Discover 10 Restaurants With the Best Chalupas in Puebla, Mexico

There are many delicious antojitos (snacks) in Mexico. In Puebla, one of the most popular is the chalupa.

You may be familiar with chalupas from your local Taco Bell but authentic chalupas from Mexico are very different. I’ll describe them in more detail in this article but chalupas are a traditional dish in Puebla and a must-try when you visit this city.

Before I dig into a plate of mole poblano or a cemita, I like to snack on chalupas first to whet my appetite. Available at most restaurants in Puebla, it’s a cheap and tasty snack that’s fun to eat.

I enjoy chalupas at least once a week in Puebla so I decided to write this article on my personal favorite restaurants for chalupas. Check them out on your next visit to Puebla!

WHAT ARE CHALUPAS POBLANAS?

At Taco Bell, chalupas look like tacos. They’re made with fried chalupa shells that resemble thicker and chewier pieces of folded flatbread. You won’t find that type of chalupa in Mexico.

A specialty dish from south-central Mexico, authentic chalupas poblanas are made with a round, thin piece of corn masa dough. About the size of a corn tortilla, Puebla-style chalupas are fried before being topped with either salsa verde (green sauce) or salsa roja (red sauce). Unlike tostadas or American-style chalupas, the texture of the corn masa remains soft and just a little bit crunchy.

Aside from the green or red sauce, other chalupa toppings include chopped white onion and some type of shredded meat, usually shredded chicken.

When you order chalupas at a restaurant in Puebla, they’re usually served in plates of four to six pieces, half with salsa verde and the other half with salsa roja.

WHERE TO FIND THE BEST CHALUPAS IN PUEBLA

10. Comal

Comal is one of our favorite restaurants in Puebla. We’ve never ordered a dish here that we didn’t like and that includes chalupas. Unlike most restaurants that top them only with shredded chicken, Comal serves them with chicken, beef, or pork.

An order of chalupas at Comal includes six pieces topped with green or red sauce. If you like, you can get an assortment topped with both sauces and all three types of shredded meat.

In my opinion, what type of meat you get doesn’t matter as much. The star of the chalupa is the sauce and the texture of the fried masa.

Comal is a casual restaurant directly in front of Catedral de Puebla. For the best view, I suggest requesting to be seated at one of their balcony tables.

As described, everything at Comal is delicious. We’ve had their cemitas, pelonas, chanclas, and mole poblano and enjoyed them all.

Comal

Address: C. 16 de Septiembre 311-b, Centro histórico de Puebla, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 8AM-12MN, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 59 (6 pcs)

9. Cemitas y Tortas la Poblanita

For me, the perfect chalupa has a soft texture with just the right amount of crunchiness. It doesn’t tear easily and the outermost edge shouldn’t be hard. It can’t be too oily either.

Of all the chalupas I’ve tried so far in Puebla, the offerings at Cemitas y Tortas la Poblanita have some of the best texture. Unfortunately, their sauces aren’t as flavorful but the fantastic texture of the chalupas makes up for it.

As their name suggests, Cemitas y Tortas la Poblanita is known for their sandwiches but they make delicious chalupas and mole poblano as well.

Cemitas y Tortas la Poblanita

Address: Av 5 Ote 4 Sur, Centro histórico de Puebla, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 10AM-6:30PM, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 50 (6 pcs)

8. Taqueria el Pipirin

If you like spicy food, then you need to try the chalupas at Taqueria el Pipirin. I don’t find chalupas poblanas to be all that spicy but the offerings at this restaurant are the spiciest I’ve tried so far. You can get them topped with either shredded chicken or beef.

Taqueria el Pipirin is about a 15-20 minute walk north of the zocalo (main square) so you can expect to find mostly locals eating there, which is always a good thing.

Taqueria el Pipirin

Address: Calle 3 Nte, Centro histórico de Puebla, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 3:30PM-12MN, Mon-Fri / 1PM-1AM, Sat-Sun
Expect to Pay: MXN 50 (7 pcs)

7. Antojitos Tomy

Antojitos Tomy is one of our favorite restaurants in Puebla. It’s a simple restaurant that’s almost always packed with locals no matter what time of day you go.

Antojitos Tomy makes great cemitas, chanclas, and molotes and their chalupas are very good too. At just MXN 25 for four or five pieces, they’re one of the cheapest as well.

NOTE: Their menu says MXN 25 for four pieces but they gave me five. Not sure if this was a mistake but I wasn’t about to let them know.

You can read about Antojitos Tomy in our other articles on restaurants to visit in Puebla. They make very good local food at excellent prices.

Antojitos Tomy

Address: Av 5 Pte 145, Centro, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 9AM-9PM, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 25 (4 pcs)

6. Clementina Cocina Poblana

Clementina Cocina Poblana is a more modern restaurant in Puebla located near Mercado el Parian. It’s a great place to enjoy a meal before or after buying souvenirs at Parian market.

I found the green salsa on Clementina’s chalupas to be especially tasty.

Most of the restaurants in the Historic Centre of Puebla lean towards the traditional, so it’s nice to find a more contemporary restaurant like Clementina Cocina Poblana.

Clementina Cocina Poblana

Address: Av 6 Ote 411, Centro, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 9AM-7PM, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 59 (6 pcs)

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5. Maiz Criollo

If you want truly unique chalupas in Puebla, then look no further than Maiz Criollo. Aside from using blue corn masa dough and queso fresco (fresh cheese), they top them with more exotic ingredients that I haven’t seen anywhere else in Puebla.

Can you guess what these toppings are based on this picture?

In the foreground below is a chalupa topped with salsa verde, queso fresco, and chapulines. Chapulines are grasshoppers, an ingredient that’s been used in Mexican cooking since pre-Hispanic times.

Chapulines are very popular in Oaxaca but this is the first time I’ve seen them at a restaurant in Puebla.

Grasshoppers are usually the first thing that comes to mind when people think of edible insects in Mexico, but have you heard of hormigas chicatanas? That’s what you see topping this chalupa with salsa roja below.

Chicatanas are large Mexican leaf-cutter ants. They’re harvested just once a year, at the start of the rainy season, and are used as an ingredient in central-southern Mexican cuisine. We enjoyed them in mole at a restaurant in San Miguel de Allende and according to the chef, they’re meticulous to clean and prepare, hence the higher price tag.

An order of six chicken chalupas costs about MXN 50 in Puebla. An order of five chalupas with chicatanas at Maiz Criollo goes for MXN 170.

Like Clementina Cocina Poblana, Maiz Criollo is a more contemporary restaurant and one of the more expensive places on this list. An order of five regular chicken chalupas goes for MXN 70. Chapulines is a little pricier at MXN 80 while chicatanas are the most expensive at MXN 170. They have minced duck chalupas at MXN 135 as well.

If you like, you can request for an assortment. I got three chalupas with chicatanas and two with chapulines for a total of MXN 134.

Maiz Criollo

Address: Av 5 Pte #133-local A, Centro, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 11AM-9PM, Tue-Thurs / 11AM-10PM, Fri-Sat / 9AM-6PM, Sun (closed Mondays)
Expect to Pay: MXN 70 (chicken), MXN 80 (chapulines), MXN 170 (chicatanas) – all 5 pcs

4. Fonda Tipica la Poblana

If you read the chalupa entry on Wikipedia, you’ll find this description:

“Chalupas are made by pressing a thin layer of masa dough around the outside of a small mold, in the process creating a concave container resembling the boat of the same name, and then deep frying the result to produce crisp, shallow corn cups.”

None of the chalupas I’ve tried in Puebla were shaped like concave containers, except for these offerings from Fonda Tipica la Poblana.

At first, I thought the masa dough may have been toasted on a comal similar to how volcanes are made (toasted corn tortillas with curled edges). They’re not oily at all which leads me to think that they may be toasted instead of fried.

Either way, they’re absolutely delicious and one of the best chalupas I’ve tried so far in Puebla. They serve them with a small mound of queso fresco which you’re free to add as you wish.

Fonda Tipica la Poblana is located across the street from one of the entrances to Mercado el Parian. It’s another great place to have lunch or dinner after going souvenir shopping in Puebla.

Fonda Tipica la Poblana

Address: C. 8 Nte. 402, Centro histórico de Puebla, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 8:30AM-8PM, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 65 (6 pcs)

3. Restaurante Casareyna

Restaurante Casareyna is one of the best fine dining restaurants in Puebla. It’s one of the best places to go for mole degustation and other traditional dishes like chalupas poblanas.

Like Maiz Criollo, the chalupas at Casareyna are delicious but pricey. Four pieces of regular chalupas go for MXN 70.

Most places will serve chalupas topped with salse verde or salsa roja but a handful of restaurants will serve them topped with mole poblano as well. It’s an interesting variation that combines two of Puebla’s most popular dishes.

Chalupas with mole poblano at Casareyna are a little pricier at MXN 73 for four pieces.

Restraurante Casareyna is the restaurant inside Casareyna Hotel. It’s located about a 10-15 minute walk east of the zocalo.

Restaurante Casareyna

Address: Privada 2 Ote. 1007, Centro, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 8AM-10:30PM, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 70 (regular), MXN 73 (mole poblano) – all 4 pcs

2. La Ververa

La Ververa is one of my favorite restaurants in Puebla. It’s a simple but delicious restaurant located around Zona Histórica de los Fuertes. I found it by accident when I was exploring the area during the Cinco de Mayo festivities.

There’s nothing unique about the chalupas at La Ververa but they’re very good. At just MXN 35 for six pieces, they’re also one of the cheapest.

La Ververa is a great little restaurant but it’s located about 3.5 km (2.2 miles) north of the zocalo. I recommend eating here only if you plan on visiting one of the many museums at Zona Histórica de los Fuertes.

La Ververa

Address: Guayacan 52, Arboledas de Guadalupe, 72260 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 9AM-6PM, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 35 (6 pcs)

1. La Casa del Mendrugo

Like Restaurante Casareyna, La Casa del Mendrugo is one of the nicer restaurants in Puebla. It’s a great place to have lunch or dinner if you’re looking for a proper sit-down meal.

You’ll definitely want to start with the chalupas poblanas which for me, were made with some of the tastiest sauces I’ve tried so far in Puebla. The texture of the masa dough was terrific as well.

La Casa del Mendrugo is home to an interesting museum on the second floor featuring intricately carved human bones, skulls, and seashells. It normally costs MXN 40 to visit but diners can enter for free.

La Casa del Mendrugo

Address: C. 4 Sur 304 – C, Centro, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 9AM-9PM, Mon-Sat / 9AM-6PM, Sun
Expect to Pay: MXN 60 (6 pcs)

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FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BEST CHALUPAS IN PUEBLA

There are many delicious dishes to eat in Puebla and chalupas are definitely among the most important. Like mole poblano, cemitas, and chiles en nogada, it’s a core Puebla dish and one of the best Mexican appetizers or snacks to enjoy with beer.

Do enjoy a few plates of them on your next visit to Puebla!

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