Typical Street Food Items you’ll Find in Mexico

It’s not a secret that Mexican food is one of the most recognized cuisines in the world. But aside the dishes you can get at proper sit-down restaurants and the huge variety of tacos the country has to offer, there’s a lot of dishes in the vast world of Mexican street food, that would please even the most demanding palates. Tlacoyos and quesadillas There’s a whole group of foods in Mexican cuisine know as “Antojitos“. The word roughly translates as “little cravings” and you can find then in lots of street stands and even restaurants across the country. Most of them are made from the same main ingredient: Corn masa. Name usually dictates the shape, what can be stuffed with, topped with and the way to eat it. Tlacoyos for example are oval shaped patties, stuffed with refried beans, fava beans or cheese, and usually topped with a cactus salad (nopales), salsa and onions. Tortas Basically the Mexican version of a sandwich, served in a fluffy, thin crust bun. You can eat them either cold or slightly toasted and warm, and fillings may vary from the simplest one with just a few ham slices and fresh cheese maybe some avocado and tomato, to the outrageously big Torta Cubana, with 2 kinds of cheese, beef milanese, smoked ham, hot dogs and even fried eggs. All accompanied of course with the required portion of pickled chilies or chipotles. Since they are hand-held, Tortas are the perfect on-the-go meal for the busy city life. Tamales & Atole Tamales are basically corn dough and lard based patties, tucked inside either a corn husk or banana leaf them steamed. Fillings may vary depending on where tamales are prepared, but most common ingredients would be raisins, nuts, prunes, whole pieces of chicken, mushrooms, cheese, chillies and so on. Atole, also corn based, is a warm, thick drink, usually flavored with sugar, cinnamon and other ingredients such as chocolate, oatmeal or seasonal fruits. The tamales & atole combo can be found all over the country, during breakfast hours, usually from sellers who use a big tricycle to carry, atole jars and the tamales in a steamer. Tacos de Canasta Translated as “basket tacos”. Usually you’ll find a seller roaming the city on a bike, with a basket attached to the back and a bucket of salsa hanging from the basket. These tacos are prepared beforehand, with fillings such as refried beans, mashed potatoes, chorizo and pork crackling. If you see one of this sellers on the streets you have to hail at them, so they can stop to tell you about the different tacos they carry. After making your selection, you’ll get the tacos are handed on a piece of brown paper, which will be both your plate and your napkin, and you can top them with the traditional chunky green salsa, right before the vendor hops on his bike and continues the journey.