48 Hours Eating Guadalajara's Most INSANE Food!

Guadalajara might be Mexico’s most underrated food city. In this episode of my 2026 World Cup food series, I’m in Guadalajara, Mexico, to find out why this city has one of the most exciting and traditional food scenes in the country. Guadalajara is the home of some of Mexico’s most iconic dishes. Goat birria, tortas ahogadas, al pastor, chilaquiles, pozole, mole, aguachile, tostadas, fresh seafood and proper old-school restaurants that feel like they have been feeding the city forever. I start at Birriería Nueve Esquinas for traditional goat birria, one of Guadalajara’s most famous dishes. Slow-cooked goat, rich broth, warm tortillas, salsa, lime and the kind of deep, savoury flavour that makes you understand why birria has become famous around the world. Then I explore the market and try pitaya, a seasonal cactus fruit sold across Guadalajara, before heading into downtown to get a proper feel for the city. After that, I visit Tomate for al pastor tacos and learn more about the history of one of Mexico’s greatest street foods. Marinated pork, pineapple, tortillas, salsa and that perfect balance of smoke, fat, sweetness and heat. Then it’s over to Los Chilaquiles for a proper Mexican breakfast. Chilaquiles with salsa verde, salsa roja, mole, cream, cheese, eggs and all the things that make breakfast in Mexico feel completely different to anywhere else. From there, I try Guadalajara’s famous tortas ahogadas, also known as drowned sandwiches. Crusty bread, carnitas, spicy tomato sauce, onions and a full-on messy eating experience that belongs completely to this city. Then I head for seafood at La Caretta De Real Pacifico, trying aguachile, tostadas and fresh mariscos. Bright, sharp, spicy, cold, clean and exactly what you want when the city starts to heat up. Finally, I visit La Chata, one of Guadalajara’s classic old-school restaurants, for pozole, mole and more traditional Mexican dishes. This is part of my 16-part series travelling to every 2026 FIFA World Cup host city in North America to find out which city has the best food. I’ve visited New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Miami, Toronto, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Kansas City and Monterrey, and now I’m in Guadalajara to explore one of Mexico’s great food cities. Timestamps 00:00 Intro: Welcome to Guadalajara 00:35 Birriería Nueve Esquinas: Traditional goat birria 03:51 Pitaya cactus fruit tasting at the market 05:20 Exploring downtown Guadalajara 07:23 Tomate: Al pastor tacos and the history of the dish 09:37 Los Chilaquiles: Traditional Mexican breakfast 11:19 Tortas ahogadas: Guadalajara’s drowned sandwiches 13:21 La Caretta De Real Pacifico: Aguachile, tostadas and fresh seafood 15:52 La Chata: Pozole, mole and old-school Mexican dishes 19:10 Final thoughts on Guadalajara food Subscribe for the full 2026 World Cup food series as I travel to every host city to find the best food in North America. #GuadalajaraFood #WorldCup2026 #OnlyScrans