Food and Drink

Family behind Tacos El Nevado opens new Oaxacan restaurant on Central Avenue

You’ll find authentic Oaxacan cuisine at Charlotte’s newest restaurant.

Sabores de Oaxaca, the newest concept from the family behind Tacos El Nevado, kicked off its grand opening Friday, May 8, the restaurant shared on social media.

The celebration started at 5 p.m., complete with a live Mariachi band, giveaways and official ribbon cutting.

Four golden-fried molotes are nestled in individual Romaine lettuce leaves and topped with a variety of green and dark red salsas and crumbled white cheese. Three thin slices of bright red radish sit on the side of the white square plate as a fresh garnish. The dish is presented on a colorful floral tablecloth that adds a vibrant background to the meal.
Sabores de Oaxaca, from the family behind Tacos el Nevado, is a new restaurant dedicated to authentic Oaxacan cuisine. Javier Morales

“Come get a first look at our beautiful new space and experience the authentic flavors of Oaxaca like never before,” the owners shared in a message posted to Instagram.

Oaxacan food in Charlotte

Unlike the variety of traditional Mexican fare served at Tacos el Nevado, Sabores de Oxaca will focus exclusively on Oaxacan cuisine, Axios Charlotte first reported. So what is it exactly?

Oaxaca state has been dubbed “Mexico’s undisputed food capital,” best known for its rich, complex flavors and Indigenous cooking techniques using sacred ingredients like corn, chiles, chocolate, beans and squash, according to Modern Adventure magazine.

Three rolled enchiladas are drenched in a rich, dark brown mole sauce and garnished with crumbled white cheese and slivers of red onion. In the background, a large piece of grilled skirt steak sits next to a small mound of Mexican rice. The meal is served on a clean white rectangular plate, highlighting the deep colors of the sauce.
Enchiladas Oaxaquenas at Sabores de Oaxaca in Central Avenue in Charlotte. Javier Morales

Expect savory moles, guisados (home-style stews), tamales and tlayudas, a pizza-like dish featuring a large crispy tortilla layered with bean paste, chorizo, avocado, green salsa, cheese and other toppings.

“Recipes are passed down from generation to generation,” the family told Axios Charlotte earlier this year.

CharlotteFive reached out to Sabores de Oaxaca for more information Friday and was awaiting a response.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

A white square plate holds three round, flat picaditas, each spread with a different base: green salsa, orange salsa, and dark bean paste. Every picadita is generously topped with a heap of crumbled white queso fresco and diced onions. The plate rests on a decorative surface featuring traditional Mexican-style illustrations and floral patterns.
Picaditas, a popular Mexican street food, are on the menu at Sabores de Oaxaca. Javier Morales

Sabores de Oaxaca

Location: 3654 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Cuisine: Traditional Mexican, Oaxaca

Instagram: @saboresdeoaxaca.clt

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Tanasia Kenney
Sun Herald
Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
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