A traditional soup or stew from Mexican cuisine with chicken, pork and vegetarian. Made from hominy corn with plenty of herbs and spices, the dish is traditionally stewed for hours, often overnight. Once it’s ready to serve, lettuce/cabbage, radish, onion, avocado, lime and chili are sprinkled on top.

A good place to start since the name Bucerias (place of divers) implies how it got its start. Within the Bahia de Banderas grows plenty of Oysters that divers would collect and distribute in the area.

• Each year (Easter Weekend) the Bucerias Oyster Festival downtown at the beach draws thousands of locals and visitors from the area.

This marine delicacy, which can be served with lime and salsa Huichol.

A sope is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a fried masa base with savory toppings. Also known as picadita, it originates in the central and southern parts of Mexico, where it was sometimes first known as pellizcadas.

This popular traditional breakfast dish features lightly fried corn tortillas cut into quarters (called totopos) and soaked in green or red salsa (the red is slightly spicier). Scrambled or fried eggs and pulled chicken are usually added on top, as well as cheese and cream. Chilaquiles are often served with a healthy dose of frijoles (refried beans).

A simple but delicious dish involving corn tortillas that is deep-fried or toasted until they become crunchy and golden. These are then served alone or piled high with any number of garnishes. Popular toppings include frijoles (refried beans), cheese, cooked meat, seafood and ceviche.

Boasting the three colors of the Mexican flag, chilis en nogada is one of Mexico’s most patriotic dishes. Poblano chilies filled with picadillo (a mixture of chopped meat, fruits and spices) represent the green on the flag, the walnut-based cream sauce is the white and pomegranate seeds are the red.

You will find someone selling elote, the Mexican name for corn on the cob, on nearly every city street corner in Mexico. The corn is traditionally boiled and served either on a stick (to be eaten like an ice cream) or in cups, the kernels having been cut off the cob. Salt, chili powder, lime, butter, cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream are then added in abundance.

Enchiladas date back to Mayan times, when people in the Valley of Mexico would eat corn tortillas wrapped around small fish. These days both corn and flour tortillas are used and are filled with meat, cheese, seafood, beans, vegetables or all of the above. The stuffed tortillas are then covered in a chili sauce, making for a perfect Mexican breakfast.

Three states claim to be the original home of mole (pronounced ‘mol-eh’), a rich sauce popular in Mexican cooking. There are myriad types of mole but all contain around 20 or so ingredients, including one or more varieties of chili peppers, and all require constant stirring over a long period of time. Perhaps the best-known mole is mole poblano, a rusty red sauce typically served over turkey or chicken.

Popular Mexican food all around the world! The classic Mexican street vendor taco differs greatly from the Americanized version of it. What they all contain is one ingredient, MEAT. You can complement it with cilantro, onions, limes and salsa.

Guacamole is undoubtedly one of Mexico’s most popular dishes, but few people know that this traditional sauce dates back to the time of the Aztecs. Made from mashed-up avocadoes, onions, tomatoes, lemon juice and chili peppers (and sometimes a clove or two of garlic), guacamole is often eaten with tortilla chips or used as a side dish.

Tamales were first developed for the Aztec, Mayan and Inca tribes who needed nourishing food on the go to take into battle. Pockets of corn dough are stuffed with either a sweet or savory filling, wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks, then steamed. Fillings vary from meats and cheeses to fruits, vegetables, chilies and mole. Remember to discard the wrapping before eating!

From the State of Jalisco, this stew is seasoned with a preparation based on some varieties of chili, seasonings, and salt. A tomato-based sauce is prepared with the juices from the cooking, called consommé. Birria was originally made with goat, but you lamb, mutton, pork or beef can also be used.

It is the most popular way of preparing fish in Nayarit, originally from the island of Mexcaltitán. Snapper is usually used, served whole, open in the middle, seasoned with lemon juice, salt, pepper and soy sauce; served with hot sauce, refried beans, rice and corn tortillas.