Recognized by UNESCO as a treasure to humankind, Mexico’s culinary heritage is fascinating and diverse. Traditional Mexican cuisine is a comprehensive model comprised of farming, ritual practices, age-old skills, culinary techniques and ancestral community customs and manners. The knowledge and techniques used express community identity, reinforce social bonds, and build stronger local, regional and national identities For this reason, one the best ways to discover and learn about Mexico is through its food! Here are our favorite Journey Mexico Food Tours in Mexico:
Artisanal Mezcal Experience – Oaxaca
During this full-day experience in Oaxaca, travelers journey through the valley of Oaxaca to three different pueblos which make premium Mezcal at simple yet authentic distilleries. Far from the tourist track, the mezcalerias in San Dionisio Ocotopec, San Baltazar Chichicapam and Santa Catarina Minas produce quality mezcal using varied distillation methods. Visiting the producers in each town, visitors learn how donkey-power is still used in the fermentation process and learn about the differences between distillation using the traditional copper still and the pre-Columbian clay still. Upon tasting a variety of mezcal, appreciate the wide-ranging and distinct tastes of the spirit that can depend so much on the agave used and how it is distilled.
Cooking with Paco Cárdenas in San Miguel de Allende
In the Colonial Heartland of Mexico travelers can experience a unique cooking class in the personal home of Paco Cárdenas. Head to the market to meet his favorite vendors, many of them women farmers from the surrounding countryside who each day bring to the market what they have personally grown or produced – vegetables, fruits, fresh and dried herbs, fresh cheeses, flowers, and fresh and dried chiles. After this vivid introduction begins the cooking class where guests prepare favorite traditional Mexican recipes which include pozole, chiles rellenos, tinga, and soups. On this tour learn how to taste, smell, and feel the ingredients to create memorable dishes.
Mexico City Chocolate Indulgence
Did you know chocolate came from Mexico? On this special tour, travelers are invited to learn the important role chocolate played in Mexico’s history and how it has evolved into a modern gastronomic art today. The experience includes a stop at one of Mexico City’s most prominent restaurants, Café Tacuba, for a depiction of the origins of mole – one of Mexico´s most recognized sauces – and a visit to Que Bo, an artisanal “chocolateria” to enjoy a tasting of contemporary takes on traditional Mexican chocolate. The tour continues at the Chocolate Museum, Mucho Mundo Chocolate, to learn how the native cocoa bean has been used since Pre-Hispanic times in foods both savory and sweet. The experience ends with a three-course lunch at Azul Condesa, a restaurant opened by famed Chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, to enjoy their “legendary Mole”, a savory and smoky chocolate based dish that originates from Oaxaca in addition to a delectable chocolate dessert. More >>
Oaxaca Street Food Experiences
Discover the roots of Oaxacan cuisine by exploring the world of Oaxacan street food with a local bilingual local guide. The Oaxacan street-food scene is rich and varied, but the locals, like the guide, know exactly the right spots to visit to get the best quality, best tasting food. Visitors can try freshly made tortillas, tamales and empanadas, as well as drinking atole, a warm corn-based drink often served at breakfast time and of course, the world-famous Oaxacan hot chocolate. Food plays many roles in Oaxaca and throughout the morning the guide and the merchants will not only explain how things are made but also the importance of different foods in Oaxacan life.
Cancun-Riviera Maya Cooking Class at Mexico Lindo
Visitors traveling to Cancun and the Riviera Maya looking for an authentic and hands-on cultural experience now can attend g a culinary class where expert Mexican chefs teach Mexican cooking techniques with traditional ingredients.The workshop offers nine different classes/menus, focusing on different parts of Mexico’s cuisine: Yucatan, Puebla, Central Mexico, Seafood, Corn, Tamales, Holiday Dishes, Mexico Delights, and Mexico’s Best Selection, each sharing the best of Mexico’s rich heritage, culture, and traditions. More >>
Authentic, Fresh Mexican Cooking Class in Mexico City with Casa Jacaranda
This unique cooking tour in Mexico City can be tailored for a variety of experience levels. Here, travelers experience not only Mexican cooking but also Mexican life by visiting a bustling market and cooking in the home of Beto and Jorge. The classes are focused on seasonal products, buying only from vendors and butches with the freshest ingredients. The class helps participants find their own sazón (seasoning) so they can return home with a newly acquired Mexican skill.
Casa Crespo Oaxaca Cooking Class and Tour
A Oaxaca cooking class led by Oscar Carrizosa focuses on recipes that can be recreated at home. Travelers on this tour learn about Oaxacan cuisine and ingredients while visiting the local market with the chef and sourcing the ingredients that are later cooked with. Returning to the kitchen, follow step-by-step instructions on how to make two types of tortillas, three salsas, an appetizer, a soup, one of the many moles, a dessert, a drink and guacamole. Once the cooking is complete guests enjoy the fruits of their labor accompanied by a shot of Casa Crespo’s own mezcal or a Mexican beer.
A Taste of Puebla: The Mole Poblano Tour
Puebla is one of Mexico’s most culinary rich states and on this tours travelers will learn about Puebla’s most decadent, well-known sauce which is said to have been created in the 19th century by nuns. Start with a typical market visit to learn what many ingredients the mole recipe calls for, sample a variety of mole pastes and finish with a hands-on cooking class.
Puerto Vallarta Cooking Class & Street Food Tour
Early in the morning, guests of this tour are invited for a traditional Mexican breakfast at a local Mexican restaurant. Once ready to start the day, visit a nearby market and return to the kitchen to learn how to replicate some of Mexico’s most iconic recipes. At night, a new tour begins in Puerto Vallarta’s downtown for an evening street taco adventure that unlocks the local food stalls and trucks safely with some interesting history to accompany each bite.
Casa Oaxaca Culinary Experience
Chef Alejandro Ruiz’s restaurant Casa Oaxaca is listed among the Pellegrino Top 50 Restaurants of Latin America. His contemporary take on traditional Oaxaca food has made him nationally and internationally renowned. The four-hour class will be led by Alejandro Ruiz or a long-standing member of his team and will start with a local market experience. At the Sanchez Pascua market travelers have the opportunity to meet Alejandro’s favorite merchants and learn about the local ingredients, spices and seasonings while discovering how to source the best and freshest ingredients. Returning to the kitchen for classes, step by step instructions are provided to prepare a range of traditional dishes, salsas and tortillas. The meal is enjoyed while sampling artisanal mezcals and learning all about the variety of flavors of this important Oaxacan spirit.
READY TO PLAN YOUR CULINARY VACATION TO MEXICO?
Browse our collection of itineraries below or contact a Journey Mexico travel planner for more information on any of the above tours.
Spirit of Mexico: San Miguel Allende & Tequila – Starting in San Miguel Allende, Guanajuato and ending in Tequila, Guadalajara, you will experience personalized private tours, exclusive tequila tastings, a visits to boutique wineries and more.
Best Of Oaxaca Culture, Mezcal, & Beach – Spend your days strolling the vibrant colonial city center, meet families of local communities to learn about their indigenous traditions, take a break to unwind with some mezcal and taste your way thorough Oaxaca’s unique gastronomy.
Food, Wine and Tequila in Colonial Mexico – Delve into Central Mexico´s rich culinary, wine and tequila heritage with this exclusive itinerary that provides a journey for all of the senses through personalized private tours, an exclusive tequila tasting, hands-on cooking classes, visits to boutique wineries and more.
Culinary Tour Through Mexico City, Puebla, and Oaxaca – This trip is designed for travelers to experience the absolute best of traditional Puebla and Oaxacan cuisine while also sampling some of the country’s more contemporary styles in Mexico City.
Wondering what types of flavors you’ll try on this tour? Check out the 8 Best Foods in Mexico!
See more Food and Wine Itineraries in Mexico >>
Born in the UK, Sean has over 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry across the globe. His most outstanding achievements include being named as Rosewood Resort’s Director of Sales & Marketing for the opening of Las Ventanas al Paraiso, a resort which completely changed the luxury travel and tourism service levels for Los Cabos and all of Mexico; and also creating the private villa rental program for Villas Del Mar, Los Cabos’s most prestigious private resort community.
