Fun facts about a local from Guadalajara.

As we all know, Guadalajara is a vibrant city full of culture, gastronomy, nightlife, music, and traditions, among many other things that make it stand out. This time, we’ll take you on a tour of all those things that only locals do—things that distinguish us simply for having been born in the land of tequila and great mariachi.

We’re diving into the authenticity of the "Perla Tapatía," starting with the typical and well-known Santa Tere Market, located in the Santa Teresita neighborhood.

It is known for its rich gastronomy and varied culinary offerings. It’s packed with stalls where you’ll find it hard to decide what to have for breakfast or lunch, as they all tend to offer delicious homemade food to enjoy right there in the market for the full experience, or you can order it to go and enjoy it from the comfort of your home.

What stands out most about this place are its traditional dishes, with recipes passed down from generation to generation. Your visit to this space will be magnificent as you taste its flavors, explore the colorful stalls, and try typical snacks and desserts; plus, you can take the opportunity to pick up some items from your grocery list to take home.

We couldn't make a list of things locals usually do without mentioning San Nico Mondays. And, like any good local, we know that Monday nights are for breaking your diet with all the Mexican cravings their stalls have to offer.

Located outside the San Nicolás de Bari temple on the street, this tradition originally began after Monday masses, with the intention that parishioners would attend for three consecutive weeks with their petitions to improve their work or financial situation.

From there, we were left with this blessed custom of going every Monday to enjoy their delicious street food, such as fried quesadillas, "lonches de pierna" (pork leg sandwiches) with sauce, esquites, tamales, tostadas, tacos, and much more.

And continuing with the days of the week, how could we forget the delicious Pollo Pepe Tuesdays, a local chain with a delicious secret recipe for their rotisserie chicken. If you know what we’re talking about, there’s no doubt you’re a true fan of Guadalajara food.

This place has been known since 1979 for its great flavor and its Tuesday promotion of a free half-chicken. How could we forget that, since we were kids, it was one of the best family plans: going to any of their locations and enjoying their large play area while our parents placed the order.

And what about their delicious sides to enjoy with your meal, like their authentic, warm mashed potatoes that you can eat in a tortilla, a bolillo roll, or on their own? Or how about that coleslaw with cream that is a must-have? Their chicken flautas topped with cheese, cream, and salsa, or the breaded chicken burgers are a delight.

Let’s get right to it—we don’t like waiting until the end for dessert, because there’s always room for it at any time of day. Our next tradition will leave you with a sweet craving that will have you rushing to try it.

If you’re from Guadalajara, you’ve surely had this at your grandmother’s house on Sundays or at family meals: Jericalla. This traditional dessert from Guadalajara and the Jalisco region is similar in flavor and consistency to flan, but with a much denser texture.

It’s made from a mixture of eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and milk, which is baked until it develops a golden, crispy top while remaining creamy inside. It’s a delicious and relatively simple dessert to make, with a homemade touch you’ll love. You’ll typically find it in Mexican restaurants and snack shops, as well as in local bakeries and stores.

And if that weren’t enough, we couldn’t leave out the traditional Parque Morelos shaved ice. These are prepared with delicious syrups in various flavors made from natural fruit, a nod to an old tradition dating back to our grandparents' time in Guadalajara.

This custom involved taking a stroll through La Alameda, now known as Parque Morelos, located in the heart of the city. This public space is famous for being a place to court and walk, frequented by families on weekends who would enjoy these famous shaved ices.

They are made with ice shaved by a special machine and topped with traditional flavors like lime, vanilla, strawberry, hibiscus, tamarind, or bubblegum, which is one of the more exotic options. However, the favorites and most popular among locals are walnut and coconut.

This is a tradition over 100 years old that is still going strong today, making locals happy with more than 45 flavors to enjoy. We recommend visiting  “La Fuente,” one of the oldest ice cream shops in the area, which has been around since 1913 and was one of the pioneers in bringing this specialty to the city.

Guadalajara is definitely a city with many unique traditions and experiences. After discovering several of them on this tour, many more will surely come to mind.

Which others would you add?

See you soon.