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All Mexico Oaxaca Mercado de la Merced
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Mercado de la Merced

Start your morning off with an epic food crawl in this market east of Oaxaca’s historic center.

Oaxaca, Mexico

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Anya von Bremzen
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The chilaquiles from Fonda Rosita are the stuff of legend.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
The chilaquiles from Fonda Rosita are the stuff of legend.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
Mercado de la Merced might just be the best spot for breakfast in the area.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
All of the memela toppings are delicious, but locals swear by the chicharrón prensado.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
Güerita specializes in exceptional memelas.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
Venture outside of the historic center for a multi-stall feast.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
Memelas are the true breakfast of champions.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
Fonda Rosita has been slinging chilaquiles since 1880.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
Pull up a chair and prepare to dig in.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
Your first stop is Güerita for perfect memelas.   Orlando Madrid for Gastro Obscura
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About

Located in a residential area east of Oaxaca’s historic center, Mercado de la Merced is your perfect market for shopping, gawking, and snacking. It’s both less daunting than the sprawling Central de Abastos and less touristy than the Mercado 20 de Noviembre. Oaxaqueños especially love this market in the morning, often stopping at various fondas (small restaurants) and stalls to seek out particular specialties.

Launch into the ultimate breakfast-thon here by the entrance at the always-packed Güerita, source of perfect memelas for almost five decades. Earthy and puffy, these thick hand-patted comal-griddled tortillas come with a dozen different toppings, but locals swear by one: chicharrón prensado, the crunchy savory pork skin and meat combo spooned over black bean refritos and topped with stringy quesillo and a mild tomato salsa.

Next, weave your way through the produce lanes, admiring the ridged to criollo tomatoes, multi-colored heirloom corn, and a riot of tropical fruit like mameys and guavas. Your goal is to locate the tamale stall Geno (just ask), grab a tamal Oaxaqueño, and take your oversized banana-leaf-bundled booty to a table in the main dining hall flanked by various fondas. Accompany your gorgeous tamal—made with soft pillowy masa cradling a black mole filling—with a cup of frothy hot chocolate or an atole from Comedor Mary, which is famed for its warming drinks.

And for the main course? Beloved Fonda Rosita, founded in the 1880s, obliges with some of Oaxaca’s best chilaquiles. Think: crispy tostadas drowned in tart salsa verde, topped with quesillo, epazote, and onion, then crowned with a fried egg and chorizo, to be served in an oversized clay cazuela.

The lone elder singer or out-of-tune mariachis are part of the charm. Tip them well.

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Grab a concha or a pan de yema from the expansive bread hall to dunk into your atole or hot chocolate.

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Added By

Anya von Bremzen

Published

March 27, 2025

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Mercado de la Merced
Av. José María Morelos 1522A, Ruta Independencia
Oaxaca, 68000
Mexico
17.061652, -96.718787
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Nearby Places

‘El Mural Que Debió Ser’ (‘The Mural That Should’ve Been’)

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oaxaca

Oaxaca

Mexico

Places 18
Stories 6

Nearby Places

‘El Mural Que Debió Ser’ (‘The Mural That Should’ve Been’)

Oaxaca, Mexico

miles away

Bodaega

Oaxaca, Mexico

miles away

Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca (Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca)

Oaxaca, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oaxaca

Oaxaca

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Places 18
Stories 6

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