Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Emily Buckley.
Mexico’s streets are packed with food vendors, especially in the cities when, first thing in the morning, during lunchtime and after work, the pavements will be impassable due to the number of people queuing up around the stalls. Although the national staples such as tacos and tamales can be found across Mexico, each region offers different variations and often their own traditional food too. It’s hard to pick the top street food dishes as they’re all good, but here are the ones that really stand out. You can try to avoid them but the mouth-watering aromas will get you in the end!
Tacos — the variety is seemingly endless but each one is delicious so you can’t really go wrong. Tacos al pastor are a classic that you will find on every street in Mexico City – similar to the Turkish doner kebab, but made with pork and tortillas rather than lamb and flatbreads, Tacos al pastor are topped with onions, coriander, pineapple and salsa. Other variations include de guisados (made with stew), al carbón (with smoky grilled meat) and barbacoa (with roast mutton).
Tamales — with a history that dates all the way back to 8000 BCE, the humble tamale is deeply rooted in indigenous culture. Invented as a portable food for armies, hunters and travellers, tamales are made with corn dough that is steamed or boiled in a banana leaf and then filled with a number of different ingredients – up to 1000 different varieties can be found across the country. Commonly pork or chicken and salsa are used and there is also a sweet version containing dried fruit, with pink sugar mixed into the dough before it is steamed.
Sopes — the distinctively thick base with pinched sides is made from fried ground maize soaked in lime juice and can be topped with a number of different ingredients depending on where you happen to be in the country. Traditionally topped with refried beans, cheese, lettuce, onions, salsa and sour cream, sopes can also contain chicken or beef. In northern Mexico the vegetables are often missed out, with black beans and chorizo added instead. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the sopes in Oaxaca, Mexico, where roasted grasshoppers are commonly used as a topping.
Quesadillas — soft tortillas are filled with cheese, folded in half and then cooked on a comal until the cheese has melted. Other ingredients used can include potatoes, pumpkin flowers, chorizo, mushrooms and a variety of cooked meats.
Elote — incredibly simple but wonderfully tasty, these corn on the cobs are roasted before being covered in lime-infused mayonnaise and then topped with chili flakes and cheese. Very moreish!
Churros – finish off your street food feast with a devilishly good churro. These tubes of fried dough powdered with cinnamon aren’t good for your waistline but they are very good for your tastebuds!
Emily Buckley regularly writes for Good2Go, a leading travel insurance website that provides a range of insurance options for both personal and business travel, including domestic, frequent, senior and international travel insurance.
Photo credit: via flickr
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post, street food is the best! In Cancun there’s a torta vendor who opens at 2 am!! From 2 am to 7 am you’ll see taxi drivers and kids who just got out of the clubs lining up for a torta.
Everyone here knows them and it’s called “Las Tortas de Mi Amor” because the owner calls everyone “mi amor”
I want them. Every one of them. NOW!
You are making me terribly hungry! I think that Mexican street food is the best in the world. I am particularly fond of the street tacos – you can’t get that in the U.S. All the more reasons to go to Mexico.
Tacos al Pastor are some of my favorite things in the world, and they don’t get any better then from the street carts!
Barbacoa, pozole and pancita could also be on the list!… I’m already salivating!… Looking forward to eat tacos again soon!!!!! Cuatro de pastor con todo por favor!!