Best Vegetarian-Friendly Food Tours in Mexico City

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Are you curious about the best food tour in Mexico City that is also vegetarian-friendly? Mexico City is an absolute foodie haven, as cuisines from across Mexico mingle in the urban sprawl. A food tour is the best way to get insider knowledge on the best dishes and restaurants, as well as understand the traditional foods you’re eating. 

However, with so many choices, it can be hard to know what foods to try and where to go. A food tour is the perfect way to visit multiple local restaurants in an afternoon, so you can sample a variety of dishes while learning about what you are eating. 

Not all food tours in Mexico City are the same. The best food tour in Mexico City is with a local guide who takes you to a neighborhood’s best restaurants, offering historical and cultural context. 

The best food tour will not only take you to taste unique dishes, but will also share the stories behind the food that has been sacred to the Mesoamericans for thousands of years. It should also be adaptive so both vegetarians and omnivores can tour together. I found that tour, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

The food tour I booked in Mexico was easily one of the best experiences I had during my time in Mexico City. As a vegetarian traveling with my friend, Christina from Happy to Wander, who eats meat and seafood, we wanted a traditional food tour we could both enjoy. 

We spent time talking to other travelers, who booked hastily on a whim, and all had average things to say about their food tours.

Thankfully, our research paid off, and we found what we both agree might just be the best food tour in Mexico City. 

*Disclosure: There is nothing to disclose. This was a fully self-funded and non-sponsored tour. Booking through any of the links on this website supports both the tour company and me at no additional cost to you.

Quick Look: Best Food Tours in Mexico City

Sabores Mexico Food Tours operates the best food tours in Mexico City. Sabores Mexico is a local food tour company that offers in-depth and immersive food tours across the city.

What makes Sabores the best in Mexico? All their tours have a rating of 4.9-5 stars, and an overall company rating of 5* on Google Maps. They get their high ratings from taking guests on a purpose-led food tour with local guides. 

They offer five different types of tours to explore different parts of the city and focus on unique cuisines. Plus, they often have seasonal events like Día de los Muertos events

1. Roma Norte Food Walking Tour (The tour we booked)

2. Downtown Food Walking Tour

3. Tacos & Mezcal Night Driving Tour

4. Coyoacán Food & Drink Walking Tour

5. Mercado de Jamaica 

We booked the Roma Norte tour with 6 stops. More than just a food tour, our guide shared information about the cuisines and stories of the people behind the restaurants and the food. You can follow in our exact food steps, sampling traditional foods from across Mexico with modern takes, by booking your tour directly below.

Why Choose Sabores Mexico Food Tours

Sabores Mexico Food Tours is a special kind of company. Operating in an urban metropolis with food stalls and restaurants covering every centimeter, Sabores is like the local bestie giving you the best tips on where and what to eat. 

Amazing Guides

The guides at Sabores are local, with deep connections to the city and communities they operate in. Many are foodies or food experts and can talk about food along with history, culture, and daily life. 

Our guide, Mariana, was a young resident in Mexico City, and as we ended up on a private tour with her, we got to ask her lots of questions about life as a woman in Mexico, her favorite foods growing up, and left with a deeper appreciation of Roma Norte. 

She was approachable, easy to talk to, and very knowledgeable. You could tell she had created relationships with the people behind the restaurants, and in some places we visited, it felt like we were all visiting a close friend. 

Sabores has a whole team of guides and food experts ready to help you discover your next favorite dish. 

History, Culture, and Food

Many of the tours are also walking tours. On our tour, we made 6 stops over 4 hours, and got insights into the Roma Norte neighborhood. Better than any museum we visited, Mariana was able to offer insights into the cycles of gentrification in Roma, points on important sites and buildings, and the influence of various politicians on this region. She also backed it up to talk about the influence of the Mexica people and Spanish colonizers on these neighborhoods. 

Other tours will take you to other neighborhoods, and I can only assume the guides and tours operating in these areas are just as comprehensive and educational. 

In Mexico, food is sacred to the Indigenous people. It is inseparable from culture. So, having the cultural and historical context of the people and places behind the food is invaluable.

Responsible Approach

One of the first things that attracted me to Sabores Mexico Food Tours was their commitment to supporting small, local, independent restaurants with sustainable commitments. 

The stops they chose are not only amazing in terms of quality of food, but they are also places that support and uplift local suppliers and use environmentally friendly practices. We visited women-owned restaurants, zero-waste restaurants, restaurants keeping food traditions alive, and places supporting the larger community. 

Sabores are slow food tours; these aren’t just quick stops to stuff your face and move on. You enjoy the food, learn about the food, and get an intentional and meaningful experience. 

Lots of Choices and Variety

With six tours throughout Mexico City, there is something for everyone. 

Whether you came to Mexico for the cheap and cheerful taco carts lining the streets, slinging fresh, handmade tacos, or traditional restaurants, the mezcal bars, creative twists on regional foods, or the Michelin-Star restaurants, Sabores has something for you. 

With advanced notice, they are vegetarian-friendly as well. As a vegetarian, every restaurant had an option. I never felt left out either, and enjoyed all the vegetarian options greatly. 

Furthermore, a lot of traditional Mexican dishes, especially pre-colonial foods, are inherently vegetarian, so some of the stops were naturally vegan or vegetarian too!

Roma Tour with Mariana

Our day out with Mariana on the Roma Tour was excellent. My friend and I were staying in Roma Norte, and chose this tour so we could get more familiar with the local side of things. Known for foreign-led gentrification, we wanted to try local restaurants, but still enjoy the innovative and creative choices. 

The walking tour appealed to us too, so we could see some of the sights around where we were staying. After visiting several museums, our walking tour helped us put the history together while learning about modern life in this neighborhood. 

I won’t reveal all the exact locations we visited during our food tour; I’ll just share the types of food and some of the dishes we had. This is to ensure the local company gets bookings and you get the full experience with the cultural and historical context. 

The tour stops are also ever-changing, so your experience may be slightly different than mine. 

Our day started with meeting Mariana at the first stop, where we went through introductions and an overview of the day.

Stop 1: Oaxacan Food

The first stop was one of my favorites. In a vibey Oaxacan restaurant, we got to sample inherently vegetarian dishes from pre-colonial Oaxaca. We tried creative memelas with corn. The most unique element was the inclusion of a wild mushroom that grows on corn called huitlacoche. This was such a sustainable way to make use of all aspects of the corn. 

This was served with an ancestral iced drink made from corn and cacao.

After we finished our first course, we began our walking tour, learning about the different types of architecture and main points of interest on our way to the second stop. 

Stop 2: Cevicheria (Vegetarian Options)

We were actually very excited for the second stop, as we had walked by this restaurant a few times and eyed it off. As a vegetarian, I didn’t think there would be options for me at a traditional cevicheria, but I was wrong!

Seafood and fish are very important to Mexico’s vast coastal areas. While Mexico City is landlocked, the influence is still felt here. My friend got a tostada with ceviche, which was one of her top highlights. 

I got to try a California pepper with cheese and a crema sauce on a marinated tortilla. 

Stop 3: Tamales, Three Ways, Please

Our tamales stop was a real treat. A cozy, rustic, and homey restaurant owned and operated by a wonderful woman from Veracruz. Her mission was to bring her traditional tamales to the people of Mexico City. 

Here, we learned about the difference in regional tamales using corn or banana leaves. We got to try a few tamales: a sweet one, a mushroom one for me, and one made with a bit of Asian influence.

Stop 4: Vegan, Zero-Waste Tacos

The taco stop was unconventional, and I loved it. I wasn’t expecting a fully vegan stop! Here we got to try some hibiscus water, learning about the different types of agua frescas Mexico is known for. 

As a zero-waste cafe, we found elements of hibiscus throughout, as the pulp from the water was reused in the tacos and flautas. It was such a great way to enjoy Mexico’s creative culinary scene with nods to tradition. 

While we were walking between each stop, seeing the sights, the walk between the next stop was quite long, and we got to see some famous parks, buildings, and got personalized restaurant tips and more.

Stop 5: Mole and Ancestral Foods

This was our final food stop, and it really was the highlight. The restaurant featured here was another one owned by a woman. As a renowned chef, she travels across Mexico and will spend months in communities building trust. She brings family and indigenous recipes (with permission and credit) into her kitchen. The menu is like reading a National Geographic magazine, learning about the regions, foods, and people behind the dishes. 

Her menu is seasonal and rotating, highlighting the best across Mexico. We got to try mole here; my friend had the traditional sauce over chicken, and I got a green mole over vegetables.

Stop 6: Coffee, Cacao, and Cocktails

The final stop of the day was a trio of beverages. Starting with Mexican coffee made using a local slow pour-over method, we started the session fully caffeinated. From there, we watched the owner of the café hand-mix cacao using a traditional method that dates back to pre-colonial Mexico. 

To finish off the tour, we got to try an artisanal Mezcal cocktail with fresh-squeezed guava juice. This was simply the most delicious cocktail I had in Mexico! 

We ran out of time here, but stayed with our guide chatting about life and culture in Mexico, at home, and life abroad. We have all lived in countries outside our birth country, and in many ways found ourselves back home. We enjoyed each other’s company well after our tour ended.

Tips for Sabores Food Tours

• Most of the tours require a lot of walking, except for the night tour. We clocked in about 6-8 km walking between restaurants. 
• Wear good walking shoes and comfortable clothing. 
• Dietary restrictions require advance notice.
• Most tours include 6-8+ stops. Come hungry; you will be eating a lot, so the walks between are nice. 
• Bring a cash tip for your guide.

We stayed in Casa Oliva in Roma Norte. This is a cute boutique hotel and serviced apartments in a lovingly restored heritage building. It is monitored by local security 24/7, and the local employees are lovely. 

There is room to get some work done and enjoy wine on the terrace, as well as an on-site laundry. This was the perfect place for two women who both take our work on the road with us and like a bit of space. 

Bring your earplugs; noise travels.

Book Casa Oliva

Comment and Share: Best Vegetarian-friendly Food Tour in Mexico City 

The best food tours in Mexico City are with Sabores Mexico Food Tours. Offering 6+ food tours in Mexico City, there is something for everyone. Whether you want tacos and mezcal, more traditional foods downtown, or innovative flavours from across Mexico in Roma Norte, you’ll be happy. 

Sabores focuses on slow, sustainable, and immersive experiences to connect you to your food and cultural traditions across Mexico. Come hungry, because the incredible guides will have you eating your heart out.