Escamoles are a unique and seasonal Puebla food. Escamoles, or ant larvae, may not sound appetizing, but in the state of Puebla, they are considered a delicacy. This ancient food, eaten by the elite of the Aztec is a seasonal dish, typically sautéed in butter and topped with basil is a unique dish you must try if you’re visiting Puebla in the spring months (Feb – May). We saw signs for fresh escamoles everywhere we drove which made it very apparent that this was a loved dish by Mexican natives. Escamoles are eaten like a taco, with fresh guacamole and have an earthy taste, but honestly are pretty tasty. If you’re adventorous and up for a new food — give escamoles a try!

Where to Try Escamoles in Puebla, Mexico:

• El Mural de Poblano (where we went)

We had chalupas all wrong coming from the states. Chalupas are a speciality of Puebla, Mexico and are lightly fried tortillas covered in two types of salsa — salsa verde and salsa rojo. Topped with pork and raw onions, these crunchy yet soft chalupas are crazy good!

Where to Try Chalupas in Puebla, Mexico:

• Celia’s Cafe
• El Parián
• Comal

Pelona means baldy in Spanish, and is given to this sandwich because the bread is deep fried having a slightly shiny top to the bun. Filled with shredded beef, lettuce, tomato, and cream, the Pelona is a must try Puebla food — but in all honestly, for us, didn’t hit the mark. You can get Pelonas just about anywhere in Puebla, but can definitely be found in a Antojitos restaurant.

Where to Try Pelonas in Puebla, Mexico:

• Antojitos Tony
• Antojitos Alcapulco

Throughout the city of Puebla, you will see signs for molotes at restaurants, street vendors, and can be found in every Antojitos stall. Molotes are a flash fried tortilla filled with cheese, vegetables, or meat of choice. We almost ordered a molote with sesos by recommendation of a local but realized it was cow brains and opted for a more mild filled molote with cheese, jalapeños, and basil.

Where to Try Molotes in Puebla, Mexico:

• Antojitos Tony
• Antojitos Alcapulco

We love tamales. We’ve had a tamales multiple times throughout our trip through Mexico including delicious acelgas (Swiss chard) tamales in Guanajuato, but none have been as good as the tamales we got from Tamales de Lupita. This non-descript shop in Puebla is only open for a few hours during the week (check google or their sign out front) and will typically have a line well before they open. Tamales can only be purchased to go, and come in about 7 or 8 different flavors. We opted for chipotle, mole, and a sweet tamale with crema. We walked down the street to a Pulque bar where we devoured them and walked back for more. Honestly, they are the best thing we’ve eaten so far in our 3 months across Mexico. Be sure to add Tamales de Lupita to your list of places to eat in Puebla, Mexico!

Calle Santa Clara is a famous street in Puebla known for their sweets, and is often called la Calle de Las Dulces or the sweet street. Camotes is the most famous traditional Mexican candy made from sweet potatoes which can be ordered in a variety of different flavors including strawberry, coconut, or pineapple. They aren’t very sweet, and definitely have a sweet potato consistency to them. They weren’t our favorite, but is by far the most famous sweet of the region. We did however, enjoy Tortitas de Santa Clara, a cookie made from marzapan that was so tasty we bought some to go. You can grab a camote or tortita de santa clara anywhere along Santa Clara Street. These beautiful wrapped Pubela candies make great gifts to bring to friends and family back home.

Chiles en Nogada is another seasonal speciality of Puebla, which is typically served in the summer months around Mexico’s Independence Day. The poblano chile is stuffed with meats, fruits, and spices, and smothered in a walnut  cream sauce topped with pomegranate seeds, resembling the colors of the Mexican flag. There are a number of places that will serve this dish year round, but to truly appreciate it’s incredible flavors, try to order this when it’s typically served (July – September), and if you’re visiting outside of those months opt for a different seasonal speciality available at that time.

Where to Try Chiles en Nogada in Puebla, Mexico:

• Mural de Poblanos is most famous for this dish but only serves it when in season
• Fonda “Cemitas Robert y antojitos Lulú”
• Mesón de Santa Teresa

We ate as much food as we possibly could during our two days in Puebla, and felt like we were just touching the surface. There is so much more tasty food to try in Puebla, Mexico, and is a definite destination for foodies traveling to Mexico. Other notable foods to try that are specific to the region of Puebla are:

• Cemitas: oversized sandwiches on a brioche bun with sesame seeds. They are like a torta on steroids.
• Memelas: a thicker tortilla lightly fried and covered in salsa topped with beans, cheese, or meat.
• Chanclas: a wet sandwich filled with meat, avocado, and onion best eaten with a fork and knife because it’s covered in a special red salsa.

If you’ve tried any of these foods leave a comment below letting us know which is your favorite, or if you have any suggestions for other Puebla specialities to try when we return.

How to get to Puebla, Mexico?

Although Pubela has an international airport, most people fly into Mexico City because it has more direct flight options. From Mexico City you can travel by bus or car to Puebla, Mexico. If driving, the quickest way is taking the toll road Hwy 150D from Mexico City. This drive will take you 2-3 hours depending on traffic leaving CDMX. The toll road will cost around 120 pesos but toll prices do fluctuate, so keep enough pesos on hand.

A bus ride will cost you about the same amount (130 pesos) and take roughly the same amount of time as driving yourself. Hop on a bus at the Mexico City airport and head directly to Puebla. If you want to spend some time in CDMX before your Pubela adventure, you can find buses that regularly depart from the TAPO Bus Station (Terminal de Autobuses de Pasajeros de Oriente) to Puebla every 15 minutes. Once you arrive at the Puebla bus station, hail a taxi or take an uber into the city center about 4 miles away.

Best time to visit Puebla, Mexico

Puebla has wonderful spring-like weather year round because it is located in the central highlands of Mexico. During the dry season from November – April, expect to enjoy pleasant temperatures during the day and crisp cool nights. The rainy season begins in April with warmer temperatures and increased rain showers, but still nowhere as hot and humid as the coastal areas of Mexico.

Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is celebrated in Puebla with an annual parade commemorating the battle of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo is a fun and festive time to visit Puebla.