Mexican street food is a unique collection of dishes that are characterized by their bold, savory flavors and creative presentation. Street food is often prepared and served quickly, with ingredients easily accessible to passersby. Mexican street food is typically made up of several small dishes, each representing a different region of Mexico.
There are many different types of street food in Mexico: tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tamales, flautas, enchiladas, tlacoyos and more. The most common street foods are tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Other popular street foods include pork tacos (trompites), chicken tacos (tamales), steak burritos (fajitas) and fish tacos. Street food can be found in any type of restaurant or market in Mexico.
Mexico has a long and varied street food culture. In Mexico City, you can find a lot of street food vendors selling tacos, burritos, tortas and more at Mercado de San Juan, Mercado Medellin or Mercado la Merced. In Puebla, you can find tamales, chiles rellenos and pozole at the Mercado de los Tamaleros. In Monterrey, check out the Mercado de Churros for hot churros and your choice of toppings. And in Oaxaca, you can find mole and quesadillas at the Mercado de Antojitos.
Mexican street food has become increasingly popular over the past few years. The influx of Mexican restaurants in the United States has made it easier for people to enjoy this tasty cuisine from their own
Mexican street food can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It can also be paired with beer or wine for a casual night out with friends.
If you’re looking for food on the street, Mexico City has some of the best places in the world. Whether you want to try traditional Mexican cuisine or something a little more adventurous, there are tons of great options to try. From Tamales to Tacos al Pastor (best tacos IMO) and everything in between, here’s our list of some of the best Mexico City street food:
Churros
Churros are a Mexican pastry made of dough that is deep-fried and then coated with sugar. They are a popular street food in Mexico City, where they can be found at every corner.
The churro recipe has been around since the 18th century and is said to have originated from Spain. The Spanish word “churro” comes from the Latin word “corium” meaning “skin” or “hide”, which refers to the shape of this sweet treat (long cylindrical pieces).
Chicharrónes
Chicharrónes are fried pork rinds and a staple in Mexican food. They’re a popular food typically eaten as a snack, served with lime juice, chili powder, and salt. A common way of eating chicharrónes is to tear off pieces of the skin with your teeth and then dip them into the accompanying sauce.
Chicharrónes can be enjoyed at any time of day—breakfast or dinner—and most people will keep some on hand at all times in case they get hungry. You can find them at street food stands or in restaurants throughout Mexico City; even though you might assume they would be more popular during celebrations like Cinco De Mayo or Dia De Los Muertos (Day Of The Dead), this isn’t always the case!
Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)
Elotes (Mexican street corn)
Corn on the cob, roasted with lime juice, salt and chili powder. Sometimes you’ll find it topped with cheese or mayonnaise. You can eat this at any time of day (even breakfast!) and it’s very popular in Mexico City.
Tacos de Canasta (Steamed Basket Tacos)
You might not have heard of this type of taco before, but basket tacos are a typical Mexican street food treat. The name refers to the way they’re served: in a woven basket that also serves as a plate. They’re typically made with corn tortillas, which are often stuffed with meat, cheese and vegetables like lettuce and tomato. Basket tacos can be eaten by hand or cut into wedges for dipping into salsa.
Basket tacos can be found almost anywhere you go in Mexico City—and they’re definitely worth trying!
- If you want to eat your basket taco by hand, bite off one side of the tortilla shell and fold it over from there so that you end up with an open-faced sandwich-style wrap around your fillings (you’ll need something else to scoop up your toppings).
- If you prefer cutlery for dining out on the streets (or even at home), use plastic fork tines or toothpicks (they work just as well) to pierce through all layers simultaneously so that nothing falls out while eating. This method will also allow you smaller pieces so that everyone gets equal access without fighting over who gets what piece first!
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Tlacoyos (Oval-Shaped Fried Blue Corn Masa Cakes)
Tlacoyos are made by rolling blue corn dough into an oval shape and then frying it in oil. They can be topped with refried beans, chili powder and cheese or filled with meat or vegetables.
They’re a popular street food in Mexico City, but you can find them at some restaurants as well. The tlacoyo is said to have originated in Puebla, where people traditionally make their own blue corn tortillas at home for special occasions—and that’s where the name “tlacoyo” comes from!
Cecina (Spiced Grilled Beef)
Cecina is a popular dish in Mexico food scene, and is usually served as a snack or appetizer. A piece of beef (usually skirt steak) is marinated overnight in a mixture of spices including cumin, oregano and coriander before being grilled over an open flame and served with tortillas, salsa and onions.
Most people eat cecina wrapped in tortillas along with their choice of salsas. You can also serve it as an entrée along with rice or potatoes if you prefer to go that route!
Sopes (Thick Tortillas with Pork, Refried Beans and Cheese)
Sopes, a traditional Mexican dish made from thick corn tortillas, are topped with refried beans, cheese and pork. They can be eaten alone or served as an accompaniment to other foods. In Mexico City, sopes are a popular street food.
Sopes can be purchased at many restaurants throughout the city in addition to being sold on the streets by vendors and small stands throughout town.
Quesadillas (Tortillas with Cheese)
Quesadillas are a great street food option (and one of the best food) when you’re traveling in Mexico City. They’re made with corn tortillas, filled with cheese and other ingredients like beans, pork, chicken or vegetables and served hot with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. You can find quesadillas in many different restaurants around the city but they’re also sold on the streets by vendors who make them fresh right there for you to eat on-site or take away.
One of my favorite places to enjoy this dish is Tepito Market because it offers such a wide variety of options at very affordable prices (about $1 USD). If you want something more traditional then check out La Parrilla located near El Pedregal market where they specialize in barbacoa tacos but also serve excellent quesadillas stuffed full of meaty goodness!
Tamales Oaxaqueños DELUXE – Made of Mole Negro, Chicken, Raisins, Almond and Olives Wrapped in Banana Leaves!
You may have heard of tamales and you may even know what they are. But how many people have had the chance to try one of the best kinds of tamales in Mexico City?
Tamales Oaxaqueños DELUXE are made with mole negro, chicken, raisins, almonds and olives wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks! These ingredients combine together to create a very delicious treat that’s perfect for any occasion. The size of these treats is also quite large so if you’re planning on sharing them make sure that everyone has brought their appetite along!
Taco al Pastor (Spit-Grilled Pork Served on Corn Tortillas)
Tacos al pastor (Pastor Tacos) are a popular street food in Mexico. They consist of marinated pork that has been cooked on a vertical spit, served with cilantro, salsa and onion.
The name “al pastor” means “in the style of shepherds” or “pastor-style”. The word comes from the Arabic word for shepherd: المهرجين al muharjain which was adopted into Spanish as al pastor (the same way that we get words like ‘caravan’).
Birria Tacos
Birria tacos are a popular street food in Mexico, especially in the Mexican states of Puebla and Oaxaca. In Puebla, the main ingredients are birria, which is a spicy stew made from goat meat, and birria tacos, which are small tacos filled with birria. Birria tacos are traditionally served with tortillas or corn tortillas and served with avocados, salsa, and lime juice as toppings. Birria tacos are also known as birrias con queso (or “with cheese”). In Oaxaca, birria tacos are often served with avocado instead of salsa and accompanied by pickled red onions.
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Fruit Juices
Fruit juices are an important part of Mexican street food because they’re refreshing, tasty and healthy.
Here are some of the most popular fruit juices in Mexico:
- Coconut juice is a refreshing drink that is made from coconut flesh and water. This can be found on juice stands on the streets of Ciudad de México and other Latin America countries.
- Papaya Juice is another very popular street food in Mexico that is made from fresh papaya fruit. The drink has a sweet taste with a hint of sourness to it. It is usually served chilled with some ice cubes in it as well. This drink can also be found on the streets of other Latin American countries too like Brazil and Argentina etc..
- Pineapple Juice is another tasty fruit juice that can be found on the Mexican streets as well. It contains natural sugar content which makes it sweet and tasty to drink anytime during the day or night! This can also be found in other Latin American countries like Brazil etc..
- Orange Juice is another popular street food that you will find on the streets of Mexico and other Latin American countries like Brazil etc.. Orange Juice contains natural sugar content which makes it sweet and tasty to drink anytime during the day or night!
- Watermelon juice is a very popular Mexican drink. The watermelon fruit is rich in vitamins A and C. It also contains potassium, folic acid and antioxidants. Watermelons are often used to make juice. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Watermelons have been cultivated for thousands of years by Native Americans in Mexico and Central America. Today, they are grown all over the world and are one of the most popular fruits in the world.
- Lime Juice: Limes are small citrus fruits that originated in Southeast Asia but have been cultivated in Mexico for centuries. They were introduced to Europe by Spanish settlers who called them “lemon” because they resembled lemons but had a much more sour taste than lemons do today. The word lime comes from the Spanish word limón which means “lime”, but it has nothing to do with limes (lemons). It was first used in English in 1611 when William Dampier described limes as “a Citron without a Kernel”. Today limes come from many countries including Mexico, Brazil, India and China among others. Limes are very popular around the world because they can be used
There are tons of delicious street food options all over Mexico City.
If you’re looking for delicious street food options, Mexico City has you covered! There are tons of street food stalls with delicious treats throughout the city. The most common street food is tacos, which can be found street vendors almost anywhere in the city. Street food in Colonia Roma is a great place to try new foods without breaking the bank. You can find everything from traditional tacos and quesadillas to modern twists on traditional dishes like gourmet hot dogs or seafood burritos.
But Mexican street food is a little more than tacos and burritos. While these beloved items can be found on nearly every street corner, they’re not the only ones you’ll find if you venture into the streets of Mexico. For example, mole poblano is a Mexican sauce that is an indispensable ingredient for various Mexican dishes. The sauce was created in the 17th century by nuns from the city of Puebla de los Ángeles who used nuts, spices, chili peppers and many other ingredients to prepare this delicious sauce. Mole poblano can be made with different types of chocolate and seasonings, but the traditional recipe uses just a few ingredients: cocoa powder, almonds, chilies, cinnamon, and salt. But we will talk about Mole Poblano on another occasion in more detail.
We hope this guide has helped give you a feel for the types of street food in Mexico City. We’re certain that after reading it, you’ll be ready to head out, look at every street corners and start trying some of these delicious treats for yourself!
Don’t miss a chance to read What is Street Food?