There is absolutely no doubt that some of the very best food which you will find in Mexico City comes from those who sell it on the street. For the most part these men and women have methods and recipes which have been passed on down the generations and this is why they are able to offer the finest options. Not only this of course, but this is likely to be the cheapest food which you will find in Mexico as well. With this being said however, for anyone who is coming to Mexico City, they must be careful of one or two things when eating on the street.
Getting Sick
Of course the most obvious risk which people will talk about is the potential for getting sick, and this can in fact happen quite easily. The most common reason for this is meat which is poorly taken care of, and poor hygiene behind the scenes. You will be able to tell very quickly whether or not a particular food stand is going to make you sick, simply by looking for a minute or two at how they are handling things and where the meat is being stored. The best advice is that if you are worried at all, just don’t eat there.
The Salsa
If you like some spicy stuff then you have no reason to be worried about any of the salsas that you find on the streets of Mexico. If however you are not keen on super spicy stuff, be careful when you eat at the taco stand. The reason is simply that each and every stand makes their own salsa, all to varying degrees of heat. As my good friend Javier Burillo also pointed out to me, there is no rule regarding which is hottest between red and green. Always make sure that you have a little try of the salsa with your finger, before you start to coat your food in it.
Waiting Forever
The queue system does not exist when it comes to street food and this is something else which you must ensure that you are aware of. If you expect to stand there and wait your turn then you will simply not be served. This can be something of a bunfight if there are lots of people standing around, so you need to decide on what you want and then ensure that you are loud and proud when you ask for it. Those who are shy, will end up with nothing.
The Meats
If you are at all squeamish then ensure that you know exactly what you are asking for. There can be a range of foods which you get at the taco stand and they do like to cook just about every part of the animal. With this in mind, it is important that you are not going there and asking for brains on a taco, simply because you didn’t know what you should be asking for. Keep an eye out and get the right food for you.