Alfonsina
Restaurant · Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán ·
Family-run Oaxacan restaurant serving seasonal mole & tasting menus
Family-run Oaxacan restaurant serving seasonal mole & tasting menus
"At several points en route to this hidden restaurant, you will wonder if you’re lost. But hold steady: A half hour’s drive south of Oaxaca city and down several bumpy dirt roads, this humble, reservation-only destination is as close of an invitation into someone’s home as you’re going to get. Chef Jorge León and his mother Doña Elvia run this idyllic, breezy backyard with tables set under a canopy of trees. The tasting menu is by no means formal or lengthy. Rather, expect a leisurely procession of traditional, comforting dishes like tamal with pickled onions and red cabbage or chile relleno with lentils and avocado slices. A duo of moles with rice and a barbacoa taco round out this homestyle meal complemented with excellent tortillas." - Michelin Inspector
"Reducing the negative impact a restaurant can have while serving delicious, nutritious food has become Alfonsina’s motto. That’s why the five-course prix fixe dinner focuses on seasonal vegetables, seeds, and grains sourced from small producers throughout the state. The dishes are prepared slowly using techniques of the founders’ family heritage, such as mole, tamales, and the finest handmade tortillas to enjoy in a taco or alongside the mains. The result translates into straightforward, earthy, and sometimes unexpected flavors. At dinner, you’re welcomed with a glass of pulque, followed by a curated selection of natural wines or mezcales. We like this place since it helps us slow down, disconnect from the at times overstimulating pace of the city, or say our Oaxaca goodbyes before heading to the airport, which is only 10 minutes away." - liliana lopez, mariana camacho
"Bookings are essential and can be made through the restaurant’s website or via WhatsApp. " - Atlas Obscura
"At several points en route to this hidden restaurant, you will wonder if you’re lost. But hold steady: A half hour’s drive south of Oaxaca city and down several bumpy dirt roads, this humble, reservation-only destination is as close of an invitation into someone’s home as you’re going to get. Chef Jorge León and his mother Doña Elvia run this idyllic, breezy backyard with tables set under a canopy of trees. The tasting menu is by no means formal or lengthy. Rather, expect a leisurely procession of traditional, comforting dishes like tamal with pickled onions and red cabbage or chile relleno with lentils and avocado slices. A duo of moles with rice and a barbacoa taco round out this homestyle meal complemented with excellent tortillas." - The MICHELIN Guide US Editorial Team
"You can find Alfonsina on the outskirts of Oaxaca, in the San Juan Bautista la Raya neighborhood that’s just 10 minutes away from the airport. After working at , one of best fine dining restaurants, the chef returned to Oaxaca to open Alfonsina. His mother is in charge of making the tortillas and the mole, and the mole negro (made with black chile chilhuacle and mexicano) and the coloradito (made with red chile ancho) are only served for lunch. At dinner, the focus is an Oaxacan and vegetable-heavy tasting menu, with dishes like a cauliflower tostada, a mushroom tamal, or a cumin mole with fresh fish from nearby Puerto Angel. It’s one of those restaurants that’s worth going to for both lunch and dinner—maybe even the same day." - Liliana López
