Mercado Benito Juarez is a traditional market in the city center of Oaxaca. It's right next to the…read moreZocalo (main square) and is an indoor market filled with fresh food stalls, meat and produce, souvenirs, and other goods. You'll see local delicacies like mezcal, tejate, and grasshoppers by the buckets. Beware that there is a raw meat alley that does not smell good at all if you're sensitive to that. If you're visiting Oaxaca you will most likely visit this market and the adjacent Mercado 20 de Noviembre. It's a glimpse into the daily lives of many local people and the things they eat, drink, and buy.

Another MUST SEE in Oaxaca…read more During our time in Oaxaca we came here several time LOL We ate here, shopped here and explored. You can literally spend all day here This mercado has everything and anything you can think of. Tons of restaurants, and vendors selling seasoned grasshoppers, mole, liquor, chocolate, herbs and spices, ice cream, seafood, meat ect Everyone is super friendly, we felt safe here at all times

Absolutely love this place -- and the concept! Gourmet food court meets art gallery meets market…read more Was here in 2017 and very much hoped it would still be here when I returned. As a frequent traveler to Mexico who doesn't care for Mexican food (I know - go figure...), I love that I have options here. It's pizza for me today but it could be sushi tomorrow or a burger. My only critique is with the lack of a traditional hostess to seat guests, it can be tricky for guests to figure out how to order. When you visit, have a seat. A server will offer a menu with selections from all of the various kitchens. Then sit back and enjoy the ambiance!! The market upstairs may feel a little pricey compared to other markets, but I don't mind paying a bit more to support the little guys - especially when it's super cool stuff!!

DO NOT ORDER TACOS FROM JIMADI - worst tacos I have ever had in my life, no exaggeration. They…read moresimply reheated cooked meat sitting on the counter in styrofoam containers and put it in the tacos. My tacos al pastor and gringa al pastor were inedible. The meat was so dry it was like chicharrones or beef jerky. No pineapple or cilantro and the tortillas were dry as well. The women's bathroom had no paper towels or soap and a sign was posted asking customers to flush toilets with a bucket. I'm not at all surprised that I woke up with diarrhea today. The ticketing system is also illogical. A server takes your order for any of the storefronts, and then brings separate bills for each restaurant, some of which require different credit card machines. We had 4 tickets from 4 different restaurants and had to pay on 3 different card machines. I should say the the food from Xha Mama and Wi's Burgers was OK, and the cocktails were delicious. The tacos and ticketing just ruined the entire experience.

Mercado 20 de Noviembre is a famous food market in the city center of Oaxaca. It's known for…read moreselling a variety of local food delicacies like tlayudas, mole, chocolate, and quesillo. It's especially known for its Smoke Alley where you walk through a smoke-filled hallway of vendors cooking meat on grills. Throughout this market you'll find a lot of workers at the different stalls trying to get you to eat at their stall. It can be overwhelming when you might just want to look around. It's really just a chaotic time and a part of you just wants to avoid the people glaring and yelling at you, especially if you're a tourist. It's crowded and hectic but it's part of the unique experience. If you're visiting Oaxaca you will most likely visit this market and the adjacent Mercado Benito Juarez. I'd go in the morning to avoid the crowds to really enjoy your time, but the aroma of the meat might entice you to sit down for a meal.

Another amazing Oaxacan experience and a MUST DO when in Oaxaca…read more We came here like 5 times during our stay in Oaxaca lol you can literally spend hours here eating, shopping and talking to the locals. You can find authentic Oaxacan mole, cheese, chocolates and liquor as well as clothes This historical market is also known for being one of the most captivating places for those who are looking for the best things to do in Oaxaca where you can find numerous local and international brands that allow you the chance to spend a great day browsing them and it's also notable to mention that this market is a food market. The Paseo de humo (smoke alley) is literally just that, an alley of vendors smoking all sorts of different meats inside and people trying to get you to sit down and eat Glad we got to see and experience it all

I am always looking for organic products, so when I found out there was an organic market in Oaxaca…read moreI knew I had to see it for myself. They have a lot of products and it's been growing a lot since it started. You can find fruit & veggies, meats, prepared food, bread, dairy, seeds, coffee, clothes, even beauty products. I do believe their prices are a bit high, specially since there's a lot of foreigners going there they try to make more money. I remember about 6 months ago my husband went to buy a bag of lettuce, ready to eat, and he paid $50 (he's canadian, english speaking), I went the next week and got the same bag for $35. Also my dad used to buy the Inda Pura water and the coffee guy sold it to him for $45, and when I ask the delivery truck they said it was $18. Apart from that we love having lunch there, stop by with the lady who sells requeson, her tostadas with chileajo are the best I've ever had!

Soy de México, y he ido a muchos mercados. No vayas! Mejor ve al 20 de noviembre. Más limpia, tiene…read moretodo, y es mucho más seguro. Fuimos y una cuadra del abastos vimos muchísimos droga adictos. La mayoría haciendo drogas pesadas y muy quemados. Vimos malandros por todos lados mirándonos fijamente. Tal vez es 1% probabilidad que algo pasa pero mejor no. Im from Mexico and have traveled many places. I highly do not recommend going. As I got closer we started to see very bad people. Drug addicts doing heavy drugs. People watching. A lot of reviews are good but do you want to run the chance of 1% something happening. If you know a local or a guide to take you do that or stay at the 20th of November market. It's cleaner, much safer and has everything you need.

Sensory overload but in a good way! Super local where you can find anything! Pets, latest movie on…read moredvd, produce, live animals to slaughter. What I found was street food! Memelas Doña Vale from Netflix, quesadillas, tlayudas, you name it. It's a good place to just get lost and take take all the local smells, sounds and flavors in! Doña Vale can be difficult to find. Just ask for entrance #6, her stand is by there.

Stopped here for a quick snack and got the pumpkin tamale from Mariscos La costeñita. Loved it so…read moremuch more than I expected and was wowed by the green salsa that came along with it!

With just a 10 minute walk from downtown Oaxaca you will find a great organic spot to have some…read morememelitas! The drinks are refreshing and ambience is delightful and welcoming.I recommend it!