Oaxacan Mezcal: A Must-Try Experience

With a vibrant atmosphere and an impressive selection of local craft beers and mezcals, La Mezcalerita is a casual venue featuring both a rooftop bar and cozy indoor seating. Here, you can enjoy local bar snacks made with 100% Oaxacan ingredients. Founder Coca Zárate curates a mezcal lineup that includes esteemed brands like Nuestra Soledad, Real Minero, Macurichos, Cuish, La Medida, and Koch, along with a variety of house mezcals from local artisans. 

Located on the bustling calle M. García Vigil, La Popular lives up to its name, drawing both locals and tourists. Known affectionately as “La Popu,” this spot features ever-changing art displays and provides a relaxed setting for a quick meal, a cold beer, and delightful house mezcal. The mezcal is locally sourced, featuring excellent choices from Miahuatlán (Cuixe, Tepextate, Mexicano). Plus, right across the street is the famed street food vendor, Empanadas Nocturnas del Carmen, serving late-night empanadas de amarillo and memelas de queso.

Operated by the creators of Mezcal brands El Jolgorio and Nuestra Soledad, this cozy bar is a fantastic place to explore and savor mezcal with the help of a friendly and attentive team. Alongside the vibrant array of branded bottles lining the back bar, Mezcalogia features a unique selection of house mezcales sourced from various communities in Oaxaca, including Matatlán, Santa María Zoquitlán, and Ejutla. In the evenings, you can often enjoy live music from local artists.

Established in 2010, Mezcaloteca is Oaxaca's original mezcal tasting room. With its dimly lit ambiance resembling a rare bookstore or library, this bar boasts a curated collection of mezcals from across Mexico. If you're keen on learning, scheduling one or two sessions at Mezcaloteca is essential. You can opt to taste between three to five half-ounce pours during an educational experience lasting from 40 minutes to an hour. To appreciate the diversity of styles and terroirs, request a tasting of a single agave or varietal from different regions. Alternatively, for pure enjoyment, share your flavor preferences with your guide and discover the mezcals that resonate with you.

Launched in 2020 by Eric Giardina from the Golden Era in Nevada City and Asis Cortes of Dixeebe and Origen Raíz, this laid-back rooftop bar has quickly gained popularity among locals for its delicious Mexican cuisine, stunning city views, and excellent mezcal selection. The mezcal and agave spirits offered include many Mexican brands, including Cortes’s own, alongside small producers like La Venenosa, Derrumbes, Cordón Cerrado, and Gracias a Dios. Don’t miss Cortes’s fantastic partner Mar’s shop, Espíritus Máxicos, located on the ground floor, where you can find beautiful local crafts, rare bottles, and other treasures. Inquire about private tastings at Altar for a uniquely transformative mezcal experience. 

El Techo, the stylish rooftop restaurant at El Destilado, offers stunning views of the iconic Santo Domingo church and vibrant murals created by local Oaxacan artists. Co-owner Jason Cox, also the founder of the agave spirits brand 5 Sentidos, showcases not only his own spirits but also an impressive selection of mezcals from various small producers across Mexico. Notable mezcals include those crafted by Alberto Martínez from Santa Catarina Albarradas and Atenogenes García from Miahuatlán. El Techo's menu features a delightful array of tacos, snacks, and other casual dishes curated by chef Joseph Gilbert.

Carlos Moreno, the creative force behind Mezcal Koch and several other ventures, opened Mezontle in 2019 as a welcoming space for his many guests and friends, highlighting smaller batches crafted by the producers he collaborates with. From the comfort of plush velvet chairs and low tables, you can savor a diverse selection of mezcals from Sola de Vega, San Baltazar, Río de Ejutla, and San Luis Amatlán, along with some personal favorites from Jayacatlán. A warm and generous host, Moreno frequently organizes events for his guests, so be sure to follow the bar’s Instagram for updates on special programming.

Established in 2012, this charming mezcalería on the beautiful calle 5 de Mayo is a project of the Méndez family, renowned mezcal producers from Matatlán who were pioneers in creating and registering a brand in Oaxaca back in the 1950s. The wooden back bar proudly displays the family’s own mezcals alongside an extensive variety from different regions of Oaxaca, which you can explore independently or with the guidance of one of the knowledgeable bartenders.

Archivo Maguey features two levels: a lively downstairs bar and seating area, with additional seating on the second floor and a unique back room known as the cave, where DJs spin everything from cumbia and reggaeton to techno. Jesús “Espina” Ortiz, the visionary behind Archivo and many other culinary and design ventures in Oaxaca, hails from Nochixtlán. While he collaborates with producers from various regions, I highly recommend sampling the Ticunshi, Potrero, or other mezcals crafted in the Mixteca. Chucho Ortiz’s tastings are particularly remarkable and insightful, so if possible, book a Spanish-language session at Archivo Fuego, his micro-distillery located just a short stroll from Archivo Maguey at calle Crespo 203.

A beloved staple in Oaxaca City, Sabina Sabe features a warm, exposed-brick bar that showcases exceptional branded mezcal from producers like Mezcalósfera, Vago, Real Minero, El Jolgorio, and others that may not be found outside Mexico. The skilled bar team also crafts excellent cocktails using local spirits, juices, and native Oaxacan ingredients, which you can enjoy at the bar or in the inviting dining room over a full meal or a light snack.

Cuish is one of the earliest quality mezcal bottle shops I explored back in 2009. Founded by Felix Hernández Monterrosa, whose family has deep roots in the mezcal industry, this group now operates two locations: a thorough two-story mezcalería close to the Central de Abastos market and a smaller bottle shop in Centro on Macedonio Alcalá. While the mezcalería is slightly off the typical tourist route in downtown Oaxaca, it’s definitely worth your time. Monterrosa boasts one of the finest mezcal collections available, and with his background in graphic arts, he has created stunning handmade mezcal gift boxes that you can take home. I particularly enjoy the mezcals crafted by Berta Vásquez in San Baltazar Chichicapam, as well as those from Francisco García Leon and Agustín Guendulain Maya from various regions of Miahuatlán.