Oaxaca

Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca

Oaxaca de Juárez or Oaxaca City lies in the foothills of the Sierra Madre at the base of the Cerro del Fortín. It is the home of mezcal, the “seven moles,” and black clay pottery. The best time to visit is in October and November during Dia De Los Muertos when the city comes alive (no put intended) with la calavera catrinas and shrines honoring loved ones. However; no matter what time of year you decide to visit— it is one of the best cities to dine in. Here is our guide to Oaxaca, Mexico.

STAY

HOTEL ESCONDIDO OAXACA The original Hotel Escondido is in Puerto Escondido, and this Oaxacan outpost seems miles away from the center of town. Set in a restored colonial house by Alberto Kalach with Brutalist elements amidst a sea of ochres featuring sabino wood furniture hand-constructed by master craftsmen. We especially love the rooftop pool and peaceful courtyard at this oasis in the city. Av. José María Morelos 401, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; escondidooaxaca.com

CASA OAXACA Near the Zócalo plaza with minimalist interiors and a restaurant helmed by one of Mexico’s most acclaimed chefs, Alejandro Ruiz Olmeda. We love the hidden pool, private rooftop terrace, and the courtyard restaurant serving homemade strawberry jam with conchas at breakfast. C. de Manuel García Vigil 407, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; casaoaxaca.com.mx

EL CALLEJÓN Tucked away in Xochimilco, one of the oldest neighborhoods in town, designed by the architect-owner using traditional materials like adobe, clay, and stone. Callejón Morelos, C. Macedonio Alcalá 103, Barrio de Xochimilco, 68040 Oaxaca de Juárez; hotelelcallejon.com

HOTEL AZUL A former private home in Santa María with a terrace overlooking the city, and an interior courtyard, which is lined with organ-pipe cacti. C. de Mariano Abasolo 313, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro; hotelazuloaxaca.com

QUINTA REAL Housed in a former 16th-century Dominican convent, this polished Colonial-style hotel in the center of Oaxaca is a 4-minute walk from the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán and a 7-minute walk from historic buildings, shopping and dining in the Zocalo, the town's main square. A refined restaurant offers outdoor seating with a fountain and views of the lush garden. There's also a gym, and a casual bar opposite an outdoor heated pool. 5 de Mayo 300, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; caminoreal.com/quintareal/quinta-real-oaxaca

HOTEL SIN NOMBRE Oaxaca City’s Hotel Sin Nombre may be the “hotel with no name,” but it’s certainly got an identity — an elusive, somewhat mysterious one, but an identity all the same. It’s the creation of a local artist, the California-born Elliott Coon, and the Portuguese architect João Boto Caeiro, who transformed this 17th-century house into a contemporary boutique hotel with a singular point of view. 20 de Noviembre 208, Centro, Oaxaca City; hotelsinnombre.com

OTRO OAXACA A hotel by Grupo Habita with help from local architect João Boto Caeiro, who masterfully mixed traditional Oaxacan textures and materials — and overt references to Zapotec archaeological sites — with modernist geometries and minimalist interiors. The result is both unmistakably Oaxacan and quite unlike anything else in town. 505 Calle Macedonio Alcalá 505; otrooaxaca.com

CASA ANTOINETA The tiny nine-room Casa Antonieta, in the historic center of Oaxaca City is set in a colonial-style building that dates back to 1529, old even by local standards, and while its original architecture is proudly displayed, its rooms effortlessly mix weathered stone walls with contemporary furniture and artworks, locally made crafts, and luxe, modern hotel comforts. Miguel Hidalgo 911, Centro; Miguel Hidalgo 911, Centro; casaantonieta.com

PUG SEAL OAXACA A pocket-sized boutique B&B in the compact historical center of Oaxaca City with just 20 suites. Calle Porfirio Díaz 212, Ruta Independencia, Centro; pugseal.com

HOTEL CASA SANTO ORIGEN Set where the northern suburbs meet the foothills of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca mountains, at a comfortable remove from Oaxaca City’s busy center, Hotel Casa Santo Origen aims to create a sense of pleasantly secluded tranquility. It achieves this through a compound-like layout that emphasizes privacy, a location that’s fifteen crucial minutes’ drive from downtown traffic, and through warm and welcoming interiors that display colonial, indigenous, and contemporary influences in more or less equal measure. 100 Loma de Guajal, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca City; hotelcasasantoorigen.com

GRANA B&B A stately 18th-century residence on the west side of Oaxaca City is now Grana B&B, and it’s safe to say that it’s rather more grand than the bed-and-breakfast tag ordinarily implies. Its 15 rooms have been left largely intact — a necessity given the house’s landmark status — but they’ve been updated in an eclectic, contemporary style, mixing traditional craft and modern design in roughly equal measure. Breakfast is served daily at an oversized communal table; among the house’s other common spaces are the tranquil central courtyard and a rooftop with a view of the city and the mountains in the distance. 118 Labastida Centro, Oaxaca City; granabnb.com

FLAVIA HOTEL The archetypal Oaxaca City luxury hotel is a colonial palace in the historic center, but everything about the Flavia Hotel is unconventional: its mountainside location on the edge of town, its monumental Brutalist construction, and, perhaps unexpected given its exterior silhouette, its exceedingly warm and livable interior spaces. It was originally conceived as a private home, which may be why its eleven rooms exhibit so much individual variation. Additional enticements include a substantial collection of contemporary art, a swanky rooftop bar with an expansive view of the city, and a restaurant serving an inventive mix of Chilean and Mexican flavors. Calle de la Cruz 7, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca City; hotelflavia.com

HOTEL LOS AMANTES Set in the historic center, this contemporary hotel has a rooftop restaurant that has a terrace, a hot tub and views of the church. Ignacio Allende 108, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; hotellosamantes.com

DINE | DRINK

CRIOLLO Chef Enrique Olvera of Mexico City’s famed Pujol restaurant brings a seven-course tasting menu, which changes daily and seasonally, into an old colonial house that architect Javier Sánchez restored. If you indulge in one too many mezcal maracuja margaritas, rooms are also available at Casa Criollo, a villa surrounding the open-air courtyard in the compound. Francisco I. Madero 129, Santa María del Marquesado, Centro; criollo.mx

CASA OAXACA El Restaurante by Chef Alejandro Ruiz Olmeda remains one of our favorite dining experiences. Sit on the lively rooftop overlooking the nearby Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán and order a mezcal margarita and the tostada con gusanos y chapulines (trust us on this one). Constitución 104-A, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro; casaoaxacaelrestaurante.com

ORIGEN Inventive global cuisine with an accent on regional produce in a subdued, timber-ceilinged space. Av Benito Juárez 308, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; origenoaxaca.com

ITANONÍ Corn-obsessed Amado Ramírez Leyva created this humble antojería (small-plates restaurant) to highlight four varieties of maíz criollo or heirloom corn. Alice Waters’s herself proclaimed this as one of her favorite restaurants. Order the tetelas (triangular corn pockets) stuffed with aromatic hoja santa leaf and melted cheese from Chiapas, the memelas with beans, and the chicken pozole. Finish the meal with churros and a glass of tascalate, atole or champurrado— a chocolate and maize drink. Av Belisario Domínguez 513, Reforma, 68050 Oaxaca de Juárez

BOULENC A panadería with homemade bread. Our top choice for pan de muerto and other local specialties, especially during dia de los muertos. C. Porfirio Díaz 207, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; boulenc.mx

LOS AMANTES Head up to the rooftop terrace and enjoy mezcal cocktails with 360-degree views over the Church of Santo Domingo. Our top choice come sunset. Ignacio Allende 108, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; hotellosamantes.com/en/los-amantes-terrace

ALOHA OAXACA Knock on the wooden door after dinner, and if you’re lucky, you’ll be welcomed into a courtyard bar with a DJ serving up tropical drinks to a crowd of dancing locals. Valentín Gómez Farias 220, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro; alohaoaxaca.com

SABINA SABE A mezcaleria that sits behind a bright green façade in the town center, serving a menu del día of creatively executed picas (small plates) perfectly suited for a pre-dinner bite or midnight snack. 5 de Mayo 209, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

PITIONA Order a mezcal pairing to go with dishes like the chicharrón memela (a tortilla mixed with fried pork skin) and mole. Eat on the terrace, which overlooks the Santo Domingo church and the surrounding mountains. Ignacio Allende 114, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez,

CASA DE LA CHEF A nearly hidden spot in Centro with amazing chilaquiles con chile pasilla and postres for dessert. Calz. de la República 304, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

HIERBA DULCE A woman-owned vegan restaurant when you need a lighter option. Cda. de Agustín Melgar 103, Vicente Suarez, 68033 Oaxaca de Juárez; hierba-dulce.com

SALÓN DE LA FAMA A classic Mexican dive bar. C. Porfirio Díaz 115, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68101 Oaxaca de Juárez

POLLOS BAR A traditional cantina in the city to listen to the jukebox, which plays plenty of cumbia. 68040, C. José López Alavez 1321, Barrio de Xochimilco, 68040 Oaxaca de Juárez

GARNACHAS LA GÜERA A small stall with empanadas in the Mercado de la Merced where the tortillas are filled with flor de calabaza (squash flower), lengua de res (beef tongue), and homemade salsas— all cooked on the comal, a large iron skillet over an open fire. C. de Gardenias #103, Reforma

TLAYUDAS DOÑA FLAVIA On the way to Santa María del Tule serving the Oaxacan signature dish— a large, toasted tortilla covered with a spread of beans, avocado, meat, cheese, and salsa. Carr. Internacional 2027, 71242 San Francisco Tutla

LECHONCITO DE ORO A food truck serving lechón (suckling pig) with crispy chicharrones (fried pork rinds) as part of a taco, torta, or tostada. Perfect for a late-night snack. C. de Los Libres s/n, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

UNIÓN DE PALENQUEROS DE OAXACA A crumbling cantina serving authentic mezcal. C. de Mariano Abasolo 510, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

LA MEZCALOTECA Offering upwards of 100 different types of mezcal​, many of which you can take home​​, at this reservations-only, intimate bar. Reforma No. 506, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

MEZCALERIA IN SITU A mezcal bar by Ulises Torrentera with a wide variety of agaves, from espadín to jabalí. ​Vicente Guerrero 413, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; insitumezcaleria.com

TXALAPARTA Local bands and national artists like ​Tijuana’s DJ Chucuchu play at this rooftop bar. Mariano Matamoros 208, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

AZUCENA ZAPOTECA A must stop for lunch on the way to the pottery and alebrijes taller’s outside of Oaxaca. Women make tortillas by hand on the outdoor adobe grill and the compound includes a boutique and gallery for shopping. Oaxaca - Puerto Angel km 23.5, 71506 San Martín Tilcajete; azucenazapoteca.com

MERCADO 20 DE NOVIEMBRE Oaxaca’s large, covered food market. The place to try tasajo (grilled smoked beef) or chorizo. It’s also known as the mercado de las carnes (the meat market). Miguel Cabrera 120 Col. Centro

TLAMANALLI The Mendoza sisters prepare traditional Zapotec food in the cocina of their restaurant Tlamanalli in Teotitlán del Valle in the Oaxacan Valley. Try the famous mole with 35 different chiles. 70420 Teotitlán del Valle, Tlacolula, 70420 Oaxaca

ZANDUNGA Hip venue serving local classics made with area-sourced ingredients, plus creative mezcal cocktails. C. de Manuel García Vigil 512-E, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro; zandungasabor.com

TERRANOVA Classic Mexican dining and a breakfast buffet in a spacious, lively eatery with outside tables. Portal, Av Benito Juárez 116, OAX_RE_BENITO JUAREZ, Centro Histórico, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez,

MERCADO CENTRAL DE ABASTOS The bustling food section of Oaxaca’s largest market with majority-women-owned food stalls for local specialties like barbacoa, tlayuda, and tangy pulque.

ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES

JARDÍN ETNOBOTÁNICO DE OAXACA A botanical garden adjacent to the Church of Santo Domingo featuring various species of cacti and a popular spot for private events and weddings. Reforma Sur n, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; jardinoaxaca.mx

MUSEO TEXTIL DE OAXACA One of the greatest dedications to Mexico’s textile heritage is housed in a restored palacio in the historic center. Its impressive showcase includes more than 5,000 locally procured artifacts that span centuries of textile-making tradition. Officials at the museum note at least one case of plagiarism per year in the state and more nationwide. In fact, French fashion designer Isabel Marant found herself in hot water recently for allegedly copying the Tlahuitoltepec blouse. Miguel Hidalgo 917, Centro Histórico, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; museotextildeoaxaca.org

CENTRO CULTURAL SAN PABLO ACADEMIC Mexican businessman Alfredo Harp Helú’s philanthropic foundation spent nearly $10 million to convert this former Dominican convent into an arts and culture hub. The interiors are by Taller Mauricio Rocha + Gabriela Carrillo, and include removable metal scaffolding and glass-encased reading rooms. Miguel Hidalgo 907, Centro; fahh.com.mx

MUSEO MACO This historic 17th-century mansion was once inhabited by noble families who carved their coat of arms into the façade. The House of Cortes was eventually acquired by the government who turned it into a museum. Today, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca contains 16 recently renovated exhibition spaces for Mexican and international contemporary paintings, sculpture, photography, and more. C. Macedonio Alcalá 202, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; macooaxaca.com

CENTRO FOTOGRÁFICO MANUEL ÁLVAREZ BRAVO Displaying the work of local photographers in a gallery space in the heart of town with a small, plant-lined interior courtyard with a reflection pool. C. de Manuel Bravo 104, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; cfmab.com.mx

CENTRO DE LAS ARTES DE SAN AGUSTÍN A 45-minute drive from Oaxaca in the town of San Agustín Etla and filled with art galleries. Av. Independencia s/n, Vista Hermosa, 68247 San Agustín Etla, Oax; casa.oaxaca.gob.mx

LALOCURA A Traditional Mezcal Distillery in Santa Catarina Minas. One of many agave fields outside of Oaxaca to tour, learn about the process of making mezcal, taste, and buy your favorite bottles. We also recommend Gracias a Dios and El Sabino. Nicolás del Puerto 1, 71534 Santa Catarina Minas; mezcallalocura.com

SHOP

COOPERATIVO 1050º Oaxaca is famous for its ancient style of artisanal pottery made from unique clays: barro negro (black clay) and barro rojo (red clay). Colectivo 1050º was founded by nonprofit Innovando La Tradición as a collective and marketplace for regional ceramicists to sell their work. They ship worldwide, but the original shop in Xochimilco is worth a visit. Esquina con, Xólotl, Rufino Tamayo 800-c, Centro; 1050grados.com

DRACO TRADICIÓN TEXTIL A woman’s clothing store making made-to-order Oaxacan textiles. C. Porfirio Díaz 404, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

MEZCALILLERA Sample mezcal, and bring some home, from this cozy mezcaleria and shop, which includes rare distillers like El Sabia Eterno to mainstays like Montelobos. Murguía 403a, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez; mezcologia.mx

HILO DE NUBE A shop in Reforma that sells hand-embroidered huipiles (traditional dresses or shirts) from a Mixe village called San Juan Guichicovi. C. de Manuel Bravo 214, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro; hilodenubeoaxaca.mx

TALLER-GALERÍA CÓDIGO TONAL An underground gallery and workspace founded in 2016 and run by printmaker Issvan Duarte. Av. Lázaro Cárdenas, Unidad habitacional, Benito Juárez, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

MERCADO BENITO JUÁREZ The place to find, quite simply, everything. From beach bags made by local artisans and huarache sandals to spices— this covered market is the best place to spend an afternoon shopping for gifts in Oaxaca. Las Casas S/N, OAX_RE_BENITO JUAREZ, Centro

TALLER JACOBO Y MARIA ANGELES Founded in 1994 by the newly married couple Jacobo and Maria, known for hand-carved and distinctly painted alebrije animal figures in bright colors and bold designs. Located a short drive from Oaxaca in San Martin Tilcajete. Libres 5, Col. Centro, 71506 San Martín Tilcajete; jacoboymariaangeles.com

MERCADO DE ABASTOS This large flea market on the outskirts of town features hundreds of local vendors selling foods and arts and crafts. Try the local barbacoa and tlayudas. Juárez Maza, Central de Abasto, 68090 Oaxaca de Juárez

MUJERES DEL BARRO ROJO A female-run shop in San Marcos Tlapazola that sources red clay pottery from various villages. Matamoros 18, 70400 San Marcos Tlapazola, Oaxaca

UNION DE PALENQUEROS You can try distillations from smaller home-based makers throughout Oaxaca. C. de Mariano Abasolo 510, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

MARCHANTA A boutique which sells elevated versions of the above from contemporary Latin designers. Keep an eye out for Mexican brands like Carla Fernandez, Zii Ropa, and Origen Textil. Be sure to browse their natural beauty products and the bold earrings they design in-house, too. Av. José María Morelos 802, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez

DAY & WEEKEND TRIPS

HIERVE EL AGUA A mineral deposit that has slowly solidified into a petrified waterfall, which you can see while relaxing in a thermal mineral pool. It’s like swimming on top of the world, but the best view of the waterfall is from the hiking trails beneath it. There are also little food stands at the entrance, where you can enjoy a quick quesadilla.

MONTE ALBÁN Monte Albán is among the world’s richest Mesoamerican archeological sites and is located some 20 minutes from the center of Oaxaca. This ancient Zapotec city, founded around 500 B.C., is one of the oldest archaeological sites in Mexico, consisting of several pyramids and tombs that are in beautiful condition. The ancient Zapotec civilization flattened an entire hilltop to create the complex of stepped pyramids, palaces, and observatories— climb to the top and enjoy the 360-degree views.

PUERTO ESCONDIDO A port town on Mexico’s Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca known for surfing, especially Zicatela Beach on the Mexican Pipeline. The town’s central Principal Beach is lined with palm trees and bustling thatch-roofed bars, the neighboring La Punta Beach has smaller waves for beginners, and Carrizalillo Beach is set in a cove backed by steep cliffs. Stay at Las Marianas or Hotel Escondido by Architect Federico Rivera Rio who modernized classic beach bungalows to include private plunge pools and modern, contemporary interiors and exteriors. Book a visit to Casa Wabi by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, an artist retreat and home for the Casa Wabi Foundation, an arts charity established by Mexican artist Bosco Sodi and directed by Patricia Martin— best known as the curator of Latin America's largest private art collection, the Colección Júmex in CDMX.

ZIPOLITE Zipolite is a small, secluded beach town an hour and a half drive from Puerto Escondido where the jungle-thick mountains meet the sea. Stay at El Alquimista, a hotel whose restaurant offers locally grown coffee, tropical fruits, and fresh-caught dorado along with daily yoga classes. Do not miss a stop at Mezcaleria Gota Gorda next door by award-winning mixologist (and our friend) Dani Tatarin.