The most important word in Oaxaca: Mezcal
The holy trinity of Oaxacan cuisine includes chapulines (grasshoppers), queso oaxaca (white string cheese), and mezcal. The latter is unique to this region and has a very distinct, smoky flavor. It's a liquor that is distilled from the agave plant. It's an acquired taste like most things that are a bit different, but the flavors are so wonderful! You can taste smoke, grass, flora, agave, really complex and perfectly delicious. I wasn't a big fan the first time I tried mezcal a few years ago, but for some reason I sort of adore it now. Which makes living in Oaxaca even more exciting - there are small distilleries all over town and in the countryside as well. The good news is that if you try mezcal and realize it's just not for you, most bars have a great beer and wine list as well..
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This is a great spot to meet up with a group of friends (try to snag the large table in the small room on the side of the main area. They have a large (you guessed it) selection of mezcal, and they also have a really good list of beer and wine as well. And if you sit there for awhile, it's probably a good idea to order the guacamole - it's super delicious and although the rumor is that you'll never get a hangover drinking mezcal, better to be safe with a little bit of food in your stomach just in case.
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This is a purist mezcal bar - a small space with seating at the bar and a couple of other tables. We found this spot on our first night in town and split a flight while the bartender explained about the differences between what we were sipping (they all tasted very unique). They only serve their own brand of mezcal here, and it's pretty fantastic.
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This is a great wine and tapas bar with a really nice atmosphere. It can get a little crowded, but it's never super noisy. Every time you order a drink they bring you tapas (a small plate of food), and all of the food was pretty dang good (and vegetarian - but probably because we mentioned it).
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