Having had a month to explore San Cristóbal de las Casas, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that it is quite a vegan-friendly place to live. From local fruits and vegetables to vegan staples like tofu and soy milk, the town had plenty of food options to keep our family fed without breaking the bank. And when we wanted a night off from cooking, we found some solid vegan restaurants for our family to enjoy.
Mercado Municipal
The town market (starting at the corner of Utrilla and Honduras, about 8 blocks north of the main plaza) is the place to go for fresh fruits and vegetables at cheap prices. While organic produce is not an option here, the market offers a wide selection including bananas, apples, onions, garlic, carrots, beets, ginger root, cilantro, and more. Shopping here is an experience in itself, and navigating the narrow rows packed with people can take some getting used to. If possible, pick your own produce to avoid getting stuck with something that is way past its prime.
Mercado Municipal San Cristobal de Las Casas
Falafel
Hands down our favorite place to eat out in San Cristóbal was Falafel (on Avenida Maria Flores between Utrilla and Belisario Dominguez). True to its name, the restaurant serves up some delicious pitas stuffed with falafel, as well as huge plates of hummus and pitas. This was a new dining experience for the Younger Fives, but they all dug in and left very little on their plates (always a good sign). All the main dishes are completely vegan, but a few dishes can be ordered with egg.
Falafel, San Cristobal de Las Casas
La Casa del Pan
We never made it to the restaurant at La Casa del Pan (on Real Guadalupe between Cristobal Colon and Diego Dugelay), but we found quite a lot at their adjoining store. The kitchen uses quite a bit of tofu, so we were able to order it by the kilo. We also found organic, non-GMO soymilk as well as vegan chocolate. They do carry coconut oil, but unfortunately they were out and did not restock during our stay. This is also the only place where we could find homemade vegan bread (most contain eggs or milk, or are brushed on the outside with egg white); ask for La Rustica.
La Casa del Pan, San Cristobal de Las Casas
El Mercadito
This store doesn’t look like much from the outside, but El Mercadito (at the corner of Diego Dugelay and Real Guadalupe) has an awesome selection of nuts and seeds at very reasonable prices. We bought almonds, cashews, and pistachios here by the kilo at prices almost a third lower than we had paid at the Chedraui supermarket.
El Mercadito, San Cristobal de Las Casas
Te Quiero Verde
During our first week in San Cristóbal we had a craving for a vegan burger and fries, and Te Quiero Verde (on Ninos Heroes between Miguel Hidalgo and Insurgentes) fit the bill. They had three different burger options on the day we visited, and the ketchup and fries were a big hit. Dining here was nothing spectacular, but we also had nothing to complain about either.
Te Quiero Verde, San Cristobal de Las Casas
Other Tips
* Soymilk is available at most of the larger grocery stores in town, including Supermas (on Real Guadalupe between Utrilla and Belisario Dominguez) and ISSSTE (at the corner of President Obregon and Paseo de ISSSTE). These stores also stock basic white rice and pasta.
* Chedraui (on the main highway on the west side coming into town) was our place to buy whole grain rice and pasta. They also had a small international section with some items not found elsewhere in town (i.e. peanut butter and veggie bouillon).
Guest post and pictures provided by FivesOnTheFly. We are a family of five living, loving, and learning on the fly. Our travels and adventures enrich our lives in so many ways, and we hope that you can take something away from them as well.
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Great article – as usual, very informative. (Gosh I sound like a spam bot, don’t I?) No, but really: all I’ve come to expect from the Fives. Unusual diets can always be a challenge, and they’ve met it.