Looking for new ways of visiting a city? What can you combine sightseeing with? Here we propose a guide for everything you need to know if you are thinking of joining a food tour in Mexico City.
What is a food tour?
When you join a food tour, the aim is to be guided by a specialist through some of the best restaurants, the gastronomic secrets and even local markets. This way, you can combine both visiting iconic landscapes as well as delving into the history of the typical cuisine.
What to try on a Mexico City food tour?
While Mexican cuisine has widely spread on an international level, Mexico City DF is where you will find the original recipes and tastes. So, if you are listing your next stop in your Food tour Mexico DF, make sure to keep this dishes in mind:
Tacos al pastor
Though nowadays this recipe is largely associated with Mexican culture, it is said to be inspired by the lamb shawarma that the Lebanese immigrants brought to Mexico City. As lamb was difficult to find in the new city, it was replaced by thinly sliced pork, but it is still cooked on a vertical spit. Then, it is covered with a marinade of spices and dried chiles. Afterwards, they are topped with pineapple (sometimes combined with cilantro and chopped onion) and served on a corn tortilla with spicy salsas. Lime wedges on the side are also a highly chosen option.
Pozole
Locals know it as a hangover cure, for it is satisfying and delicious. This plate consists of a soup or stew that is made with dried corn kernels treated with an alkali (that takes the name of hominy), meat (generally pork, though you can also find chicken) and garnishes (radish slices, chopped onion, shredded cabbage, dry chile flakes, dry oregano, avocado, crispy chicharron and even sour cream) and seasonings.
While its popularity has led to a great variety of combinations of this dish, three rise above the rest: the white, the red (broth is cooked with dry chiles) and the green (broth cooked with green herbs and chiles).
You can try it all year, but it is specially on demand on New Year’s Eve and Day and on Independence Day (September 16th).
Tamales
Corn dough with meat, cheese or sweet fillings: all of this steamed in a banana leaf or a corn husk and you have a traditional Mexican tamale. You can have them as lunch or breakfast.
Esquites
Known as “corn in a cup” and a popular street food, this dish includes corn kernels cooked with onions and epazote leaves in clay pots. This is then mixed with lime juice, mayonnaise, chili powder, cotija cheese and others. Some variations include toppings such as mushrooms, chicken’s feet or bone marrow. This results in a mixture of flavors, for it has sweet corn, the lime taste and the spicy chili.
Elote
While they share some ingredients with the esquites (like mayonnaise, cotija cheese and chili powder), these delicacies include boiled or grilled corn. They are often served with a wooden stick so you can eat it while you are walking around the city.
Quesadillas
These wheat or corn tortillas can be filled with cheese, but sometimes they also include meat (chorizo, ham or others) and vegetables (chicharrón or nopal, to name a few). They are then folded in half and cooked in a comal. You can find it almost anywhere and you can have them for lunch, supper or even breakfast.
Gorditas
Corn dough in a disc which is later fried up, sliced and filled with potato, chicharrón prensado, cheese or nopales: this plate, which loosely translates to “little fatties” can be accompanied with sour cream, cheese, sauce or lettuce, but you can find a wide range of options in the street stands.
Tlacoyos
Not far from the “gorditas”, these oval-shaped dough treats (can also be found as triangles) are stuffed with bean, chicharrón, cheese and chicarrón, nopales or squash blossom (your choice).
Churros
This pastry has earned its worldwide fame due to its deep-fried dough served with a chocolate dipping sauce, which makes them ideal for those with a sweet tooth.
Barbacoa
Lamb (you can also find goat or mutton) slow roasted in underground pits, wrapped in agave leaves and then served with onions, corn tortillas, cilantro, lime and salsa: have this tender plate in tacos, in stew or as part of your breakfast.
Pambazo
A sandwich made in a roll that is dipped in chili sauce and then browned on the griddle and stuffed with chorizo, lettuce, potatoes and cheese: bold, spicy and wildly popular, you can find this dish anywhere in the city.
Tacos de Canasta
While tacos are known worldwide, these ones are referred as “basket tacos”, for they are mostly sold by taco sellers with a basket tied up. You can try the traditional fillings, such as potato, beans, marinated meat, chicharrón prensado and green mole, and you can choose to combine them with spice sauce or pickled jalapeño.
What to take into account before booking your food tour?
There are a number of factors to consider before choosing the perfect food tour for you. Some of them are:
Group number
Whether you are a social person and enjoy the company of a large group of people, or you are a more private person and like more cozy options, there are plenty of food tours for you to choose from.
Preferences and restrictions
If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, or if you have any kind of food allergy, it is good to check the kind of restaurants you will be visiting beforehand.
Duration
Longer tours with few stops, tours with several spots to visit in a short period of time: from days to weeks, you can find alternatives with different durations that can adjust to your vacation plan.
It does not matter if you prefer sweet or salty food, if you want the best restaurants or street vendors: Mexico has everything in store for you.
Leave a Reply