Traveling to Guadalajara
The Cultural Center of Mexico: Emblematic Music, Unique Food, and Incredible Coffee
It may not be the capital, but Guadalajara is considered the true center of Mexican culture. This is the birthplace of mariachi music, charros wearing sombreros, and one of the most popular liquors on the planet. When you think of Mexican culture, there’s at least a chance that it came specifically from Jalisco. That culture is at the core of everything in Guadalajara, but it also serves as a melting pot like you might expect of any large city, with an interesting mix of concrete jungle and small town vibes all in one place.
Guadalajara, and Jalisco as a whole, has its own unique brand of food. Between all the birria and tortas ahogadas, try out a lonche and wash it down with tejuino. I trust you all can Google exactly what those are. I know that I mean for these behind the scenes to go beyond the coffee, but I’m sorry, I have to mention my favorite people in the coffee world right now, the crew at Café Sublime/Café Estelar ( estelar.coffee). They are absolutely killing it, with various coffee shop/restaurants around the city of Guadalajara, and they provided my first step into the world of professional coffee when I took their Basics of Coffee Roasting course and Espresso Fundamentals course. I have recommended some of their shops elsewhere on this site, but I must reiterate that you should not miss them.
Tlaquepaque is technically its own city but after Guadalajara’s constant expansion, it is essentially now just an extension of greater Guadalajara. Situated on the edge of town, this is a great tourist destination to visit art museums, see how classic pottery and tiles are made or even try your hand at making it yourself, and enjoy some delicious tapatío food. Highly recommended excursion from the Guadalajara city center.
Tequila, Jalisco. About a 45 minute drive outside of Guadalajara, this “pueblo mágico” is the home of tequila, that mostly fun, sometimes vengeful spirit that entrances so many and provides the base of so many delicious cocktails. Visiting the town and any of its nearby tequila haciendas is definitely worth a quick visit for a day (with a tour or designated driver) or two.
Chapala is home to a lake, plenty of expats, and an assortment of entertaining activities that you just won’t have a chance for in its neighbor Guadalajara to the north. Rather than a cultural stop, this is really best for when you want a break from the city life and prefer to relax and recharge or engage in some outdoor activity.
Who doesn’t love a beach? Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita lie to the west of Guadalajara just a few hours away by car, but of course PV also has its own airport so you could skip GDL altogether if desired. Puerto Vallarta is home to some great boutique hotels and all-inclusives, incredible food and some fun beaches, while Sayulita has a more laid-back, hippy vibe to it. Both are worth a visit.
Day Trips Galore
We can’t write about coffee travel without providing some tips for where to eat and drink during or after your cup of coffee.
Best Food & Drink
1. Café palReal
palReal is a fun destination for brunch or dinner. Try any of their breakfasts, the pork torta, any of a ton of tacos, or a great fried chicken sandwich. Tasty cocktails, a wealth of incredible coffee and the know-how to make it all work splendidly together, this piece of the larger Café Sublime group is a must-try. palReal Map _palreal_2. El Habanero Negro
Some fancy tacos and craft cocktails in a small, unassuming house are just the ticket for a great dinner and night out. Live music add to the vibe and brings with it some serious good times. El Habanero Negro Map elhabaneronegro3. Barbacos
Specializing in barbacoa beef tacos, you’ll forget you ever liked the meat from Chipotle after trying this outsanding recipe straight from its point of origin. Barbacos Map barbacos.mx
Check out the Guadalajara episode for more information on coffee culture in GDL.
Other Recent Travels
Traveling to Santiago
Chile is not spoken about nearly as much as other famous countries in South American like Brazil, Argentina, Colombia or Peru. But I can assure you it has just as much to offer as its outspoken neighbors. And that's not just my bias for the country I was born and...
Traveling to Ciudad Obregón
This small city in the Sonoran desert may not be your typical tourist destination, but it sure does pack a whole lot of greatness into its casual and street food scene that make it worth a visit. If you've ever been a fan of carne asada in a taco or burrito, you owe...
Coffee Roasting Advanced Course with Café Sublime
Café Sublime's Coffee Roasting Basics course opened my eyes and inspired me to learn even more with this Advanced course. The icing on the cake was that this turned out to be a one-on-one course where I was the only student, compared to the group setting of the basics...