Food

What to eat in Tepoztlán

The food is a big part of why the market draws crowds. This is Morelos cooking plus a heavy dose of street snacks, and most of the best stuff is cheap and eaten standing up.

The local specialties

• Itacates. The signature Tepoztlán snack: a thick, triangular corn masa cake, split and stuffed with cheese, beans, chicharrón or nopales and topped with salsa and cream. A few dollars from a market stand.
• Cecina and Morelos comida. Thin, salted grilled beef, usually served with rice, beans, cream and tortillas — a regional staple worth ordering at a sit-down spot.
• Tepoznieves. The town’s famous artisanal ices and ice creams, sold in dozens of flavors including some genuinely odd ones (mezcal, rose petal, corn). A cheap, fun way to end a walk.

Where to eat

• The market and street stands are your best value and your most authentic bite — graze the tianguis on weekends or the daily market midweek. Tacos, quesadillas, itacates and pozole for pocket change.
• Sit-down restaurants around the zócalo run pricier, especially the pretty courtyard places aimed at the weekend crowd from the capital. Food is generally good; you’re paying for the setting. Expect a moderate mid-range bill per person (approximate).
• Mezcalerías off the main streets pour well and are the local way to spend an evening.

Honest tip: eat your best meals from the market and save the courtyard restaurants for a drink and the view.