“Why are so many great cooks in NY from Mexico, and Puebla in particular?” – Anthony Bourdain
We’ll get to the food in a bit, but I wanted to start by telling what Puebla has done for me. Puebla has given me the motivation I needed to start writing about travel. I lived there for a year so I was still enthralled by its exoticism and its “newness” up until the day I left. I was also able to truly dive into what the city has to offer. This allows me to be able to provide the best recommendations to someone who wants to visit, and if you haven’t been, that demographic should include you.
There are many reasons to visit Puebla, but the one that most people will probably cite as the best is the food. I would be hard pressed to find a reason to argue against that logic. A “Guide to Puebla, Mexico” could easily be just a “Guide to Food in Puebla, Mexico.” Arguably known as the birthplace of many of Mexico’s most iconic plates (mole, cemitas, chile en nogada), Puebla is where you can really discover all of the incredibly different flavors and creative dishes that make up Mexican cuisine and go way deeper than tacos and quesadillas. That being said, the food is followed in close second, third, fourth, and so on, by all the other incredible characteristics that made me proud to call this city home for a year. One of the best nightlife scenes I have known, some of the most important cultural sites in Mexico, and a beautiful cityscape that isn’t backed by just one volcano, but two behemoths…I would seriously suggest Puebla as a must-visit destination for the avid traveller. Here are a couple of quick additional points as to why Puebla is a city that should be added to your to-go list:
– It’s proximity to Mexico City allows you to get two vacations in one. As amazing of a city as Puebla is, you can probably accomplish everything you need to in 3, maybe even 2 days here. Mexico City has a similar feel (as it is so big that even if you lived there for 50 years, you wouldn’t be able to experience all of it), so you can get the necessities done within approximately 3 days. This makes for a great one week vacation in which you get to see 2 distinct Mexican cities with 2 distinct, authentic, Mexican cultures.
– IT’S CHEAP! You can usually find top notch hotels in prime locations for under $100 dollars a night. Even better, a clean, modern Airbnb for around $50 a night, which is great for when travelling in groups. Uber is the way to get around and even on your longest trips (approximately 30-40 minutes) from one end of the city to the next, you will only be paying around $4 a ride. Food can come as cheap as $7, in total, for a meal for two. If you are drinking throw about $5 on there. If fine dining is your style, expect to splurge for up to $40 in total (drinks included).
– You get to see a side of Mexico that you probably didn’t know existed. Many of the people from the US have a fairly narrow view of what Mexico is/Mexicans are like. Even though we live amongst a large population of them in many states, we still only rely on stereotypes for “real” Mexican culture. Either that or worse, we imagine Mexico as the “Americanized” resorts that we see on all the travel brochures. Puebla gives you the chance to experience a true Mexican city. One that is both embracing the financial and cultural move towards modernity and first world living, while also preserving its heritage and traditions that go way beyond mariachi bands and pinatas. With many distinct barrios within the city, from the traditionally beautiful, ancient-church laden land of Cholula to the utopian, futuristic feel of Lomas de Angelópolis, you will stunned by the unexpected at each turn.
– You will eat some of the best Mexican food that you could NEVER dream of. Our Chipotle clogged perception of Mexican cuisine could not be further from the truth. You can sit down at some restaurants in this city where you will open a menu and not know one single thing on it (that goes for the Spanish speakers as well). Even my girlfriend who is from Northern Mexico gave me blank stares when I asked her what certain menu items were. Don’t be afraid. The waiters will be more than pleased to try their English with you and help you find something that fits your palate. Whether it be the gastronomical, modern food movement sweeping the city, or the traditional meals made for centuries by the real Poblanos, you will not leave disappointed.
