Are you visiting Mexico and concerned about gluten? I already know that the majority of street tacos** are safe for me, but how much should I worry about gluten if I’m traveling through Mexico? I did a little research and here’s a little guide to being gluten free in Mexico.
Mexican food is easily the gluten-friendliest in 2025. Corn is the dominant grain across most of Mexico, deeply embedded in indigenous culinary traditions. However, wheat does appear in certain regions, particularly in Northern Mexico, where Spanish colonization and ranching traditions introduced more wheat-based foods.
Regions with More Wheat-Based Cuisine (to Be Mindful Of)
- Northern Mexico (Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Durango, Tamaulipas)
- Flour tortillas are a staple, especially in Sonora, Chihuahua, and Coahuila. You’ll find burritos, gorditas de harina, and machaca con tortilla de harina (dried beef with flour tortillas).
- Pan de mujer, coyotas, and semitas (wheat-based pastries) are common.
- Tortilla preference: Flour tortillas are more common than corn in home cooking, but you can always request corn tortillas in restaurants.
- Central Mexico (Guanajuato, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, parts of Puebla & Tlaxcala)
- Bolillos, teleras, and cemitas (varieties of wheat bread) are common in tortas (sandwiches).
- Some enchiladas are served with wheat-based bread instead of corn tortillas.
- Pastes in Hidalgo (savory hand pies introduced by Cornish miners) are wheat-based.
- Yucatán Peninsula (Yucatán, Campeche, Quintana Roo)
- Mostly corn-based, but some panuchos and salbutes use a slight wheat blend.
- Bollos and marquesitas (Yucatán’s crispy rolled crepes) contain wheat.
Regions Where Corn Dominates (Best for Avoiding Wheat)
- Southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guerrero, Veracruz, Tabasco)
- Almost entirely corn-based tamales, tlayudas, atoles, and tortillas.
- Indigenous communities in Chiapas and Oaxaca rarely use wheat in daily meals.
- Central Mexico (Mexico City, Estado de México, Morelos, Tlaxcala, Puebla)
- Tacos, huaraches, sopes, chalupas, and tlacoyos are all corn-based.
- Nixtamalized corn tortillas are the norm, but wheat bread is available in bakeries.
- Western Mexico (Jalisco, Michoacán, Colima, Nayarit, Sinaloa)
- Birria, corundas, uchepos, and menudo are corn-based.
- Flour tortillas exist in Sinaloa but are less common than corn.
Good News: Plenty of Corn Options Everywhere
Fine dining and fusion restaurants may incorporate wheat in bread pairings but can usually accommodate requests (same as here).
Even in wheat-heavy regions, corn tortillas are still available everywhere in Mexico, I’m very comforted to learn that it will be easy to be gluten free in Mexico. I definitely will be tracking my food there, I can not wait to metabolize in the sunshine. Right now I tell myself “Work all Winter, Skate all Summer” because it’s freezing out and my body is so sick of working at this desk to make this trip happen. I have been speared by the freelance and if this does not liberate Nana, what will?
Ask for “tortilla de maíz” instead of “tortilla” to ensure you get corn.
Street food and market stalls almost exclusively use corn for tacos, tamales, and snacks. When dining, you can increase the odds of a safe meal by communicating effectively in Spanish to advocate for your gut, if there is any doubt.
Basic Spanish Phrases for Discussing Gluten Free Dining in Mexico
🔹 “¿Tienen opciones sin gluten?” – Do you have gluten-free options?
🔹 “Soy alérgico/a al gluten. ¿Qué me recomienda?” – I’m allergic to gluten. What do you recommend?
🔹 “No puedo comer trigo, cebada ni centeno. ¿Qué platos son seguros para mí?” – I can’t eat wheat, barley, or rye. What dishes are safe for me?
🔹 “¿Esto contiene harina de trigo?” – Does this contain wheat flour?
🔹 “¿Las tortillas son de maíz puro o tienen harina de trigo?” – Are the tortillas pure corn or do they contain wheat flour?
For Cross-Contamination Concerns
🔹 “¿Hay riesgo de contaminación cruzada con trigo?” – Is there a risk of cross-contamination with wheat?
🔹 “¿Pueden preparar mi comida en una sartén limpia sin gluten?” – Can you prepare my food in a clean, gluten-free pan?
🔹 “Si como gluten, me enfermo. ¿Está seguro/a de que este plato no tiene gluten?” – If I eat gluten, I get sick. Are you sure this dish is gluten-free?
Printable Card the server can share with the kitchen
I know my Spanish is improving but I also know restaurants get busy. I liked the idea of having a card with pertinent details handy, in case I felt pressured or stressed explaining. I don’t know. I make things when I’m planning, and this one is shareable. It’s hosted at Canva and I think you can edit it to have your own name or less graphic emojis. Enjoy. Tarjeta para Comer Sin Gluten
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** Side note about tacos. Just to say it was a culture shock to come to Minnesota and discover that there are folks making tacos here with mayonnaise and flour tortillas and tons of shredded cheddar cheese. I hadn’t experienced culture shock like that since I was 14, but that’s another story.