If you are visiting Mexico then one of the things that you will notice very quickly is the wide range of street food options which you can find throughout the nation. Mexico City for me is one of my favorite places to visit and the first thing that I tend to do is head out to lap up some tasty street food snacks.
One of the keys to enjoying the range of options is to know what it is that you are looking for before you get there. Because there is such a range of choices it can be overwhelming and many will simply stick to what they know. To help you ensure that you don’t restrict yourself, here are some of the best choices which you can bag on the streets of Mexico.
Tacos
Tacos are of course an easy option but you need to consider the sheer volume of choices which you will have here, tacos is much more of an umbrella term for what you can get. The most commonly found choices are carnitas (slow cooked pork,) longaniza( spicy sausage,) cuts of beef, and al Pastor which is marinated pork cooked on a spit. The best thing to do if you are confused is to just get one taco and see how it tastes. Because tacos are small and not too filling, you can try out a few to see what you like.
Huaraches
Huaraches are the Mexican equivalent to pizza and they can be found throughout the city. These delicious gems are made using corn dough which is then flattened and cooked, a layer of refried beans is then added to the huarache and it is dressed with lettuce, cream, crumbled white cheese and usually a meat such as beef or chicken. One of these will be enough to fill you up.
Tortas
Instead of sandwiches the Mexicans do what is called a torta, a crusty bun which is packed with delicious fillings. Generally they use the same fillings as you may find in sandwiches such as cheese and meat, but these little beauties are also jam-packed with pickled veggies, avocado and salad.
Gorditas
Gorditas are another delicious choice which you will find throughout Mexico, they are made using fried pork rind (chicharron) and come with a range of filings. The corn dough has fried pork rind added to it which is then pressed into a disc shape. The gordita is cooked and then sliced open, where it is filled with meats like chicken and beef, and then packed with some sour cream, some cheese and some frijoles. The gordita is a very filling snack which is also very greasy indeed, if it is big, think about sharing this one.
Final Note
A final note on the street food choices in Mexico, and something which my good friend Javier Burillo shared with me before I arrived, is to be careful with the salsa. Red and green salsas vary wildly from vendor to vendor, so have a little taste before you dive right in.
