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Sopes are thick rounds of masa which are deep-fried in oil and topped with any number of vegetarian or meat fillings.

Where to find sopes around Lake Chapala

Where to find it
	Cenaduría Elba Zaragoza #342 • Chapala Mexican food since 1973. Read More
	Cenaduría Memo Hidalgo #25 • Ajijic For 50 years, one family has been making the basic antojitos that define Mexican street food in this dinner-only restaurant, where you have five tasty à la carte choices. Read More
	La Paceña Hidalgo #158 • San Antonio Tlayacapan Baja California-style seafood including tacos, sopes, oysters, tostadas, quesadillas. Read More

What are sopes?

A sope is a thick round of corn masa that’s deep-fried in oil and then topped with one of a large number of guisados (fillings) such as rajas (sliced peppers), potato, beans, pork or beef. It’s then topped with garnishes such as iceberg lettuce, cabbage or cheese, plus chopped cilantro and onion.

Sopes at Cenaduría Memo. — Sopes served at Cenaduría Memo. Sopes are thick rounds of masa, which is what tortillas are made of. The rounds are then fried in oil on top of that goes a topping such as meat, potatoes, sliced chiles or beans.

Masa is the stuff that tortillas are made of: a corn dough that is malleable into different shapes and thicknesses and used to make a wide number of dishes.

Sopes are usually drizzled with a salsa to give it more flavor and kick, which in the Lake Chapala is often a non-spicy tomato-based salsa. Cabbage and a sprinkle of cheese often go on top, too.

Sopes can be fried until they’re just cooked or until they are quite crispy. If you have a preference, ask the chef to cook them suave (soft) or duro (hard).

LEARN MORE: About common types of Mexican food found at Lake Chapala by reading our food guide.

Sopes, Pellizcadas, and Huaraches, Oh My

The sope is kind of the head a family of similar dishes that consist of flattened masa with toppings on top, such as pellizcadas garnachas, memelas, chalupas, huaraches, panuchos, and salbutes.