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7 Traditional Dishes You Have to Try on Your Trip to Guadalajara

Birria
Birria | Courtesy of Pablo Mares

Tapatíos’ love and pride for their food is evident in each meal served (and in most conversations); here are the traditional dishes that you have to try when you are in Guadalajara.

Birria

For many, birria, a fusion of Spanish lamb or goat with the flavors of Mexican tomatoes and spices, is the Guadalajaran dish. It is always served with freshly made corn tortillas, onion, and lemon. Be careful with the spice level.

Birria Tatemada, La Barca, Jalisco

Torta ahogada

Whether it’s at a simple bicycle with a box, a fútbol bar,or a fancy restaurant, everyone in Guadalajara has their favorite spot to get tortas ahogada (sandwiches stuffed with cuts of pork soaked in tomato sauce). But the essence of any torta ahogada is the birote, a salty and crispy kind of baguette only found in the city. Again, be careful with the spicy.

Torta ahogada

Carne en su jugo

Carne en su jugo, broth made with small pieces of juicy beef steak, is one of the most traditional dishes of Guadalajara. The sides are essential: fried bacon, corn tortillas, onion, and coriander.

Carne en su jugo

Lonche bañado

Lonche, a Tapatía vernacular that probably came from the English word “lunch,” refers to a variation on the torta ahogada, the main difference being that the tomato sauce is mixed with sour cream, and it’s served with avocado slices.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGVGQcBo8UB/?tagged=loncheba%C3%B1ado&hl=es

Pollo a la Valentina

Fried chicken is known almost everywhere in the world, but not like the kind cooked in Guadalajara. Pollo a la Valentina is bathed in a tomato sauce and served with fries and a fresh salad, making it a perfect choice for two people.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVQNKKghs5l/?tagged=polloalavalentina&hl=es

Tacos de barbacoa

Tacos are available any time in Mexico, but these fried, fatty, and spicy tacos de barbacoa are sold only in the morning and are a good cure for the hangover of a tequila party the night before.

Tacos de barbacoa

Pozole rojo

In Guadalajara, going out for cena (a traditional dinner) at a cenaduría (special restaurant) is very common. A chief dish is pozole rojo, a broth, stew, or soup with pork, lettuce, and radish. Pozole can be found almost everywhere in Mexico, but in Guadalajara, it’s combined with the flavors of traditional Tapatía cuisine.

Pozole rojo
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