Street Eating: To Do Or Not To Do

Some people are confused about eating on the streets in Mexico and I can understand that. The government says not to do it. They don’t advertise reasons telling one how to detect good places from bad, or any other thing; they just tell us not to do it, flat out. But, I will say this, some times I’ve have been happy to have eaten where I did and other times, much less than happy. One can get amoebas, bacteria and even food poisoning from poor kept, prepared or served foods. But, you probably wouldn’t eat in a place that looks that dirty, I would hope. I’ve seen how one place cut the meats, and then the cheese with the same knife, only wiping it off with dirty towel between cutting the meat and cutting the cheese. Also, if the stand you are going to eat at has no running water, it’s not the place to for you to chow-down. If the mayonnaise and condiments are kept at high outdoor temperatures; that’s also a sign that you should move on to a different food stand. Take note, if there is not a restroom at the vendor’s spot, don’t stop to eat there. If the place is busy with lots of people, looks clean, has lots of napkins and the sellers look presentable and have their permits readily visible, then you’ve probably found a safe place to get a quick taco, burrito or quesadilla. Just keep your eyes opened. And, don’t settle for something you don’t really want to eat. Nowadays there are lots of one-stop-quickie-type markets that sell fast food at a very low price. Plus, most of them have all facilities you would likely find in any indoor restaurant. But, again, remember that the Mexican government says, don’t eat in the streets. They seem to know what they are talking about. Buyer, please beware.