Embark on a mouth-watering culinary adventure around Oaxaca. Discover the unique flavours and traditions of Mexico’s most ethnically diverse state. Between sips of mezcal and tejate, and bites of crispy tlayuda and suckling pig tacos, you’ll explore the city and its surrounding villages—chatting with local producers, visiting the best restaurants, shopping at the lively markets, taking private culinary masterclasses, and enjoying home-cooked meals in the homes of local chefs.
We’d recommend beginning in Oaxaca itself where we’ll set you up in one of the city’s finest establishments. Choose internationally acclaimed chef Enrique Olvera’s stunning two-room private pad Casa Criollo, which adjoins his wonderful restaurant, enjoy the modernist boutique sanctuary of Casa Carmen or imbibe the grand colonial atmosphere at Quinta Real.
"You’ll meet master mezcaleros to learn about and taste the extraordinary mezcals they produce – trust us, they are nothing like the mezcals you may have tried at home."
Each experience is carefully curated to focus on your individual needs and preferences, but to set the scene, we’d recommend hitting the streets on a private walking tour with the brilliantly connected chef, mixologist and all-round superstar Omar Alonso who will take you to his favourite non-touristy restaurants, street stands and markets to sample and hear the stories behind Oaxacan delicacies such as enfrijoladas, chapulines and hot empanadas filled with quesillo, wild mushrooms and epazote.
A privately guided tour of Abastos market with a top chef will bring you face to face with a bewildering variety of chillies, beans, corns, squashes, wild herbs and spices and cured and smoked meats. Learning about the provenance and traditions of these amazing ingredients, make your selection and return to the kitchen, where under expert tutelage you can prepare dishes such as clay-cooked goat with mole and salsas made from heirloom tomatillos.
In the hills outside Oaxaca, we’ll introduce you to women who have been making tejate in the traditional way for thousands of years, brewing toasted corn, cacao, mamey pits and flor de cacao into a foaming drink fit for the gods. And, in the Matatlan Valley, you’ll meet master mezcaleros to learn about and taste the extraordinary mezcals they produce – trust us, they are nothing like the mezcals you may have tried at home. If you need a break from all that deliciousness, we’ll arrange, depending on your interests, visits to the fabulous botanical gardens, incredible ancient Zapotec monuments like Monte Alban or to traditional weaving and handicrafts cooperatives.
As exciting as Oaxaca is, the intensity can feel a little much after a few days, so we’d recommend adding a couple of extra nights to relax at one of the most extraordinary hotels in all of Mexico. An hour from Oaxaca, in the rugged, mountainous mezcal-producing lands to the east of the city, is Casa Silencio. Set high above–and just a short walk from the ancient Zapotec site of Mitla and the geological marvel Hierve El Agua–Casa Silencio is both a working distillery and a one-of-a-kind ultra-exclusive retreat. It is the perfect place to unwind and drink in your surroundings. Tastings here–of one of Mexico’s most venerated mezcal brands–are legendary, and the farm-to-fork food, presided over by chef Daniel Robles Sumano, is equalled only by the spectacular views across the valley.
