The 11 Food Tours in Oaxaca That Earn Their Price

1.AUTHENTIC OAXACA CULTURAL FOOD TOUR, eat like a local.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 462 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $114Our pick

Spend six hours walking central Oaxaca with guides such as Aurora, Betsaida, Ellie, or Fatima, tasting 24-plus foods, drinks, fruits, mezcal, and sweets. Visit three major markets and street-food stalls while learning about corn, pre-Hispanic cooking, local traditions, and the city’s food culture.

“This tour was hands down the highlight of our trip to Oaxaca. Betsaida was incredibly knowledgable and warm and really just a very fun hang! We learned so much about the history of the city and its people. THE FOOD WAS OUTSTANDING. We ate at many different places over the course of our stay, some of them Michelin starred, but after the trip when my husband and I were ranking our favorite things we ate, 4 of the top 5 were from this tour. One thing that was very unique that we definitely wouldn't have been able to do on our own was to try a bunch of the different…”

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2.Monte Alban – Full Day Guided Tour with or without Food – Oaxaca

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 183 reviews · 8 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $34Best value

Spend 8 to 9 hours with a certified English-speaking guide visiting Monte Albán, a traditional buffet, and workshops for black clay pottery, waist-loom textiles, and alebrijes. Guides such as Zenón and Rocío are praised for clear explanations. Pickup, transport, and return to central Oaxaca are included.

“The tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable, and the tour was diverse. I recommend it. Thank you.”

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3.Earth, Corn & Fire: Tasting the Roots of Oaxacan Cuisine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 182 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $115

Spend about 5.5 hours walking Oaxaca City with a small group of up to seven, tasting market foods, coffee, tea, and lunch. Guides such as Luis, Ricardo, Veronica, and Jalil connect corn, markets, indigenous customs, and city history while leading you between Mercado Sanchez Pascuas, Mercado 20 de Noviembre, and Mercado Benito Juarez.

“Incredible food tour in Oaxaca city especially within the markets. Don’t eat breakfast, you’ll regret being too full to try all of the delicious foods they provide for you along the way. Highly recommend, Luis was the perfect tour guide.”

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4.Food and Markets Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 170 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $56

Meet your English-speaking guide at Oaxaca’s Metropolitan Cathedral and spend 2.5 hours tasting through two traditional markets. Guides such as Alicia, Elizabeth, Elisabeth, and Coyote explain the food, history, vendors, tejate, tlayudas, tamales, roasted meats, grasshoppers, and sweets in groups of up to six.

“It was such a fun tour and our guide was great. She was very knowledgeable and humorous, and tasting all the different food and drink was fantastic.”

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5.Food & Markets Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 148 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $55

Join a guide such as Alicia, Elizabeth, or Coyote for a 2.5-hour walk from Oaxaca Cathedral to Mercado Benito Juarez and Mercado 20 de Noviembre. Taste tejate, aguas frescas, chapulines, sweets, tamales, grilled meats, empanadas, and tlayudas in a group capped at six.

“This was such a great tour to take on our first day in Oaxaca. Our guide, Alicia, knows all the vendors and has it set up so you can sample everything. We learned about all the local specialties, including tejate, mescal, different types of moles and chiles, sausages, Oaxacan cheese, pink orchata, grasshoppers and worms, and then you sit down for a big lunch of grilled meats, tamales, chile relleno, and chicken mole tlayuda. Do not plan to eat dinner that day.”

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6.Oaxaca Street Food Tour. Signature Markets Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 102 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $104

Start at 9:30 a.m. in central Oaxaca for a small-group walk through Mercado 20 de Noviembre, Mercado Benito Juárez, and, on some routes, La Cosecha. Guides such as Betsy, Daniela, Christian, and Camilla explain local food and culture while you sample mole, tamales, chocolate, grilled meats, mezcal, and chapulines.

“Foodie walking tours are my favorite in any part of the world and this one did not disappoint. It works because Betsy is an energetic bundle of information and kindness, and because the Oaxacan markets are fabulous. Come on an empty stomach, wear good walking shoes and prepare for a fabulous day. The other unexpected delight was that everyone in our group was so lovely. It made for fun chatting over ants and grasshoppers! There may be other foodie walking tours in Oaxaca but hard to image they can beat Betsy’s!”

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7.Private Historic City Tour + Street Food of Oaxaca – Best Rated

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $58

Walk Oaxaca’s Centro with guides such as Oscar, Sofia, Angel, and Yesi, visiting landmark churches, Teatro Macedonio Alcalá, and Mercado 20 de Noviembre. Taste local dishes, drinks, and sweets at your own cost while your private guide explains the city’s food, customs, and past.

“Our guide Sofia was a gem. She was sweet, knowledgeable about history, culture and foods. The best of all, she is a professional photographer who has a great taste in many things. It was one of the best walking tour experiences and street foods. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who loves Mexico.”

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8.Culture, History and Food in Oaxaca City

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 43 reviews · from $60

Spend about three hours walking Oaxaca with guide Luis, from Benito Juarez Market and the cathedral to Santo Domingo, street tacos, coffee, memelas, and a mezcal stop. You’ll hear local history, spot daily life in El Llano Park, and may catch a traditional parade.

“We had a tour from Luis, who was fantastic. He took us around the city, predominantly the old town. He showed us important monuments, historical churches and buildings. He explained everything in perfect English while also providing Read more”

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9.Street Food and 3 Markets Tour, Meat or Veggie Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $76

Join Sara for a three-hour walk through Oaxaca’s food scene, with stops at street stalls and Mercado Benito Juárez, Mercado 20 de Noviembre, and Mercado Sánchez Pascuas. Expect generous tastings, local context, coffee or tea, water, and meat or vegetarian choices in English, Spanish, or French.

“This was great!!!! Sara took us all over the old center.....food markets, street tacos and ice cream!!!! What a great guide and a super fun time .....lots of foods to taste.”

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10.The Late Shift: Tasting Oaxaca, by Night

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $115

Start at 3:30 pm in Oaxaca’s Centro and follow the city’s evening food shift through markets, family-run stalls, chocolate shops, and neighborhood streets. You’ll taste tortas, beans, mole, corn, tlayudas, sweets, and mezcal with a guide such as Luis, Veronica, or Pedro.

“Luis was a terrific guide. Did a great job engaging the group. Food choices were excellent. The tour said approximately 5 hrs. At the end of the 5th hour, we hadn’t left the Mezcal tasting and still had to go to dinner. Need better time management.”

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11.Private Tour to Hierve el Agua, Mezcal Tasting, and Textiles

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 33 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

This eight-hour private trip from Oaxaca City takes you to Hierve el Agua, Don Agave mezcal producer, and a Teotitlán del Valle weaving workshop. An English-speaking driver handles transport, while you explore at your own pace. Guides such as Javier, Alberto, and Ignacio have been especially well regarded.

“Had a great time yesterday visiting the waterfalls and mezcal tasting at the distillery. However the highlight of our tour was our wonderful driver Alberto! Such a lovely guy and so helpful and insightful.”

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