Guy Fieri's Favorite Country To Find Affordable Great Eats

Although there are foods Guy Fieri avoids at all costs, the celebrity chef, TV host, and restaurateur is still pretty adventurous when it comes to trying new flavors. The California native has explored Europe and devoured a lot of market staples there, including croissants, gyros, and prosciutto. He has also enjoyed some of the flavors of Asian cuisine, including sushi-grade tuna and soba noodles. But if you ask Fieri which country is his favorite when it comes to the most affordable yet delicious finds, he won't hesitate to name Mexico.

"We spent a lot of time in Mexico — love it there," Fieri told Travel + Leisure while recalling his family trips there. They frequented Colima and Jalisco during their vacations, and Guy fell in love with the local food. "You can taste the difference in the fruit in Mexico," he said. Aside from fruits, there's no shortage of Mexican cuisine staples, including beans, tortillas, corn, and chiles. But it's important to note that while food is plentiful there, it's also expensive — locals note that food prices have gone up from 2025 to 2026— and brand-name items, especially those from the United States and elsewhere, are mostly for tourists coming from high-income countries, like Fieri, whose net worth is $100 million. However, that also doesn't mean you can't enjoy delicious food in Mexico.

Given the global economic landscape, it's no surprise that Mexico has seen its food prices go up, with a 4.02% jump recorded between June 2025 and February 2026. However, this doesn't mean you can't find reasonably priced meals when you come to visit the country. Healthy and ingredient-packed regional Mexican foods sold by street vendors and smaller businesses are still within most people's price ranges, with tacos selling for at least $0.75, tortas at $2, and tlayudas at $4.25. A full meal at a family-owned eatery is still cheap at $4 to $6. So what's the catch? Apparently, if you want to enjoy inexpensive meals in Mexico, you need to be one with the locals. What this means is go to places where the average Mexican dines and shops, and not, say, the trendier (and costlier) areas like Jalisco, where Fieri vacationed.

As with many other travel destinations, you can't expect to find imported goods in Mexico selling for much less than in your home country. Taxes, shipping costs, and tariffs, among other things, affect the pricing of these products. Similarly, metro-area restaurants probably aren't serving meals at modest prices, given that location, rent, working permits, and bureaucracy dictate how they run their businesses. So, if you are traveling in Mexico but want to enjoy the full gastronomic experience, be intentional with where you eat. Head to the local street food markets, where small taco stand owners prepare your food as you order. Take a chance on small-time fast food places called comida corrida, as well as the local cocinas (kitchens) and fondas (restaurants).