Few places have captured my designer’s eye and food lover’s heart the way Oaxaca City has. Its eclectic vibrance, communal warmth, celebration of artisans and mouthwatering culinary flavor had me entranced from moment one. Here is my Designers’ Guide To Oaxaca City, from where we stayed to what we ate to where we shopped for local treasures and where we experienced uniquely Oaxacan culture. It was a feast for all the senses and a place I hope to return again and again. 

LODGING

Grana BNB  — We stayed here on a rec from a friend. Beautiful, charming and centrally located and an easy home base for walking excursions in any direction. The hotel’s design sensibility mimicked that of the overall City: organic, natural materials, a variety of textures and neutral colors mixed with vibrant pops of color. The room was spacious with a cozy sitting area. The room was equipped with a woven sun hat and woven shopping bag to borrow during our visit. The breakfast in their communal kitchen was delightful and memorable. I loved the quiet meditation and reading room on the upper floor. The courtyard was calming and chill and the rooftop bar allowed views over much of the city. The staff were super warm and helped set up a car service for our excursions. Upon our early morning departure, which happened before their kitchen opened, the staff sent us off with coffee and brown bag breakfasts to go. So thoughtful!

Casa Antonieta  — I had my eye on this hotel but it was booked during our dates. We stopped in for a rooftop beverage at Ama. Will definitely be back!  

Pug Seal — Another must-visit on our next trip to Oaxaca. It looks like a real vibe.

Regardless of the location, you will rarely find me roaming without these travel essentials.

DINING

I strongly encourage making reservations for dinner at any of the restaurants, especially the ones with rooftops as they fill up quickly. 

Good for Breakfast

Boulenc —  Artisan bread, pastries and brunch dishes. Get the nudo! 

La Atolería — breakfast spot by Olga Cabrera. Stop for savory atop and pastries and pop into Olga’s beautiful kitchen. It’s placed right next to her Tierra del Sol restaurant 

Lunch / Dinner

Tacos del Carmen — street tacos to die for. Get the squash blossom!

Criollo — Enrique Olvera and Luis Arellano are the chefs. We cancelled our reservation after having done a little too much, but regretted not going to this place. Get a reservation ahead of time.  

Mercado 20 de Noviembre  — Casual covered outdoor food market. We tried the traditional tlayuda and it was delicious.

Las Quince Letras — Mexican breakfasts, traditional Oaxacan dishes and mezcal cocktails served on a shaded terrace. Delish mole. We went twice! 

Casa Oaxaca — Another beautiful rooftop restaurant. I was on a mole quest and my goal was to have as much as possible. This one might be my favorite.

Tierra del Sol Cultura Gastronomica — Olga Cabrera rooftop restaurant. Delish, a little fancy. 

Levadura de Olla Restaurante — Didn’t make it, as it was closed during our travels, but heard good things about this vegetarian restaurant. People rave about the tomato salad. 

Lechoncito de Oro — Late night taco truck specializing in pork offerings.

Bar

Selva — Bespoke cocktails in a chic setting. Make reservations ahead of time.

Amá Terraza at Casa Antonieta  — Casual rooftop cafe and bar at Casa Antonieta. We enjoyed a lovely break here during one of our meandering sessions.

Culture / Excursions Within the City

In town, be sure to check out the Jalatlaco neighborhood for its vibrant murals along the city streets as well as the Xochimilco neighborhood, one of Oaxaca City’s oldest, which features colorful buildings, the original aqueduct and excellent shopping.

Museo de la Filatelia de Oaxaca (MUFI) —  You’ll never be more surprised by the wonder of postage stamps until you visit this place. I went in with low expectations, but it was actually one of the highlights of the visit. Discovering the building iteself was also very special.

Museo Textil de Oaxaca —  Perhaps my expectations were a little too high for this museum. It was beautiful, but small. It’s worth a visit. We actually had an unexpectedly fun experience stumbling upon college students in a printmaking class nearby.

Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzman — the central cathedral in town. The interior is gorgeous and worth a peek inside. There is an amazing garden on-site, but requires a guided tour that we heard is quite long, so we skipped it. We did have the great fortune of being in front of the cathedral just in time to witness a Calenda, a post-wedding street procession featuring the couple and wedding guests as well as live music, traditional dancers and giant wedding couple puppets called monos.

Corazón de Cacao — We didn’t get here this time around to sample the amazing chocolate, but we will be back. They also offer chocolate making workshops.

Culture / Excursions Just Outside the City

Teotitlan del Valle — To me, Oaxaca is synonymous with handcrafted artistry and I was delighted by the idea of getting to see some of the artisans producing their beautiful pieces. We took a driving excursion out to Teotitlan del Valle to visit a textile “factory” called Casa Pochote, although it was more like an estate where the family and staff produce incredible handmade rugs and textiles using naturally-dyed hand spun wool. We got to see the dying process, spin our own wool and watch a rug being loomed. You’d better believe we went home with some amazing woven pieces.

Next we visited Casa Viviana, known for its ornate natural beeswax candle art. Doña Viviana runs the four-generation operation and, well into her mid-70s, is still producing pieces herself. She gave us a demonstration of her delicate technique of candle-making and guided us through the grounds and shop. This woman is known the world over for her craft and did not hesitate to show us her write up in Vogue and other publications. Legend! Visiting Viviana is a must.

Mezcal tasting at Mal de Amor — Before visiting the artisan village, we topped at the Palenque Mal de Amor to tour the facility where mezcal is sustainably produced and have lunch and a tasting. The labor that goes into producing one bottle of mezcal is mind-blowing and gives me a whole new appreciation for this unique spirit.

Monte Alban —  The excursion to this Zapotec archaeological site needs its own half day or more. We opted out in favor of more walking throughout the city, but I wish we had an extra day to visit this site. I hear it’s best to go early morning to avoid heat and big crowds. 

Shopping

Cooperativa 1050º —  I stocked up on tons of pottery at this unique ceramic shop. My prized selection was a barro negro (black clay) vessel. The artisans burnish these clay pieces to appear metallic when finished. It’s a clay and technique unique to this region and I was happy to get my hands on an authentic piece.

Aripo —  Beautiful courtyard with shops selling ceramics, textiles, clothing and home goods. I selected my own woven handbag with leather straps reminiscent of the one in our hotel room.

Once in Oaxaca — A charming coffee and stationery shop. I stocked up on the cutest postcards with illustrations of the city.

Lia Cafe and Shop — We stumbled upon this spot around the corner from our hotel and returned multiple times for coffee. Aside from the beans, the eclectic selection of clothing, textiles and ceramics was next level.

We covered a lot of ground in 4 days and 4 nights, but it’s never enough. I hope to be back to this magical little city again soon. What to see some of my other fave cities? Check out my takes on Paris and Tokyo.