Taste of Mexico is a festival of Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisine from over 30 of Austin’s most eclectic restaurants, food trucks, and beverage purveyors. The festival is meant to highlight the cultural influence of Mexican cuisine and culture. The event takes place near Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, in celebration of the Mexican army's unlikely defeat of the French at the battle of Puebla in 1862. All ticket sales support Mexic-Arte Museum in its' mission to offer educational programs and provide the community with outstanding exhibitions. 

The Taste of Mexico festival was a large fund-raising event for Mexic-Arte Museum but had been halted and replaced by the Museum's Gala in 2009. In 2015 the event was resurrected and Zavala had the opportunity to rebrand it. There was an existing tradition where each year a new custom plate commemorating that year's Taste of Mexico was made in Hidalgo and gifted to all restaurant participants and sponsors. They have been collected and proudly displayed as a badge of honor in several restaurants throughout Austin. These plates and the art form of Mexican pottery and hand-painted talavera was a major inspirational influence on the rebrand of the event.