6 Best Restaurants in Oaxaca, Mexico

This lively street-side café-bakery-restaurant is a hub for locals, visitors, and those passing through; everything you need to know is being passed around by word of mouth here. Almost always full but with speedy service, the restaurant is best known for its hearty breakfasts, Mexican specialties such as enchiladas and quesadillas, aguas de frutas (fruit water), and reliable Wi-Fi. Kid-friendly chow such as hamburgers and spaghetti plus sturdy high chairs make it extra appealing to families with toddlers. The daily special is an especially good deal. Popular bakery items include fruit-filled pastries, whole-wheat bread, and cinnamon buns. There's another branch—slightly spiffier but minus the view—on La Rinconada

There's no kids' menu, but you get 30% off on half orders of any dish.

A few steps up from street level and offering views of Playa Zicatela from most tables, this casual yet impeccably clean restaurant with traditional Mexican decor offers an expansive menu with something to please everyone. Signature thin-crust, wood-fired pizza is always a good option as are the house-made pastas and even some authentic Mexican dishes. Add to that friendly service, and the unusually late opening hours—you can sit down for dinner at 11:45 pm—and you've got a winning formula.

This toes-in-the-sand beach restaurant is a local favorite for whiling away a pleasant day at Playa Manzanillo. Owners Pablo and Doris Carrasco are always happy to whip up a coco loco or offer a shot of fruit-infused mezcal. All the seafood is fresh and reasonably priced. You can eat while lounging just steps from the water or at a table under the shade of an almond tree. The vuelve a la vida (return to life) seafood cocktail is particularly recommended as it's packed with shrimp, pulpo (octopus), and clams. Or try the popular shrimp or dorado topped with creamy tequila-chipotle sauce. The owners' son is working on Blue Flag eco-certification for Manzanillo Beach, so restaurant patrons get the bonus of access to modern and environmentally friendly toilets. If you are going for dinner, be aware that the restaurant closes early—by 7:30.

On busy weeknights, it seems everyone in Puerto Escondido wants to eat here. Originally created to serve backpackers at the hostel of the same name, the restaurant began drawing food fans willing to make the pilgrimage across town to enjoy its winning combination of expertly prepared cuisine, good value, and fun vibe. The eco-friendly decor and contemporary menu are inspired by the music of the 1960s and '70s, so expect to see dishes such as "Groovy Chicken" or "Give Peace a Chance" (a generous portion of fresh dorado breaded with toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds and slathered with chili aioli). Sides include tabbouleh salad, crispy browned baby potatoes, and local greens. The eclectic menu has lots of vegetarian choices, pizzas, and pastas—all served with flair.

Seafood doesn't get any fresher than at this open-air restaurant bar and grill on the beach in front of the fishing boats of Playa Principal. Each morning, owner Ludovic Tisseur, who hails from Lyon, France, sources what's freshest from local fishermen, so the menu features an ever-evolving array of seafood from decadent lobster to a delicious shrimp and fish brochette. Pascale's is also the place to go for expertly grilled T-bone steaks, classic Chateaubriand, or house-made tortellini. Attentive service matches the ultraromantic ambience of candles, white linen tablecloths, and graceful palm trees. Call ahead if you have your heart set on lobster.

When you're looking for a bite to eat on your day at the beach, choose between poolside service or a table at the more upscale Pez Gallo restaurant. The latter offers inventive Mexican cuisine and great views. After, join a baby-turtle release, hang out at the swim-up bar, watch a free movie at nightfall, go for a long walk, or just lounge in a hammock at this expansive beach club set directly on Playa Bacocho. Even during peak periods, the large, free-form swimming pool never feels crowded. A playground, their own swimming pool, and a kids' menu will make little ones happy.

Arrive early to snag a prime lounger and for happy hour noon–1 daily.