A honey tasting room and specialty shop in downtown Oaxaca dedicated to the colors, textures, flavors, and terroir of the state’s wildly varied honeys.

A lunchtime visit to a modest sidewalk stall reveals how Oaxaca’s home cooks help set the standard for the city’s celebrated food culture.

Amidst the uncertainty and turmoil caused by the coronavirus crisis, it’s easy for the days to blend together. Yet for many Oaxacans, the weekends are still distinct, mainly because of the pleasurable fin de semana (weekend) meals that allow family and friends to gather, reset and reenergize for the coming week. There is nothing more soothing than informal comfort food, which is often on the menu for these meals. “Although such food is not complicated to cook, on a Friday evening or a slow Sunday afternoon all you want is to chill and forget about cooking,” says Miguel Mijangos, head chef and co-owner of Ancestral, a traditional Oaxacan restaurant located in the picturesque neighborhood of Xochimilco.