.
[ ] Try squash blossom quesadillas
    Freshly pressed heirloom corn masa griddled on a flat comal, folded around delicate yellow-orange squash blossoms sautéed with onion and epazote, complemented by stringy melting Oaxaca cheese.
[ ] Try churros with hot chocolate
    Crisp star-shaped fluted dough batons fried until golden, then rolled in cinnamon sugar while piping hot. They are accompanied by a dipping pot of thick dark chocolate or rich goat's milk dulce de leche (cajeta).
[ ] Try pastel de tres leches
    A light and airy sponge cake pierced and soaked thoroughly in a rich syrup composed of three types of milk: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream, topped with whipped meringue.
[ ] Try Yucatecan marquesitas
    A beloved street dessert from the Yucatán: a thin, crepe-like waffle griddled fresh over an open flame, slathered with sweet Nutella or cajeta, and rolled tightly around sharp grated Dutch Edam cheese.
[ ] Try traditional flan napolitano
    A creamy baked custard enhanced with rich cream cheese, yielding a dense, silky texture coated with a puddle of bittersweet golden caramel sauce.
[ ] Drink fresh aguas frescas
    Non-alcoholic refreshments displayed in oversized beehive glass jars at every market. Top choices include cinnamon-spiked rice milk (horchata), tart hibiscus flower tea (agua de jamaica), and tangy tamarind.
[ ] Try traditional café de olla
    Coarse-ground dark roast coffee simmered in traditional earthenware clay pots with unrefined piloncillo cane sugar, whole cinnamon sticks, and occasionally orange peel or cloves.
[ ] Sip artisanal mezcal
    An ancient artisanal agave spirit made from wild or cultivated agave hearts roasted underground over firewood and river stones, imparting a complex smoky, herbal, and earthy flavor profile.
[ ] Drink a michelada
    A refreshing beer-based cocktail featuring crisp lager blended with freshly squeezed lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, Maggi seasoning, and Clamato tomato-clam juice, served in a glass rimmed with spicy Tajín chili-lime salt.
[ ] Try a paloma or cantarito
    The most popular tequila cocktail among locals in Mexico: crisp blanco tequila mixed with tart grapefruit soda, freshly squeezed lime juice, and a pinch of salt over ice.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/food-mexico