Discover 5 Restaurants With the Best Chanclas in Puebla, Mexico

If you’ve been to Guadalajara, then you’re probably familiar with tortas ahogadas. They’re meat-filled submarine sandwiches drenched in a tomato- or chili-based sauce.

In Puebla, you can find something similar called chanclas poblanas. They’re similarly soppy sandwiches swimming in a spicy, tomato-based sauce. The sandwiches are so drenched in sauce that they’re virtually impossible to eat with your hands.

You’ll have your plate full with Poblano food favorites like chiles en nogada, mole poblano (Mexico’s national dish), cemitas, chalupas, and tacos arabes. But if you’re staying long enough, then you need to try chanclas poblanas as well.

Here are five restaurants with some of the best chanclas in Puebla.

WHAT ARE CHANCLAS POBLANAS?

Google “chanclas” and you may be surprised by the search results. Chanclas in Spanish means “flip-flops” or “sandals”. In this case, it refers to the shape of the bread used to make chanclas poblanas.

Chanclas are sexy Mexican sandwiches made with a mixture of ground meat, chorizo, onions, lettuce, and avocado slices. They’re sandwiched between two pieces of soft pambazo bread before being drenched – and I mean DRENCHED – in a spicy, tomato- and chili-based sauce made with guajillo chiles. The sandwiches are so wet that they’re typically eaten with a fork and knife.

Pambazo bread is light and fairly small, about the size of a child’s sandal. Chanclas poblanas aren’t the most filling so you’ll typically find them served in orders of two or three sandwiches at restaurants in Puebla.

WHERE TO FIND THE BEST CHANCLAS IN PUEBLA

5. Taqueria el Pipirin

Taqueria el Pipirin is a very local restaurant about a 20-minute walk north of the zocalo (main square). They’re known for their tacos and cemitas made with cecina (dried salted meat) but they make delicious chanclas and chalupas as well. I find their guajillo sauce to be spicier than at other restaurants, which is a good thing.

Taqueria el Pipirin serves their chanclas poblanas in portions of two. You can get them with either chicken or pork. For an additional MXN 5, they’ll make them with lettuce and crema (Mexican sour cream) as well.

Pro Tip: The farther you venture from the zocalo, the more local and reasonably priced the restaurants will get. You’ll see very few tourists at Taqueria el Piprin which is never a bad 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 85 (regular), MXN 90 (special)

4. Antojitos Mellos

Antojitos Mellos is one of my favorite restaurants in Puebla. I used to live in the Azcarate neighborhood and this was my go-to place whenever I didn’t feel like walking all the way to the Historic Center. I’ve had their mole poblano, pelonas, pipian verde, pozole rojo, and more and everything has been delicious.

Their chanclas poblanas, served in portions of three and topped with a generous amount of shredded chicken, are no exception.

Like Taqueira el Pipirin, Antojitos Mellos is a bit far from downtown Puebla. It’s about a 20-25 minute walk from the zocalo but it’s definitely worth it, especially on weekends.

Chanclas are available everyday but they serve a wider menu on Saturdays and Sundays. You can get dishes like mole poblano, pipian, molotes, mixiotes, and pechuga empanizada.

Antojitos Mellos

Address: Av. Don Juan de Palafox y. Mendoza 2008, Barrio de los Remedios, 72377 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 1-10:30PM, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 70

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3. Antojitos Tomy

Like Antojitos Mellos, Antojitos Tomy is one my favorite restaurants in Puebla. And luckily for you, it’s located in the heart of the Historic Center, just a block away from the zocalo. They make excellent cemitas, chalupas, molotes, and of course, chanclas poblanas.

When I first ordered chanclas at Antojitos Tomy, I knew I made the right choice when two elderly regulars walked in after me and ordered the same thing. They’re delicious and quite cheap at just MXN 55 for two pieces.

Antojitos Tomy is a great place to get good inexpensive food in the Historic Center. It’s popular with locals and almost always full.

Antojitos Tomy

Address: Av 5 Pte 145, Centro, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 9AM-9PM, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 55

2. Memelas del Carmen

When you order chanclas in Puebla, you aren’t usually given options when it comes to the fillings. But at Memelas del Carmen, you have the choice of getting it with chicken, beef, quesillo (Oaxaca cheese), or tinga (chicken stewed in tomato sauce), or any combination of those ingredients.

I got mine with quesillo and that made all the difference in the world. Quesillo is a local Mexican cheese with a taste and texture very similar to mozzarella. This is the only time I’ve ever had quesillo in chanclas, which is surprising because the combination of the creamy cheese with the acidic and spicy guajillo sauce works so well together.

Memelas del Carmen serves just one chancla per order at MXN 30. They top it with crema as well at no extra charge. I don’t know how much it costs if you get it with more than one main ingredient but no matter what you get, I recommend getting it with quesillo as well. It’s absolutely delicious.

Memelas del Carmen is incorrectly labeled as “Cemitas El Carmen” on Google Maps. It’s located on one side of Parque del Carmen, a lovely park about a 10-minute walk south of the zocalo.

If you eat here, then I highly recommend enjoying ice cream or a paleta (popsicle) a few doors down at Mary Barragan Helados. It’s one of the best ice cream shops in Puebla.

Memelas del Carmen

Address: C. 16 de Septiembre 1507, El Carmen, 72530 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 8AM-8PM, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 30

1. Comal

I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record but Comal is another of our favorite restaurants in Puebla. It’s located directly in front of the magnificent Catedral de Puebla and offers a wide range of delicious dishes like mole poblano, cemitas, chalupas, and pelonas.

Just from looking at this picture, you can see that their chanclas are different from any other chanclas on this list. Their guajillo sauce is considerably darker (perhaps from ancho chiles?), chunkier, and less acidic. They also don’t completely drench the flour-dusted pambazo bread in the sauce so it retains more of its texture.

Compared to other versions of chanclas poblanas we’ve had so far, this tasted almost like a more elevated version of the dish. For me, it’s the best chanclas I’ve had in Puebla.

Comal is one of the most popular restaurants in Puebla. It isn’t uncommon to walk by and find a long line of locals waiting outside.

If you’re dining in a group of two, then I recommend asking for one of the balcony tables. It offers some of the best views of the Cathedral.

Comal

Address: C. 16 de Septiembre 311-b, Centro histórico de Puebla, 72000 Puebla, Puebla
Operating Hours: 8AM-12MN, daily
Expect to Pay: MXN 79

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FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BEST CHANCLAS IN PUEBLA

Because of its proximity to Mexico City, Puebla is often treated like a day trip destination from the Mexican capital. We think it’s worth longer than that based on the food and museums alone.

Admittedly, with so many Poblano dishes like chiles en nogada and mole poblano to try in a limited amount of time, chanclas poblanas isn’t a top priority. But if you’re staying for a few days in Puebla, then it’s definitely something that you need to try.

Disclosure

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