Must-see shopping in Oaxaca

  • Jacobo & María Ángeles

    Valles Centrales

    Jacobo and María Ángeles have been making particularly wonderful alebrijes (colorful animal figures fashioned out of soft copal wood) for over 25 years…

  • Guillermina Aguilar

    Valles Centrales

    Ocotlán's most renowned artisans are the four Aguilar sisters and their families, who create whimsical, colorful pottery figures of women with all sorts…

  • Voces de Copal

    Oaxaca City

    A classy crafts shop with superb alebrijes from the workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles in San Martín Tilcajete. These brightly painted wooden figurines,…

  • Texier

    Oaxaca City

    Beware: the boxed chocolate bites sold here, known as 'Texoros,' are highly addictive. The gourmet Oaxacan treats come in 10 varieties, including hazelnut…

  • Cosméticos Naturales Mazunte

    Mazunte

    This very successful small cooperative, toward the village's west end, makes and sells products such as shampoo, cosmetics, mosquito repellent, soap and…

  • Mercado Juárez

    Oaxaca City

    This daily indoor market, a block south of the Zócalo, peddles a mix of flowers, hats, shoes, cheap clothes and jewelry, baskets, leather belts and bags,…

  • Mercado de Artesanías

    Valles Centrales

    The work of over 100 contemporary Atzompa potters is on sale in the Mercado de Artesanías: items range from animal figures and lampshades to pots, plates,…

  • Huizache

    Oaxaca City

    A kind of greatest hits of Oaxacan crafts – including black pottery, rugs, clothes, shoes and alebrijes (painted wood carvings) – collected from around…

  • Paradise

    Bahías de Huatulco

    Crucecita doesn’t lack shops, but if you’re looking for something a bit quirkier than underpants and socks, this local craft outlet can oblige with black…

  • La Casa del Rebozo

    Oaxaca City

    A cooperative of more than 80 artisans from around Oaxaca state, La Casa del Rebozo stocks quality pottery, textiles, alebrijes (painted wood carvings),…

  • Tienda de Artesanías Piña Palmera

    Zipolite

    This little shop sells wooden toys, recycled paper products, coconut oil and other stuff made at the Piña Palmera rehabilitation center and in the…

  • Librería Grañén Porrúa

    Oaxaca City

    Though most titles are in Spanish, this shop next to relaxing Cafe Brújula offers a lavish selection of art, archaeology and collectable books on the…

  • El Nahual

    Oaxaca City

    Folk-art shop run by a Teotitlán del Valle weaving family, meaning it's stuffed with quality rugs, clothes and embroidery, as well as work from other…

  • La Contra

    Oaxaca City

    Stocks a good selection of quality mezcal, wines from Baja California's Valle de Guadalupe and Mexican craft beer.

  • Central de Abastos

    Oaxaca City

    The enormous main market, nearly 1km west of the Zócalo, is a hive of activity all week, with Saturday the biggest day. You can find almost anything here,…

  • Mercado Morelos

    Valles Centrales

    This covered market, on the south side of the central plaza, opens daily. Food, clothes, pottery, textiles, mezcal, chickens, art and cheap junk – it's…

  • Unión de Palenqueros de Oaxaca

    Oaxaca City

    This hole-in-the-wall place is the outlet for a group of small-scale mezcal producers from Santiago Matatlán. It has decent and very well-priced reposado,…

  • El Pochote-Xochimilco

    Oaxaca City

    A small, relaxed market dealing in natural products, especially crafts and organic vegetables and made-on-the-spot food, nearly all sold by their makers…

  • Mercado de Artesanías

    Oaxaca City

    An indoor crafts market almost entirely devoted to textiles: tablecloths, bags, blouses, huipiles (long, sleeveless tunics) shawls and more.