The Mercado Benito Juárez is a space where aromas, flavors, and cultures converge. Here you can have a taste of traditional Mexican cuisine, as you can find tlayudas, tamales, atole, enchiladas, jerky, nopal salad, chaya water, and other products of the region, which makes it the best grocery option in Puerto Escondido. It’s a delight to walk through its aisles, especially on what are called “días de plaza” (square days), Saturdays and Sundays, when all the people from neighboring communities come down and bring their local harvest: coffee, pumpkin sweets, all kind of vegetables, and a great variety of products that is usually not found during the week, such as free-range eggs and turkeys. [$]

Molli, which debuted in 2020 during the pandemic, sits on the beautiful terrace of the Shavanna Hotel Boutique. Chef Esaú Rendón Cruz is originally from the valleys of Oaxaca, and among his culinary specialties are tamal de frijol (bean tamale), a version similar to the one made in the Mixteca, filled with a spicy bean paste and covered with hierba santa, stuffed with quesillo, and enchilada pork. Embarrada de mole negro, a toasted tortilla smeared with black mole and served with cheese and tasajo, is another classic. But the star of the menu is a sweet option, pan francés, a French toast topped with homemade red berry jam and fresh cream cheese. [$$$]

Since August 2018 this casual seafood restaurant has served some of the best shrimp tacos in Puerto Escondido, together with other specialties like chicharrones made from mahi-mahi skin and the seafood tower, a departure from the classic seafood cocktail that’s ubiquitous on the coast. (Here, it’s Sinaloa-inspired, a literal tower of precariously layered shellfish, shrimp, octopus, and more.) Chef Matteo Conti’s special tostadas lean nontraditional: octopus with chimichurri and pork rinds, and one with shrimp that borrows from Chinese takeout flavors like sesame and sweet-and-sour sauce. You won’t be disappointed. [$-$$]

“Argentine” and “fusion” are the key words at Filomena, where you can find excellent cuts of meat, classic empanadas, Argentina’s traditional “lomito” sandwich, and specialties like calamari stuffed with red mole and chile poblano stuffed with Argentine chorizo. Of the house-made desserts, don’t miss the dulce de leche ice cream; same goes for any pour on the varied Argentine wine list; and the “White Mexican,” a version of the famous White Russian adapted to Oaxacan flavors made with mezcal infused with coffee, coffee liqueur, milk cream, and Fernet with Coke. Closed on Wednesdays. [$$]

Steak and seafood are the main draws at El Nene Grill, which sits under a beautiful palapa located in Rinconada. Cuts of New York strip and skirt steak are available alongside the local favorite tasajo and, when it’s in season, seared tuna (pair any of those with a starter of garlic mushrooms). On the restaurant’s walls you can read the phrase, “You don’t drink Mezcal, you kiss it,” an invitation to kiss the house’s large selection of mezcals, though the extended list of their cocktails is also not to be missed. Open from Monday to Saturday from 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. [$$]

Located in Rinconada, Puerto Escondido’s best dining neighborhood, Almoraduz captures the essence of contemporary Oaxacan cuisine. The menu by chefs Quetzalcóatl Zurita and Shalxaly Macías changes according to the season and privileges organically produced ingredients by local farmers. One of Almoraduz’s iconic plates is the black risotto, which gives primacy to Mexican flavors with huitlacoche, the mushroom that comes out of corn, and tichindas, a lagoon mussel found in the coastal mangroves of Oaxaca. Zurita and Macías’s goal is for their chic restaurant to become a gastronomic landmark in Mexico; they’re well on their way. [$$$-$$$$]

In Rinconada, the neighborhood closest to Puerto Escondido’s paradise beach of Playa Carrizalillo, lies Palma Negra, an ice cream shop with a surfer soul. Palma Negra listens to the whims of its customers and makes them come true — many of its creations were born that way, and inspired by Mexican fruit. In addition to ice cream, there are a variety of popsicles of all colors, with real fruit inside them. Guests’ favorite flavors are coconut and chocolate Oaxaqueño, made with local cocoa with a touch of cinnamon, and sweetened with agave honey. Open from Monday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. [$]

This relaxed and friendly spot serves some of the freshest fish in Puerto. The name is a tribute to the mother of the family who runs the restaurant and to all the women of the coast, and on certain days you can find only women working here. The dishes served are a perfect celebration of the sea: everything from ceviche to pescadillas (fried fish tacos), tostadas to tiritas (strips of fish marinated in lime). The beers are cold and the prices are great. On Sundays you can find a classic dish of Mexican traditional cuisine — pancita (beef belly). Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. [$$]

In this beach restaurant with views of the old town of Puerto Escondido, the lighthouse, and amazing sunsets, you can while away a relaxing afternoon with exquisite cocktails. Chef Levi Said Ruiz Méndez, who used to own the seafood restaurant El Coste, transformed his vintage Volkswagen van into this food truck, where he offers seafood and casual dishes. But the real draw is the drinks: People soak in the sunset while sitting in one of the outdoor swings or hammocks, sipping cocktails like the Tepache Sunset (mezcal, orange juice, piloncillo, tepache, and cardamom), or with a selection from the great wine or agave lists. Open from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. [$$]

This iconic restaurant, which sits on the covered terrace of the Hotel Santa Fe, is a must-visit. The cuisine is mainly Oaxacan-Mexican, fully pescatarian, and sometimes vegan: Here you can find tamales Oaxaquenos, fried fish, shrimp-stuffed avocado, and some kind of ceviche. A tofu scramble is part of one of the best breakfast menus in town that pairs nicely with the beautiful view of Zicatela Beach. [$$-$$$]

Agua Salá is the beach club of the Shavanna Hotel Boutique and a popular location for beach weddings, thanks to its amazing views of the sunset over the ocean. Fashionable young people flock here for its casual atmosphere — complete with cabanas — and signature cocktails, like the one made with ron, carambola, jamaica, and basil. Its menu offers seafood dishes like chargrilled octopus, oysters on the half-shell, and octopus tostadas, alongside beautifully plated salads. Closed on Tuesdays. [$$]

Founded in 1984 by the Conti-Avogaro family, Bananas is a Playa Zicatela icon, considered a must-visit for all Italians seeking out the essence of the old days that director Gabriele Salvatores immortalized in his 1992 film named after the town. The pizzeria and family-style restaurant offers Italian dishes from the sea and the countryside, served in a space with a  privileged view of the wonderful sunsets. You’re here for the scene and the view, but their homemade pasta is excellent. Open daily, from 11:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. [$$-$$$]

Inspired by food courts, Food Market opened in August 2020 and boasts six different restaurants — Grilled & Smoked, Samuray Sushi, Delixius Wave (with a menu of tacos, salads, and bagels), Fettuccini (serving handmade pasta, gnocchi, and Argentine sorrentinos, with a gluten-free alternative), Green Bowl (vegan and vegetarian dishes), and Fishos (serving fish and shrimp tacos, burgers, and burritos). The place is totally casual — groups can grab food from different spots and sit together — and the ship containers-turned-kitchens give the market an urban look, breaking up the beachy monotony with a touch of originality. [$-$$]

Relatively new to the Puerto Escondido scene, Piyoli — which means “bee” in Nahuatl — is a casual restaurant where everything is fresh, healthy, and local (the dedication is real: There’s a salad on the menu called “Fuck Monsanto”). The extensive menu includes a catch of the day, squash blossom tacos on handmade tortillas, fish burgers, and vegetarian burgers made with lentils and pea protein; the eggs are organic and all the breads are made in-house. In the morning the bar serves fresh pressed juices, while in the evening it shakes up original cocktails: Try El Anochecer En Piyoli, made with mezcal coffee, almond milk, cocoa, and grated coconut. Open from 8:00 a.m. to Midnight. [$$]

One of the first restaurants to establish a following in La Punta, today Lychee Thai Food is a classic: It’s known for its Thai and Japanese fusion, served in a beautiful interior that welcomes lingering. Thursdays are unmissable, with its sushi nights accompanied by good live music — blues, jazz, or bossa nova. The bar features a list of fun cocktails, including a handful with sake, as well as sippable mezcals. Open from Monday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. [$$]

Twelve years ago, Café Olé started as a palapa selling juices and sandwiches, providing a healthy option to the surfers who came to Puerto Escondido. Little by little, the place has become the restaurant that it is today, a coffee shop and creperie serving waffles, omelettes, and delicious coffee that’s produced in Oaxaca. Café Olé makes its own yogurt for smoothies, jams, pesto, chimichurri, and bread, and dishes are named after the pets that have been a part of the restaurant through the years. [$$]