The Essentials

Oaxaca’s deep culinary heritage is, like in many places, a result of its geography: a big valley formed by small ones, all surrounded by mountains, rich soil and warm weather. In fact, this valley reminds us of a clay pot, where many ingredients are mixing, aging and melting together to become something new over the heat of the fire. Oaxaca’s best restaurants are firmly rooted in this unique geography and layered history of the state. Here, food is more than just sustenance; it's a living link to the past and an expression of community – and it’s a source of immense pride. From the foundational significance of corn, prepared in countless forms, to the complexity of its celebrated moles, Oaxaca is all about depth. To highlight this profound connection between land, culture, and cuisine, our local team has rounded up their essential spots in the city, for tlayudas, memelas, mole, and beyond.

First Stop: Özlem Warren’s Istanbul

I start getting excited in the weeks leading up to my departure for Istanbul. I lived in this fascinating city with my parents for over 15 years; of course, I long to see the family, but also it is the food scene I crave. Turkish breakfast, kahvaltı

Khun-Yah Cuisine

It’s said that the massive gold Buddha statue at Bangkok temple Wat Traimit was once hidden away – its value concealed from an approaching army under a thick layer of plaster. It was only when workers were relocating it in the 1950s that the statue fell and the plaster exterior cracked, revealing a core of solid gold. If Wat Traimit has another hidden treasure, we’d argue that it’s Khun-Yah Cuisine. Enter one of Bangkok’s most visited temples and wind through tour buses and rows of tourists, guides, and Buddhist monks to the eastern edge of the compound; keep your eyes peeled, and you’ll see an almost garage-like space and a sign. This is Khun-Yah Cuisine.

Scenes from Our New Bilbao Tour

Very few things in Bilbao are as they used to be. Some old bars, some ancient traditions, a chunk of a medieval wall, a handful of simple dishes. What has held strongest over generations is the intense connection Bilbainos feel to their Basque identity and passion for eating and sharing food with others. The image of local cuadrillas – groups of friends of all ages – eating pintxos and laughing over a glass of txakolí or cider is a daily constant. Bilbao is a phoenix of urban renewal, rising from a period of industrial decline to become a center of modern Basque cuisine that incorporates global influences with contemporary culinary quirks.

Introducing Bilbao

Since 2010, Paula has led the Culinary Backstreets Barcelona team as a writer and photographer, experience designer, and culinary walk leader. Born in Vigo, Spain, she left the world of advertising to become a writer, focusing on gastronomy and culture. Her work has been featured in USA Today and other major publications, as well as National Geographic’s show Top Tables, Top Cities. Paula is our go-to for all things Spain and helped us design our newest culinary walk in Bilbao, a city close to her heart. Born and raised in Getxo (Bizkaia), a coastal town near Bilbao, Gonzalo moved to San Sebastian in 2020 to get his master’s degree in gastronomic tourism at the Basque Culinary Center. As a tour guide focusing on food and wine in San Sebastian and Bilbao, he loves to help his guests come to love the Basque country and its gastronomy. As a self-described “craft beer geek and wine lover,” he also loves to show visitors the unique way Bilbao relates to its culinary culture and the city’s historical richness.

Taberna Basaras

If you turn the corner onto Calle Pelota and see a swarm of people in the street, wine glasses in hand, dive right in. You have officially left the tourist pintxo routes in Bilbao's historic Casco Viejo neighborhood and entered the realm of the locals, who storm the streets daily in search of a good spot for a drink and a bite before lunch and before dinner. Many believe that the fame of Basque pintxos – small bites offered on the counter of almost every bar – is the result of a culinary phenomenon, but it really comes from a social one. When you step through the door of Taberna Basaras, you have found one of the best places to take part in it. This tiny tavern – barely a counter, half a dozen stools, and many, many bottles of wine – offers a concentrated essence of what the Basque people expect when they go out to potear – the habit of meeting with pals to go from bar to bar: Friendly atmosphere, rich wines, and simple but tasty snacks.

Carnes en su Jugo Mexicaltzingo 1617

Around here, we all have a recipe for carne en su jugo and think our grandma’s is the best. A very local and traditional dish, it consists of beef cooked in its own juices – as its name in Spanish suggests – along with bacon and beans, and served with different toppings, such as diced onion and cilantro. To prepare this very flavorful and aromatic stew, the beef is cut into thin strips and simmered in a broth made from tomatillo sauce and chile verde – a recipe supposedly invented by a family in Los Altos de Jalisco (the highlands just outside the city) and passed down through generations, becoming a Guadalajara staple. Locals who want to enjoy this meal outside the home usually head to Santa Tere (also known as Santa Teresita), a bustling and historic barrio located northwest of Guadalajara's city center, home to a concentration of classic Mexican spots that specialize in carne en su jugo. Of course, they all claim to be the original creators. It’s a mystery that has never been solved, but we have bravely endured the uncertainty over the years, tasting the dish whenever we get the chance.