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Memela

Another of Oaxaca’s favorite masa-based antojitos (snacks), the memela is a slightly thick corn tortilla that’s toasted on a hot comal, spread with asiento (pork lard), and topped with refried beans, crumbly cheese, choripapa (potatoes and chorizo), and/or whatever else is on hand. Not commonly found elsewhere across the country, the memela is a must-try in Oaxaca.

Where: Our memela is from La Güerita inside Mercado de la Merced (Insurgentes between Murguía and Morelos, map), a bustling fonda whose comal saw a lot of action from empanadas and memelas.

When: Daily, 8am-3:30pm. Memelas are most traditionally eaten earlier in the day.

Order: Una memela sencilla (7p)—topped with just asiento, frijoles, and queso—is a good bet for tasting the memela at its most basic: a satisfyingly simple, savory, crunchy snack. (Vegetarians, order it sin asiento.)

Alternatively: Memelas are standard Oaxacan market fare; nearly anyone with a comal is probably making them. As far as restaurants go, the excellent, fresh-masa-obsessed Itanoní (Belisario Domínguez 513, Colonia Reforma, map) is a great place to try this and other corn-based antojitos.