Sabores de Oaxaca

Sabores de Oaxaca is the fast casual restaurant on Central Avenue in east Charlotte, opened in 2026 by the family behind Tacos El Nevado and devoted entirely to traditional Oaxacan cooking. Alebrijes and Mexican artwork cover the walls of a small, clean room.

Tamales in fillings that go well beyond the usual, enchiladas with mole, carnitas and barbacoa tacos, a steak torta, loaded street corn, champurrado and horchata. It is the only restaurant in the city built around Oaxaca specifically, and it opened to a neighborhood that had been waiting for it. The room is small, so lunch is the easier visit, and the staff have drawn praise for kindness to first timers who do not know the menu. Order at the counter, ask about the mole of the day, and take a tamale home.

What to know

• Tamales and mole from Oaxaca, not generic Mexican.
• Carnitas and barbacoa tacos.
• Champurrado and horchata.
• From the Tacos El Nevado family.