22 Regional Mexican Foods Everyone Should Try Once, According To Chefs

The odds are that if you think of Mexican cuisine, you may immediately think of tacos, enchiladas, and burritos. Maybe pozoles, tamales, and barbacoa if you are more of a fan. But beyond these delicious staples lies an astonishing range of regional favorites. Mexico's cuisine is as diverse as its geography, and no one knows this better than the three experts we spoke to, to discover its culinary gems.

Chef Rick Bayless is the James Beard Award-winning chef behind Chicago's Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, and Xoco. His restaurants, cookbooks, and PBS series have brought depth and nuance to American perceptions of Mexican food. In Austin, chef Iliana de la Vega channels her Oaxacan roots at El Naranjo, a restaurant widely recognized for its refined take on traditional dishes. A James Beard Award winner and former Culinary Institute of America instructor, she's a leading voice in preserving and sharing Mexico's culinary heritage. And Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, a second-generation Mexican-American and founder of the award-winning blog Muy Bueno, brings a home-cook's warmth to her exploration of Mexican comfort food. Her cookbooks, including "Muy Bueno," "Latin Twist," and "Muy Bueno Fiestas," are a celebration of family recipes and cultural pride. Together, our experts guide us through some of Mexico's most iconic and lesser-known regional dishes, and they share not just what to eat, but where it comes from and why it matters.

The Yucatán Peninsula, encompassing Yucatán, Quintana Roo, and Campeche, is celebrated for many things, not least its culinary brilliance. Deeply rooted in Indigenous and European influences, the region's cuisine is known for its vibrant, fresh use of local produce. One standout dish is tikin xic. As chef and food writer Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack notes, "It's a Mayan-style grilled fish marinated in achiote and sour orange, traditionally cooked wrapped in banana leaves. It has a similar flavor to cochinita pibil, but made with fish instead of pork. Usually made with snapper or grouper, the fish is butterflied or filleted, and the banana leaves with their herby flavor work beautifully with the citrusy/pepperiness of the chiles, annatto seeds, and orange juice."

"The tamales from the Yucatan are unique and deserve more recognition. I'm thinking specifically of the tamal colado in which the masa, broth, and fat are cooked on the stovetop (think polenta here), then formed into tamales and steamed. The result is light and creamy — almost ethereal," explains chef Rick Bayless. "Almost pudding-like in texture, this is a tamal unlike anything you would have tasted before." But it gets better. According to chef Bayless, "Another is called mucbipollo — a huge layer cake-size tamal filled with achiote-flavored chicken, wrapped in many layers of banana leaves and cooked in a pit in the ground."

Originating from Puebla, chileatole is "a thick, stew-like dish made with dried chiles and masa, often cooked with crab, mushrooms, or chicken," as chef Iliana de la Vega explains. The recipe can be traced back to pre-Hispanic times and has evolved over the centuries, absorbing various foreign and regional influences. Today, there are variations of chileatole found in every region in the country, all versions of a soup thickened with fresh masa. Green chile peppers add a kick while coriander, epazote leaves, and roasted onions give it a welcome earthiness. Once thickened, it is typically topped with chicharrones or tortilla strips for crunch, and queso fresco and avocado for added creaminess.

For "comfort food at its finest, especially with warm tortillas," look no further than calabacitas con Elote. In the north, Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack says, they use, "zucchini, corn, and cheese [in] ... a nostalgic home-cooked staple [that] ... rarely shows up on restaurant menus." Traditionally, the dish is made in an oven, but newer recipes have adapted it to the grill as well. A perfect package of vegetarian goodness, it uses the summer bounty of zucchini and corn and transforms it into a light creamy sauce with added tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Needless to say, families have their versions, and you can find additions like bell peppers, chiles, melted cheese, or even pork and chicken (which, of course, nudges it away from its vegetarian roots). But in Mexico, food plays by its own rules.

Chef Rick Bayless shares his insights on regional specialties that often surprise visitors: "When people taste Central Mexican lamb barbacoa (slow-cooked in agave leaves) or Oaxacan red chile goat barbacoa (slow-cooked in avocado leaves), they're surprised. First, most people in the United States don't think of Mexican food as celebrating lamb or goat, but it does. But you have to go to places that specialize in it. A spot like El Arroyo in the Tlalpan district of Mexico City is a 2,000-seat restaurant that families go to for great lamb barbacoa celebrations. Or La Capilla outside Oaxacan City has been known for generations for their goat barbacoa. Neither place is easily accessible for tourists and, to tell the truth, you need to know how to order when you go. But they're both really special."

Translated as tumbled rice and a nod to the mishmash of ingredients thrown in to make this dish, arroz a la tumbada, as chef Iliana de la Vega explains, is "a dish that sits somewhere between a Spanish paella and arroz meloso. However, it is more soupy and typically includes a wide variety of locally available seafood. Originating from the city of Alvarado in Veracruz, it is deeply flavorful and comforting, yet it remains relatively unknown outside the region." The resulting mix may seem similar to the paella or risotto, but the distinctly local ingredients used as chiles and Indigenous tomatoes, are specifically Mexican.

According to food writer Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, "Capirotada always surprises people, especially if they're expecting a traditional American-style bread pudding. With cheese, piloncillo, cloves, raisins, and sometimes peanuts, it's a sweet-and-savory blend that reflects deep Lenten traditions in Northern and Central Mexico." Tradition holds that capirotada is eaten during Lent, with the added cheese substituting for the protein missed while abstaining from meat on Fridays. If savory cheese sounds odd in dessert, some traditional versions go further, adding tomato, onion, or even cilantro to the syrup with their subtle sweetness enhancing the dish's depth. As Marquez-Sharpnack adds, "Many are hesitant at first (cheese in dessert?), but one bite and they're hooked. It's comforting, nostalgic, and steeped in cultural meaning — yet most people outside Mexican households have never tasted it."

Delving into Mexico's rich culinary heritage, chef Rick Bayless highlights one national treasure often overlooked beyond its borders. "One of the national dishes of Mexico (though little known outside the country) is chiles en nogada," he says. "It's made in the late summer/early fall to celebrate Mexico's Independence Day. It's a chile relleno made from roasted poblano chiles stuffed with a fruity pork filling, then bathed with a creamy fresh walnut sauce. The special ingredients come in to season them: Just-picked walnuts so fresh you can crack them open, remove the meat and peel the brown skin off with no problem; peaches and apples from the central highlands; pomegranates for the essential garnish."

Building on that, chef Iliana de la Vega offers her perspective: "One of the most eagerly anticipated seasonal dishes is the chiles en nogada from Puebla. This dish features a poblano chile filled with a mixture of pork and beef cooked with tomatoes, onions, almonds, raisins, apples, pears, peaches, and plantains. It is served at room temperature, covered with a creamy walnut sauce made from fresh peeled walnuts and goat cheese, and beautifully garnished with pomegranate seeds and parsley. It's as symbolic as it is delicious."

Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack enthusiastically recommends ensalada de nopales. According to her, "Cactus is nutritious, sustainable, and delicious — and more and more people are seeking plant-based alternatives. Once folks get over the 'slimy' fear and taste grilled or boiled nopales, they're amazed." If you are a fan of pico de gallo, you are bound to love ensalada de nopales. This bright, tangy cactus salad is as versatile as it is healthy. It pairs perfectly with carne asada or pollo asado, and it's naturally vegan too.

Renowned chef and Mexican food expert, chef Rick Bayless, paints a vivid picture of everyday Mexican dining: "In Mexico, food is made for sale in a variety of settings: Of course, there are restaurants and they tend to focus more on specialty dishes that aren't easy to make at home. But there are cocinas economicas, simple little spots of three or four tables that are often set up in a family's living room. Mom or grandma cooks whatever she'd make for the family, but in bigger quantities, to serve those who are looking for a home-cooked meal in a simple environment. The meals are often a run of courses, starting with a brothy soup, followed by a plate of rice (you can pay extra and get a fried egg on top), then the main dish, which is most commonly a saucy dish with vegetables and a little meat. Before a simple dessert, which is commonly stewed fruit, you're usually offered a bowl of long-simmered beans if you're still hungry. Sopa de fideos is a classic comforting soup you might find at a cocina economica: toasted vermicelli simmered in a tomato-tinged broth that's perfumed with epazote. Some cooks add a jalapeño to bob around in the broth, and some might add a little coarsely shredded cooked chicken. It's a family favorite."

"Púlakles are a type of tamal from the Totonac region of Veracruz, specifically from Papantla, which is also known as the birthplace of vanilla. These tamales are made with corn masa wrapped in banana leaves and filled with black beans, squash, chayote, jalapeño chiles, fresh herbs, and ground pumpkin seeds. They are deeply rooted in local tradition and flavor, and they deserve to be more widely appreciated," explains chef Iliana de la Vega.

Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack shares, although mole rojo belongs in the "red mole category, it actually falls somewhere between a red mole and a black mole and it's my absolute favorite. A little sweet, a little spicy, with a nutty finish, this deeply flavorful mole is worth every step. Made with dried chiles, warm spices, nuts, seeds, and just a touch of chocolate, it's complex but comforting. This mole isn't just for special occasions — it's incredibly versatile. Drizzle it over chicken, simmer it with shredded chicken for tacos, serve it as a dipping sauce with tortilla chips, or use it to elevate enchiladas, chilaquiles, or even huevos rancheros. I included this recipe in my cookbook. It may take time, but it's so worth the effort."

Reflecting on the art of mole-making, chef Rick Bayless emphasizes the unique challenges and rewards of this iconic dish."Making mole is incredibly satisfying, but requires very specific ingredients, a good amount of time and mastery of specific techniques. Still, it's one of the most important dishes in the world, and working your way through it can teach you so much about creating flavor and about ingredients that may not be familiar. Very few cuisines have anything that matches it. Classic green mole from Oaxaca. It's very different from other green moles (it's not thickened with pumpkin seeds, but rather thickened with corn masa). And it's herbier — typically parsley, hoja santa, and epazote. Most cooks make ... slow-simmered pork and its broth (that broth has a sweetness to it that balances the herbiness). Traditionally, it's made with white beans in the sauce."

Chef Iliana de la Vega highlights, "One great example is pambazos jalapeños, a regional specialty from Xalapa, the capital of Veracruz. These are made with small, light, and fluffy wheat flour rolls stuffed with ham and cheese, chicken picadillo, or other fillings. They're a satisfying and lesser-known street food that visitors should definitely try." They're a lesser-known but deeply satisfying street food, usually served with guajillo salsa or 'con todo' with all the extras. Crispy, flavorful, and perfectly portable, they're a must-try for visitors.

Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack recalls, "These crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside masa gorditas are a beloved tradition in El Paso, deeply influenced by the flavors of Northern Mexico. El Paso, sitting right on the border with Juárez, shares and preserves these Northern Mexican influences beautifully. And in our corner of the world, gorditas de masa are fried, then split and filled with guisados. The most popular filling? Picadillo — ground beef and potato — just like my grandma used to make for the annual church bazaar. She cooked them well into her 90s, and now my mom carries on the tradition, helping with the gordita booth at our local Catholic church. The long lines are legendary, and for good reason — everyone knows they're special and worth the wait." I'm proud to say this recipe is included in my new cookbook, exactly as we make it — filled with picadillo and rooted in love, memory, and Northern Mexican tradition. It's more than just a dish — it's a piece of El Paso's culinary heart.

Chef Iliana de la Vega describes, "The coctel de mariscos veracruzano perfectly captures the freshness of the region's coastal ingredients. This seafood cocktail includes a mix of just-caught seafood tossed with chile-spiced vinegar, olive oil, tomatoes, fresh chiles, white onion, cilantro, and sliced avocado. It's refreshing, vibrant, and a great example of how regional ingredients shine in local dishes."

Huitlacoche, an Aztec word, refers to the fungus that grows on corn kernels. Though it may look unappealing and is even treated as a pest in the U.S., in Mexico, its sweet, earthy flavor is revered. When in season, it's considered a delicacy and is increasingly used as a vegan-friendly protein substitute in dishes like carnitas and al pastor. While canned versions are available year-round, Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack notes, the real treat is when "In Tlaxcala, locals celebrate the rainy season with huitlacoche (corn smut) and flor de calabaza (squash blossoms), which grow in abundance. These are folded into quesadillas or tamales and are a true taste of the season."

As chef Iliana de la Vega highlights, "Chiles jalapeños rellenos de minilla have great potential to become more widely known internationally. In this dish, jalapeño peppers are carefully prepared to reduce their spiciness and then stuffed with a savory mixture of minced fish or seafood. They are usually served at room temperature, sometimes with a light tomato sauce or on their own, making them a flavorful and accessible appetizer with a lot of global appeal." Meanwhile, chef Rick Bayless says, "There are many, but one that comes quickly to mind is chiles rellenos made with dried chiles. Everyone knows and loves the green chile versions, but I love ones made from ancho chiles or Oaxacan pasillas. Greater depth of flavor!"

When chef Rick Bayless was asked what regional street foods and market snacks do you recommend visitors to seek out in Mexico, even if they're not well known, his reply was swift and decisive. "I'm just finishing up a comprehensive book on Mexico's street food, and I'm at about 250 recipes so far. So your question is loaded up. It all depends on where you are. Mexico City, I'd say tacos al pastor, but that's a no-brainer. Maybe go to one of the famous tortas de chilaquiles places or famous tacos of beef suadero. The meat is cooked until tender confit-style in the fat, then chopped and crisped on the hot dome before piling it on a tortilla, ready for salsa."

Another underrated street food gem in Puebla is the molote. As cookbook author and food expert Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack explains, "These are like oval-shaped fried empanadas made with masa and stuffed with cheese, tinga, or papas con chorizo ... served hot and crispy." Considered the Oaxacan take on masa empanadas, molotes are street stall staples in Oaxaca, Puebla, and the Yucatán, especially around Easter and Christmas. Sold at local fondas (or food stalls) alongside other small bites, they're versatile, filling, and budget-friendly, and the perfect snack on the go.

In the "magical village" of Xico in Veracruz, the gastronomic charms are legendary, and one of its most venerable recipes is its extra-special mole. As chef Iliana de la Vega says, "Mexican food is often labor-intensive, particularly moles. Yes, many home-style dishes are central to the culinary identity of their regions, but are rarely seen in restaurants. For example, mole de Xico is a rich, dark, sweet mole from the mountainous areas of Veracruz, typically served with pork ... it involves a complex blend of ingredients and slow cooking, but the result is absolutely worth the effort. Its depth of flavor and rich texture make it a culinary treasure." Unlike other moles, the sauce here is sweet. Thickened to an almost jammy consistency, it contains nuts, seeds, dried fruit, bread, corn (to thicken), and a blend of herbs and spices. It is usually served with cooked chicken or turkey, but it can also be used to stuff tacos or enchiladas.

As Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack explains, "This comforting dish is a perfect expression of Central Mexico's seasonal bounty — especially the Puebla and Tlaxcala regions, where poblano chiles, zucchini, sweet corn, and onions grow in abundance during the summer and early fall. Rajas con crema is made by roasting and peeling fresh poblanos, then slicing them into strips ("rajas") and sautéing them with onions, zucchini, corn, Mexican crema, and cheese. The result is creamy, smoky, and just a little spicy — a beautiful balance that highlights each fresh ingredient. It's most often served as a taco or gordita filling, over rice, or spooned into warm tortillas for a quick and comforting meal."