What to eat in Puebla: mole, cemitas, chalupas and more

Ask Mexicans where to eat well and many will say Puebla. The city’s convent kitchens created some of Mexico’s most famous dishes, and its markets and street stalls are full of local specialities. Come hungry.

Mole poblano

Puebla’s signature dish is a dark, glossy sauce made from several kinds of dried chilli, nuts, seeds, spices, bread and a little chocolate, ground together and cooked for hours. Legend says the nuns of the Santa Rosa convent invented it to honour a visiting viceroy or archbishop. It is usually served over turkey or chicken with rice and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Try it in a traditional restaurant, and visit the former convent of Santa Rosa to see its tiled kitchen.

Chiles en nogada

A large poblano chilli stuffed with minced meat, fruit and nuts, covered in a creamy walnut sauce and scattered with pomegranate seeds and parsley. Green, white and red, it is said to have been created in 1821 to celebrate Mexican independence. It is a seasonal dish, served from about July to September, when fresh walnuts and pomegranates are available.

Cemitas

Puebla’s giant sandwich is made on a round, sesame-topped bun, filled with breaded meat, avocado, stringy white cheese, chipotle chillies and pápalo, a pungent local herb. Markets in the city have whole rows of cemita stalls.

Chalupas and molotes

Chalupas are small, thick tortillas fried and topped with green or red salsa, shredded meat and onion. They are a classic evening snack, especially around the Barrio de San Francisco. Molotes are crisp, fried corn turnovers, filled with cheese, potato, sausage or squash blossoms.

Tacos árabes

Lebanese immigrants brought spit-roasted meat to Puebla in the early 20th century. The result, tacos árabes, is pork marinated with spices, cooked on a vertical spit and wrapped in a soft flatbread, served with chipotle salsa. They are the ancestors of tacos al pastor.

Sweets

The nuns of Puebla were famous for their sweets, and the tradition continues in the shops of Calle 6 Oriente, the Calle de los Dulces. Look for camotes, sweet potato candies wrapped in paper, tortitas de Santa Clara, cookies topped with a seed paste, and borrachitos, soft jellies made with liqueur.

Drinks

• Café de olla: coffee brewed with cinnamon and raw cane sugar.
• Chocolate: hot chocolate, often made with water and spices.
• Licores de frutas: sweet fruit liqueurs from the nearby towns, especially Zacatlán and Cholula.

Tips for eating in Puebla

• Lunch, called comida, is the main meal, usually from about 14:00. Many restaurants offer a good-value set menu.
• Eat at busy street stalls, where food is fresh and turns over quickly.
• Carry small notes and coins for markets and stalls.
• Ask for salsa on the side if you do not like spicy food: “la salsa aparte, por favor”.