Cover picture: @tinyventure
It’s no news that Oaxaca has been Mexico’s trendiest travel destination for years, and now, its cuisine is getting the recognition it rightfully deserves. For the second consecutive year, the state of Oaxaca has been named Best Gourmet Destination in Mexico.
The 2019 Food and Travel Reader Awards recognized Oaxaca due to the quality and transcendence of its cuisine at a national level, but also in the international food scene. The awards are given by British magazine Food and Travel.
This is a tlayuda, a traditional dish from Oaxaca. Photo: @carnivorr
The nominees
Judges had a hard time choosing the final winners because they had to choose from several other cities known for their excellent cuisines, among them Mérida, Puebla, San Miguel de Allende, and Guanajuato.
Juan Carlos Rivera Castellanos, Secretary of Tourism, received the award recognizing the state for its cultural wealth and rich cuisine.
In addition, the Food and Travel Reader Awards also celebrates the best of the best when it comes to travel, and this year, they gave 26 awards, making Mexicans all across the country incredibly proud.
Santo Domingo Convent in Oaxaca City. Photo: @labetulia
The list is a great help for its audience, the world’s best travelers, because it provides recommendations about cities, retreats, spas, colonial towns, restaurants, gourmet spots, and hotels. Here are the winners:
Best Chef: Alejandro Cuatepotzo, Antonia Bistro SMA
Best New Chef: Salvador Orozco, Frenchie Restaurante, Café y Bar
Best Restaurant in Mexico City and the surrounding Metropolitan Area: Dulce Patria
Dulce Patria
Best Restaurant in Mexico: K’u’uk, Mérida
Best New Restaurant in Mexico: Restaurante Icú, Puerto Vallarta
Best Consolidated Restaurant in Mexico: Pujol, Ciudad de México
Best Hotel Restaurant: Le Chique, Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun by Karisma
Best Gourmet Space in Mexico: Mercado Roma
Best Sweet Space in Mexico: Tere Cazola
Best Travel Destination in Mexico: San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende. Photo: @lawtinalawyer
Best Gourmet Destination in Mexico: Oaxaca
Best Hotel in Mexico City: Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City
Best Urban Hotel in Mexico: Rosewood Puebla
Best Beach Resort in Mexico: Grand Velas Riviera Maya
Best Beach Boutique Hotel in Mexico: Zoëtry Paraíso de la Bonita Riviera Maya
Best Hotel in a Mexican Colonial Town: Casa Oaxaca
Best Spa in Mexico: SE Spa by Grand Velas Riviera Maya
Zoëtry Paraíso de la Bonita Riviera Maya
