MexicoWhat to eat in Mexico: top 10 dishes
Traveling to Mexico? These are the ten dishes it is best known for, from everyday staples to festive classics, with a short background and a tip on where and when to eat each one. Ranked by how widely they are known around the world.
01Chocolate
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans. It can be a liquid, solid, or paste. It is eaten on its own and used to flavor other foods. Cocoa beans are the processed seeds of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao).
Travel tip Mexico has a long tradition of drinking hot chocolate, often spiced with cinnamon and frothed. You can find it at cafés, markets and at breakfast.
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02Taco
A taco is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a small hand-sized corn- or wheat-based tortilla topped with a filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and eaten by hand.
Travel tip Eaten at street stalls and taquerías at any time of day, typically a few small ones per person. Add salsa, onion, cilantro and lime to your taste.
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03Burrito
A burrito or burro is historically a regional name in Mexico for what in other parts of the country is known as a taco (a tortilla filled with food).
Travel tip In Mexico, burritos are most associated with the north of the country and are a rarer sight than tacos. They are commonly found in more casual places as a filling single dish.
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04Tortilla
A tortilla is a thin, circular unleavened flatbread, originally made from corn (maize) but now also made of wheat flour.
Travel tip A corn tortilla comes with almost every meal and is handmade or machine-pressed at local tortillerías. Use it to scoop food or wrap it around your bites.
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05Nachos
Nachos are a Tex-Mex dish consisting of tortilla chips or totopos covered with cheese or chile con queso, as well as a variety of other toppings and garnishes, often including meats (such as ground beef or grilled chicken), vegetables (such as chili peppers,…
Travel tip Nachos are more a Tex-Mex dish than a traditional Mexican one, but you will see them at bars and casual restaurants. For something more traditional, try fried tortilla pieces in chilaquiles.
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06Chili
Chili con carne, often shortened to chili, is a spicy stew of Mexican origin containing chili peppers (sometimes in the form of chili powder), meat (usually beef), tomatoes, and beans. Other seasonings may include garlic, onions, and cumin.
Travel tip Chili con carne is more of a Tex-Mex dish than a traditional Mexican one, so look for local stews like pozole or birria instead. You will find the chili version mostly in tourist-oriented places.
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07Tamale
A tamale or tamal is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaves. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate.
Travel tip Often eaten at breakfast from street vendors and made in large batches for holidays and celebrations. Unwrap the husk or leaf before eating, as it is not edible.
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08Quesadilla
A quesadilla is a Mexican dish made from a tortilla folded in half or two tortillas that are filled with cheese (queso), and sometimes meats, spices, and other fillings, and then cooked on a griddle or stove.
Travel tip Found at street stalls, markets and restaurants, and can come with a wide variety of fillings. In some regions, a quesadilla may not include cheese unless you ask for it.
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09Enchilada
An enchilada is a Mexican dish consisting of a corn tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a savory sauce. Enchiladas can be filled with various ingredients, including meats, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, or combinations.
Travel tip Served in restaurants as a main dish, often with beans or rice on the side. The sauce can be red, green or other styles, so ask what is available.
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10Fajita
A fajita, in Tex-Mex cuisine, is strips of grilled skirt steak, cooked with sauteed onions and bell peppers and served on a flour or corn tortilla.
Travel tip Fajitas are a Tex-Mex style dish, usually served sizzling at restaurants that cater to visitors. In traditional Mexican places, look for grilled meat tacos instead.
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Description: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Wikimedia Commons