Mexican Food Guide: Must-Try Dishes & Key Spanish Terms

By Jairo Pérez

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November 14, 2025

Contents

Introduction

1. Tacos and Mole: Staple Favorites

2. Best Foods to Try in Mexico Beyond Tacos

3. Restaurant Spanish Vocabulary You Should Know

4. More Delicious Mexican Foods to Try

5. Dining Out in Mexico: Cultural Tips

6. Learn the Slang: Spanish Phrases in Mexico

7. Put It All Together: How to Order

8. Why Explore Mexican Cuisine?

9. Practical Tips for Immersing Yourself

10. Wrap-Up and Why It Matters

Introduction

Mexican cuisine is full of bold flavors, colorful ingredients, and deep tradition. From busy street food to home-cooked meals, every bite tells a story. To enjoy it fully and order with confidence, you need to know some Mexican dishes and basic restaurant Spanish.

This guide will help you explore Mexican foods to try. It will teach you how to order food in Spanish while in Mexico. You will also learn cultural tips to make dining more enjoyable and respectful.

1. Tacos and Mole: Staple Favorites

Tacos are iconic in Mexican food. Taco al pastor (marinated pork), taco de carnitas (slow-cooked pork), or seafood tacos in coastal towns, each place adds its own twist. Tacos are a top choice on any popular Mexican foods to try list.

Mole, especially mole poblano, is a rich sauce made with dried chili peppers, chocolate, nuts, and spices. It’s usually served over chicken. It’s complex and deeply satisfying, a true standout in Mexican cuisine.

Tip: Say “Me gustaría un taco al pastor y mole poblano, por favor.” (I’d like an al pastor taco and mole poblano, please.)

2. Best Foods to Try in Mexico Beyond Tacos

Chiles en Nogada: Poblano peppers stuffed with fruit and meat, covered in creamy walnut sauce, topped with pomegranate seeds. A patriotic Mexican dish.

Pozole: A hearty soup filled with hominy and shredded meat, topped with cabbage and radishes. It's big on flavor and perfect for a satisfying meal.

Tamales: Corn dough filled with meat, cheese, or chilies wrapped in corn husks and steamed until soft and flavorful.

Ceviche: Fresh seafood cured in lime juice and mixed with onion, cilantro, and tomatoes, light and refreshing.

All of these are essential Mexican dishes to try when you visit.

3. Restaurant Spanish Vocabulary You Should Know

Knowing menu Spanish terms helps you navigate a Mexican restaurant with ease:

Entrada: Appetizer
Plato principal: Main course
Postre: Dessert
Bebidas: Drinks

To order your meal use these Mexican restaurant phrases:

“¿Puede recomendarme algo?” – Can you recommend something?
“Me gustaría probar el plato del día.” – I'd like to try the dish of the day.
“Sin picante, por favor.” – No spice, please.

For closing your meal:

“¿La cuenta, por favor?” – The bill, please.
“¿Está incluido el servicio?” – Is service included?
“Todo estuvo delicioso.” – Everything was delicious.

These useful Spanish travel phrases will make you feel confident and polite.

4. More Delicious Mexican Foods to Try

Beyond the famous dishes, enjoy others like:

Sopes, tostadas, or quesadillas with fresh toppings
Tlayudas from Oaxaca, large crispy tortillas with beans and meat
Elote(corn on the cob) or esquites (corn cup) with sauces and spices
Churros, often dipped in chocolate or sprinkled with sugar

These are all part of the amazing variety in Mexican food to try.

5. Dining Out in Mexico: Cultural Tips

Dining in Mexico is more than just eating, it’s about being part of social life. Locals enjoy meals slowly, often with family and friends. For helpful cultural etiquette tips that will make your trip even more enjoyable, know that locals may keep their hands above the table while eating. Sampling many dishes like tacos or tamales helps you try more flavors and speak more Spanish.

If you're at a taquería (taco stand), talk to the vendor: “¿Cuál es su especialidad?” (What's your specialty?) Friendly conversation goes a long way.

6. Learn the Slang: Spanish Phrases in Mexico

Mexican Spanish has its friendly expressions. Here are a few to help you sound more natural:

¿Qué onda? – What's up?
Chido – Cool
Güey – Dude or friend
Neta – Really? / Honestly

Using these along with restaurant Spanish vocabulary helps you connect with locals and learn more quickly.

7. Put It All Together: How to Order

Let’s say you walk into a restaurant. Here’s how you might order using Mexican foods to try and language:

Greet the staff and ask for the menu: “¿Me trae la carta, por favor?”
Ask for recommendations: “¿Puede recomendarme algo?”
Order: “Quisiera tacos al pastor y tamales, por favor.”
Control spice: “Los tacos sin picante, por favor.”
Ask for drinks: “¿Qué bebidas tiene?”
After eating: “Qué delicia. Todo estuvo delicioso.”
Ask for the bill: “¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?”

This method combines dining out in Mexico tips and real restaurant Spanish phrases.

8. Why Explore Mexican Cuisine?

Cultural learning: You experience family recipes, history, and daily life through food.
Language practice: Each dish brings new vocabulary like pozole, or tamales.
Connection: Sharing a meal is a friendly way to use your Spanish and learn from locals.

9. Practical Tips for Immersing Yourself

Go to food markets and street stands to see local favorites.
Try food tours or cooking classes, they teach dishes, language, and traditions.
Watch Mexican cooking shows or movies to match visuals with tastes and words.
Try language apps that focus on food and restaurant phrases. For example, learn Spanish words for dishes like mole, tamales, and ceviche.

10. Wrap-Up and Why It Matters

Mexican food is life, history, and flavor wrapped together. Enjoy tacos, mole, tamales, pozole, and churros. Each bite lets you practice Spanish, learn about the culture, and meet friendly locals.

Mix Mexican dishes with Spanish terms like entrada, plato principal, and bebidas. You'll eat like a local and speak Spanish confidently. Exploring these flavors and phrases makes your trip or your kitchen a wonderful cultural adventure.

Share your favorites or the first phrase you used at a Mexican restaurant. It’s part of exploring a new world of food, language, and tradition.

Jairo Pérez

Academic Team

Jairo Pérez is the Head of Academics at Comligo. Originally from Mexico, he has extensive experience teaching Spanish as a second language and in the fields of Human and Artistic Sciences. Passionate about language, culture, and education, he enjoys exploring different cultures, visiting museums, and embracing nature.