Regional Mexican dishes
| Region | Signature dishes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oaxaca | Moles (including mole negro), tlayudas, quesillo cheese | Often called the land of seven moles |
| Yucatan | Cochinita pibil: pork marinated in achiote and sour orange, slow roasted | Mayan influence |
| Puebla | Mole poblano, chiles en nogada | Complex sauces |
| Jalisco | Birria, pozole, tequila | Home of mariachi and tequila |
| Mexico City | Tacos al pastor, tlacoyos, street food | Huge street-food culture |
Taco styles to know
- Al pastor: spit-roasted marinated pork, influenced by Lebanese shawarma.
- Carnitas: pork slowly simmered in its own fat until crisp-edged.
- Barbacoa: meat slow-cooked until tender, traditionally lamb or goat in an underground pit in central Mexico, and beef cheek in northern Mexico and Texas.
- Birria: stewed meat with a rich consomme for dipping.
- Baja fish tacos: battered fish with cabbage and crema.
Mexican vs. Tex-Mex
Tex-Mex grew up in Texas among Tejano communities. It features yellow cheese, cumin, beef, flour tortillas, chili con carne, fajitas and nachos. Regional Mexican cooking relies more on corn, fresh chiles, herbs and slow-cooked sauces. Both are delicious; they are just different.
Taco and Tex-Mex food tours
Austin food tours
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Los Angeles food tours
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Frequently asked questions
Are fajitas Mexican or Tex-Mex?
Fajitas are Tex-Mex. They grew from the skirt-steak cooking of ranch workers in South Texas and became popular in restaurants in the 1970s and 1980s.