Oaxaca Part I: Oaxaca City
Over the last couple of years our family has fallen in love with Oaxaca, Mexico. We visited on a few different occasions and have highlights to share. The State of Oaxaca is large. This post will concentrate on Oaxaca City. Check here for Puerto Escondido.
Oaxaca City
Oaxaca has been having a moment the past few years, and for good reason. This vast southern Mexican state boasts exquisite food, architecture, textiles, and galleries. It is full of quaint hotels, friendly locals, and beautiful geography, offering a little bit of something for everyone. Although it can get crowded at peak times, if you time things well, you’ll find yourself meandering sleepy, low stress streets, perfect for a family trip.
Highlights:
Food – It is worth traveling to Oaxaca simply to eat food. If I’d done nothing but sample the culinary delights of Oaxaca, I would have gone home happy. We had no trouble finding an abundance of vegan options, although we only visited one exclusively vegan restaurant. We only visited one Michelin starred restaurant and know we only scratched the surface of what the Oaxacan food scene has to offer. However, here are a few that stood out:
Muss Cafe – a trendy and delicious breakfast/lunch spot. Excellent coffee, baked goods, breakfast staples (oatmeal, pancakes, toasts etc). Fresh, hearty, and healthy.
Tizne – atmosphere, mole, and food and cocktails that look like art, Tizne does not disappoint. The restaurant is situated in a beautiful gallery, making it perfect for a leisurely stop.
Hotel Sin Nombre – hip rooftop location (inside a gorgeous hotel). The food was inventive, beautifully presented, and unique. If nothing else, grab a cocktail or two for the view.
Criollo - a Michelin starred restaurant, a reservation a few days (or perhaps even weeks) ahead is necessary. This restaurant emphasizes traditional cooking and has a menu that can be ordered alongside signature cocktail pairings. Unfortunately, our kids were exhausted the night we had reservations, and this is not a place for cranky kids. Plan and make sure you have the time to savor the experience this restaurant provides.
Kun Café – tasty coffee (alternative milks available) inside a cute shop. The owners also could not be more lovely. Great place to rest your legs mid-afternoon.
Zandunga Sabor Istemeño – Hip environment in a courtyard surrounded by cute shops. Food didn’t disappoint and they had availability on a night several of the other trendier restaurants were fully booked.
Hierba Dulce – Fully vegan restaurant. We love supporting the plant-based community and visited this restaurant a couple of times. It was solid for a tasty lunch, and obviously provided the most plant-based options, but the verdict is that some of the other non-vegan restaurants had overall better tasting food.
Textiles – Oaxaca is the textile capital of Mexico. In fact, I first learned about Oaxaca at my local farmer’s market in Salt Lake. I bought gorgeous cerulean bowls from a woman born and raised in Oaxaca. The way this woman spoke of her homeland had me itching to see Oaxaca for myself. Just as all the guidebooks will tell you, there is a different type of textile depending which direction you venture from Oaxaca City. Depending on where you go, you can find black, green and red pottery, woven textiles, artisanal mezcal and so much more. Our hotel, Casa Antonieta, arranged a private guide who took us to the Teotitlan Valley, San Bartolo, and San Marcos Tlapazola (highly recommend!). The second time I visited Oaxaca, I rented a car. It is easy to drive if you don’t mind unexpected traffic and endless speedbumps; however, it is worth having a guide for background and history, especially if it is your first time in the area. There are many weavers, able to create anything your imagination can conjure, eager to strike a deal, and more than willing to ship anywhere in the world. If you plan to buy something, come prepared (with measurements, design etc.) and ask around to make sure you get the quality you are after. With a little preparation, you can get a high-quality piece at a fraction of the cost of high-end mass dealers (think Crate and Barrell, Lulu & Georgia etc.).
Hotels/Location – Just as is true with the food scene, the hotel scene in Oaxaca is special and are destinations in and of themselves. Do yourself a favor and book a boutique hotel for the ambiance, architecture, and design inspiration. You may never want to leave your room! We stayed at Casa Antonietta both times we were in Oaxaca City. The second time they had renovated, offering an expanded room selection (from the original 6 rooms), including rooms upstairs near the balcony bar. Book early because rooms sell out many months in advance!
The second time we visited Oaxaca City, we spent the first several days staying in the San Etla mountains at an animal rescue. This was an incredibly special experience in and of itself. Casa Raab, which is associated with the Friends of Megan Animal Rescue, offers a few accommodation options. Prices include breakfast and dinner with the owners, Rebecca and Tony, and morning walks with the resident and adoptable canines. It was wonderful to stay just outside of Oaxaca (it was a 20-30 minute drive to the city center), experience the beauty of the surrounding mountains, and spend the day interacting with the animals in-between dips in the pool. Both Rebekkah of Friends of Megan and Merry Foss of Teotails (another animal rescue in the Teotitlan Valley) are two incredible women, deeply connected to the local communities they live in, and are working tirelessly to improve conditions for animals in the area. If you don’t visit, please consider donating!
Culture – there is a reason Pixar made a movie about Oaxaca. You could spend months, years exploring the architecture and historical sites of Oaxaca. Tasting traditional food and perusing local art galleries will give you a sampling that may make you want to return time and time again. Additionally, as is the case with all Mexican cities I have been to, there is a huge emphasis on family. As the sun sets and temperatures cool, families come out to the main plaza to be together. There is always a plethora of food carts and children-focused vendors selling balloons, bubble-guns, wire-framed animals that can be pulled on a string, just to name a few. Each night we went to the main town plaza, let the kids run free, listened to whatever entertainment was happening that evening (bands, clowns, street performers, etc.), and grabbed a snack or beverage from the street vendors (street corn NEVER gets old). Sitting and people watching day or night is also a lovely way to pass hours or days in this beautiful city.
