Oaxaca, Mexico

Our Oaxaca

A brief history of the city, the places where we will celebrate, and everything we love: restaurants, mezcal, art, markets, sights, and more.

Explore the center

The Oaxaca map

Use the map to get oriented around central Oaxaca. The venue and city details below link directly to Google Maps when you are ready to explore.

The long story

A city with deep roots

Oaxaca has been home to some of Mesoamerica's most sophisticated civilizations for more than three thousand years. The Zapotec city of Monte Albán, Mixtec goldwork and codices, green cantera colonial architecture, and the living traditions of Oaxaca's indigenous communities all meet in the city we get to celebrate in together.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage city and a global destination for food, art, craft, and mezcal, while remaining intensely local, contemporary, and alive.

Our events & their buildings

Where we are celebrating

Welcome Party

Pitiona

A restored colonial house with ceramic work by Adán Paredes and a rooftop looking straight toward Santo Domingo.

Ceremony

Hotel Azul

An 1874 house near the Andador, restored around Mexican art, courtyards, archways, and green cantera stone.

Celebration

Cardenal Social Venue

A former Oaxacan nuns' cloister on the pedestrian route between the Zócalo and Santo Domingo.

Pool Party

Casa Oaxaca Hotel

A seven-room colonial manor with a rare centro pool, native flora, and art throughout the garden.

A living Oaxacan tradition

The calenda

A calenda is a street procession with deep roots in Oaxaca: a brass band, giant puppets, spinning lanterns, mezcal, and dancing through the city. It began as a colonial religious tradition and became something distinctly Oaxacan over time, shaped by Indigenous music, craft, and community. For our wedding, it is a celebration you join, not one you watch.

The brass band

Ten musicians playing festive marches at full volume. You will hear them before you see the procession.

Mojigangas

Ten-to-fifteen-foot papier-mâché figures carried by dancers, made for a wedding to resemble the couple.

Marmotas

Large fabric spheres with papel picado and ribbons, spun continuously until they seem to dance in the air.

Las Chinas Oaxaqueñas

Dancers in brilliant skirts, rebozos, gold filigree, and flower baskets, moving to the Jarabe del Valle.

Restaurants & Dining

Eat beautifully

Oaxaca is one of the world's great food cities. These are the places we'd happily plan a whole afternoon around.

García Vigil

Levadura de Olla

Chef Thalía Barrios García's deeply rooted, vegetable-forward cooking. Book far ahead for the tasting menu.

Reforma

Tierra del Sol

A celebratory tasting-menu dinner with mountain views, a tortilla ceremony, and excellent cocktails.

Macedonio Alcalá

Los Danzantes

Refined Oaxacan cooking in a colonial courtyard, with an exceptional in-house mezcal list.

Benito Juárez

Crudo

A Japanese-Oaxacan omakase experience at an intimate chef's counter. Reserve ahead.

Murguía

Mula Cocina Mestiza

Warm, creative cooking with a rooftop terrace. The octopus risotto is a standout.

García Vigil

Zandunga

Soulful Isthmus cuisine. Try the estofado istmeño for a slow-cooked regional classic.

5 de Mayo

Ocote Cocina

Relaxed Oaxacan-fusion plates, good cocktails, and an easy lunch-or-dinner mood.

Barrio Xochimilco

Adamá

A beautiful hidden-alley Middle Eastern restaurant with extraordinary hummus and fresh pita.

Centro

Dassani

An intimate Italian dinner of fresh pasta and seafood. One to book ahead.

Lunch & Local Spots

The everyday favorites

Some of the best food in Oaxaca has no reservation system. Go hungry, bring cash, and let lunch take its time.

Ignacio Allende 114

Pitiona

Our welcome-party home. A rooftop restaurant with views of Santo Domingo and a menu that travels across Oaxaca's eight regions.

Abasolo 300

Las Quince Letras

Chef Celia Florián's beloved mole temple. The three-mole plate is the move.

García Vigil 617

El Escapulario

A genuinely local place for mole amarillo, manchamanteles, chichilo, tlayudas, and huitlacoche quesadillas.

Porfirio Díaz 207

Boulenc

A beautiful courtyard bakery and all-day restaurant. Come early for pastries, shakshuka, or wood-oven pizza.

Belisario Domínguez 513

Itanoní

A family-run celebration of native Oaxacan corn. Order a tetela fresh from the comal.

Mercado 20 de Noviembre

Pasillo de Humo

Choose your meat along the smoke alley, then settle in with tortillas, beans, and salsa.

Cocktails & Mezcal

A good night out

From thoughtful mezcal tastings to rooftops and a very late dance floor, everything here is in or near centro.

Hotel Azul

Campante Bar

The rooftop bar at our ceremony hotel, with inventive cocktails and its own house mezcal.

Macedonio Alcalá

Selva

A dark, art-deco cocktail bar with balcony tables toward Santo Domingo. Reserve balcony seats.

Centro

El Cortijo

An intimate cocktail room where the best order is often whatever the bartender recommends.

Porfirio Díaz

Sobrio

A thoughtful place to learn mezcal: agave varieties, terroir, production, and perhaps dancing later.

Centro

Viajero Rooftop Bar

Go in late afternoon for mountain views, excellent cocktails, and a proper sundowner.

Reforma

La Mezcalerita

A casual local institution with a huge mezcal list, craft beer, and a rooftop terrace.

Dancing

Stay out a little later

Oaxaca's nightlife is warm, lively, and entirely walkable from the historic center.

Centro

AMORD3

A rooftop-and-dance-floor night with DJs, live saxophone, and a very good city view.

Centro

Herr Tlacuache

For house and techno until the early hours.

Matamoros

Bar La Tentación

Live salsa and cumbia in a small, joyful room. Come ready to dance.

Armenta y López

Blackcherry Club

A larger dance floor with DJs and live music, especially lively on weekends.

Centro

Aloha Tiki Bar

Tiki cocktails in front, mezcal in the back, and occasional karaoke or live music.

Shopping & Art

Leave room in your suitcase

Oaxaca is one of the great craft destinations in the Americas: clay, textiles, mezcal, contemporary art, and folk art all have a real home here.

Murguía 304

Piedra de Río

Our favorite pottery shop for beautiful, authentic clay pieces at fair prices.

Labastida 115

Tierra Quemada

Modern, gallery-quality ceramics with special glazes and clean geometric work.

García Vigil 204

MARO

A women-artisan cooperative with textiles, pottery, sandals, jewelry, and fair labeled prices.

Near Benito Juárez

Oaxaca Artisan Market

A patient place to browse authentic alebrijes, textiles, jewelry, and woven goods.

Macedonio Alcalá 203

La Mano Mágica

A long-loved gallery and craft shop for Mexican and Oaxacan art.

Murguía 400

Galería Bodega Quetzalli

A serious contemporary gallery with excellent curated exhibitions.

Miguel Hidalgo 917

Museo Textil de Oaxaca

A free museum for extraordinary Mexican and Oaxacan textile work, plus a wonderful shop.

Reforma 306

In Situ

Guided mezcal tastings and a bottle shop stocked by small producers.

City Sights

Walk the center

The historic center is compact enough to explore on foot. Let yourself wander between the anchors.

Historic center

Andador Macedonio Alcalá

The pedestrian spine: colonial mansions, galleries, churches, and excellent people-watching.

Plaza de la Constitución

El Zócalo

The city's shaded living room. Order a mezcal under the arcades and stay awhile.

Santo Domingo

Museo de las Culturas

One of Mexico's finest museums. Give the Tomb 7 Mixtec goldwork a proper amount of time.

Centro

Templo de Santo Domingo

A spectacular baroque interior, best experienced in the morning light.

Santo Domingo convent grounds

Jardín Etnobotánico

Native Oaxacan flora, ancient cacti, and guided tours. Plan ahead as places fill.

10-minute walk from Zócalo

Barrio de Jalatlaco

Cobblestone lanes, color, galleries, and one of the loveliest late-afternoon walks.

Beyond the City

Make a day of it

These are the outings worth a car or organized tour. Your hotel can usually help arrange both.

8 km from centro