• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

The way to a city's heart it's through its food! And on this private food tour, you'll get to know Oaxaca through its cuisine and the tastings favorite of the locals. A local food expert is ready to give you a taste of the real Oaxaca satisfying your cravings for local food and city highlights.

Destination

Oaxaca, Mexico

Category

Food Tours

Duration

2.5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español

Included

• Private Guide
• 6 local Tastings
• Vegetarian Options Available
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to Attractions
• after 19.00 the local market is closed

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 4 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at At the entrance of Casa del Mezcal - Oaxaca to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Food Introduction

   This culinary kickstart tour is short and sweet! A perfect way to get acquainted with the local cuisine, its best tastings, and where to find them - all with the help of a local food expert

4. Locals’ Favorites

   Kickstart your time in Oaxaca by discovering the local cuisine. Try some of the ultimate locals’ favorite food treats like Coronita and Taco de Lechon picked by your local host and hear why the locals love them so much!

5. City Highlights

   This tour is more than just food; it’s a cultural experience! In between food stops, discover city highlights for a well-rounded experience that will satisfy your appetite for Oaxaca. Check out Zocalo, Mercado 20 de Noviembre and more city highlights along the way

6. Food Recommendations

   With this private food tour, you’ll be set to keep enjoying the most authentic food and drinks in Oaxaca. Your food expert host knows where to go and what to order and will give you recommendations based on your likings and dietary preferences

7. Special Diet or Allergies?

   If you follow a special diet or have an allergy to a specific food, let your host know! They’ll make sure to consider that so you can have an enjoyable and safe experience

8. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Brian🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

6 May 2025

Rolando was an amazing guide, starting us off right off with the tlayuda in the market! I won't give away the rest of the amazing dishes and drinks we were able to try, but this was a top-notch tour with an extremely friendly and foodie guide - Rolando. He listened to our needs, as we didn't want to overeat as we have on other food tours, but we still got to try some of the best food we had on the entire trip! And a great stop at the end was the perfect finish to our time together. If you enjoy food, especially LOCAL food, book this one with Rolando!Culinary magic - Rolando knows the spots!

Sharon

(About local Raquel)

14 March 2025

We did the Culinary Experience with Raquel and we absolutely loved it. Not only does Raquel know a lot about the foods that are an important part of the Oaxacan culture but she has relationships with many of the vendors. She chatted with them as friends and treated everyone with respect. We tried crickets (not required!) and mole sauces plus so many delicious dishes I can’t remember the names of them all. Raquel was easy to talk to, and loves the culture and people of Oaxaca. Her enthusiasm was infectious and made us want to know more. She also gave us great recommendations on restaurants and other must-see cultural sites. Book this tour early in your Oaxacan visit so you can take advantage of all the other places Raquel recommends!Raquel makes you feel like an old friend

Lesley🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Raquel)

10 March 2025

From the moment we met Raquel, her passion and enthusiasm for her ancestral home was apparent. With gentle enthusiasm she shared her vast knowledge and experiences here in Oaxaca. We were fortunate to have Raquel for two tours - a highlight of Oaxaca and a food tour. Raquel accepted our limitations and planned our excursions accordingly. Her knowledge is vast and with her pleasant disposition, she made our time in Oaxaca more memorable. Raquel made our Oaxaca experience!

Unknown

(About local Raquel)

5 March 2025

We did the culinary experience with Raquel and it was amazing - we learned not only a lot about Oaxaca’s native foods but also about the culture and how everything ties together. One of the things I have noticed since being in Oaxaca is how proud the people are of their culture and heritage and that certainly came through during Raquel’s tour. We not only sampled many of the items in the market but she also explained how it fit into their culture. She also took us to a cultural museum and made suggestions for other things we might want to consider while we’re visiting Oaxaca. Overall it was a great experience and would highly recommend.Totally enhanced our Oaxaca experience!

Donna

(About local Raquel)

26 February 2025

We were so fortunate to book Raquel on our first day in Oaxaca, and I strongly suggest you do this! Not only did she give us an unbelievable introduction to Oaxacan food with the most respected vendors in the Benito Juarez market, she took us around town to familiarize us with several notable sites and artisan places which we were able to spend more time at later on. She also gave us an extensive list of restaurants, many of which we ate at and thoroughly enjoyed. Raquel is so energetic and enjoyable… truly felt like we were with an old friend. If you are going to Oaxaca and want a great experience, don’t hesitate to book her! Absolutely fabulous experience!

Peter🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Raquel)

24 February 2025

My wife and I had a terrific evening food tour with Raquel eating some wonderful local street food (the ice cream, mole and crickets were definite highlights), but more importantly meeting some amazing local folks and learning about Oxaxa from a different non-touristly perspective. Spending time with Raquel was truly special as she not only is deeply immersed in the culure of Oaxaca but also leverages her global experiences that help create the space for stimulating and insightful conversations. The night ended perfectly with an amazing mezcal in a cool local mezcaleria! We would highly recommend a tour with Raquel - you will not be disappointed!A great connection.

NICK🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Raquel)

16 February 2025

We had a fantastic tour with Rachel today. Rachel is extremely knowledgeable not only about the Oaxacan food but also about the culture and history of the area. We tried lots of different foods we hadn’t tried before and learnt so much about the area too . Rachel has a very engaging persona and the time flew by. We would highly recommend taking this tour with Rachel Our best food tour yet !

Michelle🇺🇸 United States

(About local Raquel)

31 January 2025

Raquel is passionate about the culture and walked us through every taste perfectly. What a great experience!

Amy

(About local Raquel)

2 December 2024

Our family of 4 had a great time with Raquel exploring Oaxaca's markets. She showed us her favorite tamale stand, told us about the history of some of the stalls, and guided us in trying chapulines (crickets) and other local delicacies! She was very patient and helpful with our school-age boys and knew where to find bathrooms (very important with kids!) Thanks Raquel!Excellent Food Tour with Raquel

Robert🇺🇸 United States

(About local Carlos Vidal)

17 November 2024

Carlos! We absolutely loved our time with you!!! You taught us so much, took us to places we would have never found on our own and introduced us to a food and culture that is wonderful and unique. Ten stars with a cherry on top! Mil gracias!!!Carlos is an absolute jewel!!!

Aaron

(About local Raquel)

2 July 2024

Raquel met us right on time with a huge smile and lovely attitude. We absolutely LOVED our time with her and would recommend anyone looking to experience the city and its street food to book with Raquel. From the exotic tastings in the market to the finer touches in a cozy cafe, she was an absolute delight as we learned all about the local culture and cuisine. We appreciated her passion for sustainability. We got so much great information that it made the rest of our trip and honestly felt we made a new friend :) All around wonderful experience

Felix🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sofia)

20 May 2025

My experience was awesome! Sofia was very knowledgeable of the area and had a very friendly disposition that made the your unforgettable and very wholesome.Your of El Centro

Mickaël🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Raquel)

11 May 2025

A warm and erudite evening with Raquel involving gastronomy, Oaxaca’s cultural traditions, anthropology and Mexican history. A wonderful window into the Oaxacan way of life. Raquel will be the first port of call when we inevitably come back.A wonderful tour d’horizon of Oaxacan life

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(About local Raquel)

7 May 2025

We had a great time on the street food tour in Oaxaca! Raquel was super friendly and shared lots of interesting insights—not just about the food, but also about the city’s culture and history. She adapted the tour to our needs, which made it feel very personal. We also appreciated that she helped us find vegan tasting options. Highly recommended!Personalized, Insightful & Delicious!

Patrick

(About local Raquel)

5 May 2025

Raquel was an incredible guide to Oaxaca. And she structured the tour around what our group was in the mood for! She also went way beyond food - but include insight on the geography, culture, art, and politics. Would definitely recommend!Raquel was amazing!!

Daniel🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Sofia)

4 May 2025

Sofia was the prefect guide, tailoring the tour as we went. Highly recommend Amazing tour

Abhijit🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

1 May 2025

We had an amazing experience with Rolando. We requested early start to our tour & he gladly obliged.since he is studying architecture we not only get to enjoy delicious Oaxacan food but also historical buildings.. He was very personable , pleasant & passionate.. I will highly recommend him.Oaxaca food tour

Unknown

(About local Carlos Vidal)

18 April 2025

Carlos was an exceptional tour guide. He was very kind, easy to chat with, and had great recommendations for places to go and things to try for the remainder of our trip. He took the time to tell us about the history of the city and its culture as we walked between food stops, and the food that we tried was amazing. Highly recommend this food tour with Carlos!Amazing tour!

Conor🇮🇪 Ireland

(About local Rolando)

16 April 2025

Rolando tailored our tour to meet our preferences which resulted in a really fascinating few hours. He was particularly strong on the architectural, historical and craft perspectives. Great tour guide! Very flexible on timings etc tooWonderful introduction to Oaxaca

Sara

(About local Carlos Vidal)

15 April 2025

Carlos' "10 Tastings of Oaxaca" was the best food tour experience I've had to date. It was thoughtfully designed with a variety of tastes. He accommodated our dietary preferences/allergies and there was something for everyone in our group to enjoy. We also learned so much about the history and culture of Oaxaca. Carlos expertly provided historical context as we walked through courtyards and along an aqueduct on our way to our next bite. It was the perfect way to begin our trip to Oaxaca and I cannot recommend Carlos enough!Book This Tour!

Dan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

14 April 2025

Rolando was exceptional. He was very knowledgeable, smart , interesting. He asked questions about us and our stories, but not too many. He shared stories about himself, but not too many. We travel all over the world. We especially like With Local guides. Rolando was one of the best guides we've had Excellent. He ended the evening by bringing to a restaurant that he suggested, and leaving us there. A wonderful introduction to Oaxaca.

Kevin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sofia)

13 April 2025

We enjoyed meeting Sofia. She grew up in the city and so had lots of interesting places to show and share. We appreciated that she shared her favourite places including somewhere nice for coffee!An enjoyable tour

Carla🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

12 April 2025

Rolando was great! We had a great time learning about Oaxaca and also visiting all the local food spots. Thank you Rolando! We hope to see you again in the future! Fabulous!

Stefanie

(About local Sofia)

10 April 2025

Our guide, Sophia, and driver, Saul, were absolutely amazing!! They made the entire day so memorable, and were so accommodating in every way and really made this trip special. I highly recommend both of them for any tour. They really were the best. 10 out of 10!

John

(About local Rolando)

4 April 2025

Rolando is an excellent guide. Our custom tour was designed to meet our needs. We saw what we needed to see. We had good food. Excellent educational tourMore than expected

Chris

(About local Rolando)

2 April 2025

Rolando was a wonderful guide for getting to know Oaxaca and the surrounding area. His background in architecture added a lot of interesting insights to our understanding of the area and the city. He adjusted our tour based on our interests and was happy to add on a few extra food stops and a tour of the market to help us get orientated. We also spent a great day with him at Mount Alban were we learned a lot about the history and design of the ruins and then travelled to a workshop and a wonderful Oaxacan buffet. Rolando is very friendly, interesting and very welcoming to our family. He was a great host and guide to help us get orientated and comfortable in Oaxaca.

Marylou

(About local Sofia)

22 March 2025

Sofía led our group of four to several delicious eateries. I was great to be able to eat food from several different street vendors with the confidence that Sofia knew the vendors and that their food was safe for tourists to eat. Sofia is very knowledgeable about Oaxaca as well as its cuisine. I highly recommend Sofia! Sofia

Lansford

(About local Rolando)

19 March 2025

Rolando was so knowledgeable. Great personality. Easy going. I would highly recommend his tour. Excellent

Jessica

(About local Rolando)

16 March 2025

Highly recommend Rolando! He’s an extremely knowledgeable and interesting guide. We had a fantastic time!Fantastic Tour

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(About local Carlos Vidal)

15 March 2025

Carlos was a great guide. The food was fun, adventurous and delicious. The tour was close to our hotel and Carlos took us place we may not have visited. In addition to food we were introduced to some of the amazing murals and interesting trees! Thank you Carlos I ate a grasshopper!

Linda

(About local Sofia)

14 March 2025

My husband and I had the good fortune to have Sophia guide us on a Oaxaca food tour. Because we are familiar with Oaxacan cuisine she wanted to introduce us to places we had not been. Her selections were both interesting and delicious. Besides being knowledgeable about Oaxaca and the food scene, Sophie is an absolute delight. We had a great time. Thank you so much, Sophia!Tour with Sophia!

Lisa

(About local Rolando)

12 March 2025

Rolando was the perfect guide, entertaining, fun and informative!10 hearts

Bennett

(About local Rolando)

11 March 2025

Rolando and his driver, Geizy, picked us up at our Airbnb to take us to Monte Alban to tour the ruins. Little did we know that not only would we (couple with two adult children) would learn so much about the ancient Zapotecs, but we would have so much fun. Rolando offers a wonderful balance of lots of information with a great sense of humor. He is absolutely wonderful to be with. Monte Alban blew me away and was the highlight of the trip for me because I knew nothing about the Zapotecs and how they were advanced in so many ways. After the tour, Rolando took us to see Angelico Jimenez whose grandfather created intricately painted wood carvings and who carries on the tradition (he also sells killer mezcal!). Then we were hungry so we went to a mole buffet, had a big lunch and a couple cervezas. (We asked to go somewhere to eat. This was not included in the tour, but not expensive.) When we got back to Oaxaca, we wanted to get some tuna (not the fish) ice cream and Rolando graciously accommodated our Mexican feasting needs, which was a great way to end a perfect day. Rolando, thanks so much for a great time and sharing your extensive knowledge with us! And a shout out to Geizy, too! Great guy!Rolando, cannot thank you enough!

Maggie

(About local Raquel)

28 February 2025

We had an amazing tour our first evening in Oaxaca. Raquel was so knowledgeable about the history and culture of the area and also, where to get the best bites. From tamales and tlayudas in the market to street tacos and mezcal tasting, we ate and sipped our winding way through the streets of this tradition-rich city. Raquel was so personable and tailored everything to our wishes, even showing us an amazing print making cooperative at the end of the tour. Everyone in our group raved about how great she was, and what a fun time we had. It was a great introduction to the city and its food at the beginning of our trip! Wonderful way to learn and taste!

Chelsea

(About local Raquel)

26 February 2025

Raquel was a phenomenal guide in every way—I truly can't recommend her enough. She gave us such a great introduction to the history, culture, and flavors of Oaxaca. She went above and beyond to make our time in Oaxaca special and memorable, and we loved getting to know her! Raquel rocks!

Vanessa

(About local Carlos Vidal)

24 February 2025

Carlos took us to many food tastings like tamales, fruits, grasshoppers (which I didn't eat ;) , sweet empanadas, cheese, chocolate, and lastly, to a market where we had soooooo many yummy Oaxaca food that I wanted to go back for more, but this time with an empty stomach ;) Hahaha! Carlos was very patient w our wishes to take sooooo many pictures around the walking area, and was also thankfully patient w my senior parents, accommodating their need to sit down once in a while. We really loved all of Carlos' food choices, and most importantly for me, my parents enjoyed the tour :) So glad they came along!A fun and yummy food tour with Carlos!

Erin

(About local Raquel)

23 February 2025

We got a custom tour the first day we arrived in Oaxaca and I am so happy we did. Raquel helped us get our bearings in a new city while learning about the history, art, food, and much more. Raquel is super knowledgeable and has a wonderful energy. I can’t recommend her enough - thank you!!Thank you Raquel!

Chas🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Carlos Vidal)

23 February 2025

Carlos was really friendly and happy to tailor the tour to our requirements, notably that my wife is vegetarian (whilst I am not). She always had something to try, and I didn’t feel that I missed out on anything either. He was also very good at highlighting where something that looked vegetarian wasn’t technically, so that she could make her own decision depending on how strict she was (e.g. a tamales where the dough was made with lard). He clearly has a lot of knowledge of the places to eat, and the shop / stall holders who seemed to know him, and we definitely ate in places and tried things that we wouldn’t have done without his guidance. He was informative about so many things - not just the food we tried, but also about the city and wider food culture. He gave us several recommendations for some restaurants to try, as well as craft places to check out when we mentioned about some souvenirs / gifts we wanted to buy. Something else that was very pleasant was that we didn’t leave the tour feeling completely stuffed - just nicely full. We have previously done a food tour in another country where we were struggling to manage some of the later tastings, as we were being given really big portions. Carlos managed to fit in more than 10 tastings, but several were small snacks, so it was never too much.Really enjoyable, relaxed & informative

peter

(About local Carlos Vidal)

22 February 2025

Really wonderful tour. Great number and variety of food tastings, a lot more than the ten advertised. Some things we would never have known about otherwise. Knowledgeable and attentive guide. Highly recommended. Great tour

Carol

(About local Rolando)

22 February 2025

My tour with Rolando was exactly what I wanted. A brief overview of the Zapotec & Mictec peoples and the Conquest with a more in depth discussion of the development of the city as reflected in its architecture. We stopped for a delicious snack, and visited a few artisans in the Barrio de Xochimilco. I highly recommend a tour with Rolando for an introduction to Oaxaca.Perfect

Ella

(About local Sofia)

21 February 2025

Sofia was an amazing host. We had a great time and loved how she tailored our experience to our specific wishes. She is the best! Would definitely do this tour again!Awesome tour!

David

(About local Rolando)

20 February 2025

Rolando is an excellent tour guide!! Knows the City really well and has great information about the history of the city. We saw some amazing artisans that we never would have seen on our own. Well worth it!!Great tour

Phyllis

(About local Sofia)

18 February 2025

Four of us took a walking tour with Sofia. We met her in the zocalo where she was easily identifiable. We had a lot of questions and Sofia was happy to answer them as we went to each location. I would say that if you are looking for an introduction to Oaxaca with a very happy, enthusiastic and energetic tour guide this tour is great for you!Oaxaca city walk

sheila🇺🇸 United States

(About local Raquel)

17 February 2025

We had. Great time walking around Oaxaca with Raquel. She was so informative and taught us a lot about the beautiful city of Oaxaca. She was very flexible and accommodating regarding timing. Anazing eveningnin Oaxaca

Mary

(About local Raquel)

15 February 2025

Raquel gave us a five-star tour of Oaxaca’s highlights and hidden gems. Her passion for the city and its peoples and its artists was infectious. She took us into artisans homes where they demonstrated their art for us. A scheduling mistake was n the morning was quickly dealt with and we had our fabulous 3 hour tour later in the day. I would recommend Raquel to anyone. She is the best.Five-star tour of Oaxaca’s highlights and hidden gems

Tracy

(About local Carlos Vidal)

15 February 2025

We had a great time with Carlos, including my 6 year old daughter who liked learning about all the food and trying bits and pieces. Carlos took us to parts of the city we probably wouldn't have seen otherwise which was lovely. I loved that he told us about the families and the women making the food. We ate loads and definitely didn't need anything more until late that day! From the moment of booking, Carlos was attentive and responsive. He was so lovely and really well organised. 100% recommend a tour with Carlos. Amazing and accessible tour

Marcus🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Sofia)

15 February 2025

Wie haben mit Sofia eine Abend-Walkingtour durch Oaxaca gemacht. Dabei haben wir nicht nur historisch Wissenswertes erfahren sondern durften diese außergewöhnliche und bunte Stadt auch von ihrer kulinarischen Seite kennenlernen. Sofia hat uns auf ihre sehr sympathische Weise die besonderen Ecken der Stadt gezeigt und Oaxacas vielfältige Speisen probieren lassen. Einzigartige, sympathische Stadttour

MICHAEL

(About local Carlos Vidal)

14 February 2025

We had a perfect food tour with Carlos. He brought us to local markets and offered us great version of some basics and so many wonderful new tastes that we would never have found without him. He is a warm, pleasant and wonderfully communicative guide for this English-speaking couple!! Couldn’t rate him higher. Wonderful food tour with Carlos!!

Unknown

(About local Sofia)

13 February 2025

We enjoyed the tour very much! Sofia was very knowledgeable and took us to several interesting places. We definitely wouldn't have found these places on our own. My favorite part was seeing the old aqueduct. Fun and knowledgable!

Wendy

(About local Raquel)

10 February 2025

We had an absolutely amazing day out seeing the astonishing & beautiful Hierve el Agua, swimming in the “natural infinity pool” among stunning scenery. We also loved seeing the beautiful ancient remains at Mitla and learning about weaving and chocolate-making. Raquel is a marvellous guide: Mexican born & raised, but she has also lived in other countries and was able to provide a truly enlightening world-context. We love to do tours given by local people when we travel, & have had many from different companies, but Raquel is a truly inspirational guide and by this was the best tour we have had! Many thanks, Raquel, from Wendy, Larry & RobynFantastic trip to Hierve el Agua