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Restaurants here vary from quirky beachside affairs with outdoor tables and palapas to more elaborate and sophisticated establishments. Dress is casual at most places, so leave your tie and jacket at home. Smaller eateries may not accept credit cards, especially in remote beach villages. Bigger ones and those in hotels normally
Restaurants here vary from quirky beachside affairs with outdoor tables and palapas to more elaborate and sophisticated establishments. Dress is casual at most places, so leave your tie and jacket at home. Smaller eateries may not accept credit cards, especially in remo
Restaurants here vary from quirky beachside affairs with outdoor tables and palapas to more elaborate and sophisticated
Restaurants here vary from quirky beachside affairs with outdoor tables and palapas to more elaborate and sophisticated establishments. Dress is casual at most places, so leave your tie and jacket at home. Smaller eateries may not accept credit cards, especially in remote beach villages. Bigger ones and those in hotels normally accept plastic. Many restaurants add propinas (tips) to the bill; look for a charge for "servicio." If tips aren’t included, a 15% gratuity is standard. It's best to order fresh local fish—grouper, dorado, red snapper, and sea bass—rather than shellfish like shrimp, lobster, and oysters, since the latter are often flown in frozen from the Gulf. Playa del Carmen has the largest selection of restaurants.
New York chefs cooking New York food for New York prices—in a jungle setting open to the night sky—that's Hartwood. Though the menu changes daily, options might include slow-roasted pork ribs marinated in agave honey or a light, fresh ceviche, and you can always finish with homemade ice cream in flavors like peanut brittle, sweet corn, and cream cheese. Big-city transplants Mya Henry and Eric Werner opened this solar-powered restaurant in 2011, and it has been drawing a full house ever since. Chef Werner has added farming to his list of talents, and the rabbit on the menu comes from his farm. The setting of dark-wood tables on a white pebble floor is remarkably charming, though mosquito-repellent smoke can get heavy at times. The open kitchen and massive oven make for a dramatic, fiery show when the sun goes down. In high season, book ahead by email or get here when the restaurant opens at 6, or risk a New York–style wait.
Carretera Tulum–Boca Paila, Km 7.6, Tulum, Quintana Roo, 77780, Mexico
This jungle-chic restaurant serves up creative fine-dining fare unlike anything else you'll find in the region. Standout dishes include al pib--style lamb (with roasted mushrooms and birria sauce reduction), a la talla--style catch of the day (with adobe sauce and Mexican grasshoppers), and mole verde with curry and breaded avocado. It's difficult with dishes this good, but leave room for dessert. The lime sherbet with tapioca and coconut, is the perfect, decadent end to a perfect, decadent meal. This creative fare is served in a romantic jungle setting, with distressed wood floors, exposed stone walls, and ceiling lights that mimic birds' nests. In the background, Mexican music and the sound of water falling complete the atmosphere. Even the most discriminating foodies won't be disappointed by this hidden gem tucked away on the beach road just before the Sian Ka'an nature reserve.
Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila, Km 10, Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Although this restaurant is a 10-minute drive from downtown, its location in an underground cavern makes it extremely popular. A candlelit rock stairway leads to a setting that's part Carlsbad Caverns, part The Flintstones. Some of the "cavernous" rooms are for lounging, some for drinking, some for eating, some for dancing. Creative lighting casts the stalactites and stalagmites in pale shades of violet, blue, and pink. Although the setting is the highlight, the food—including the xcatic octopus, shredded deer, lobster, and steak—is also quite good. With a packed house, this place can get rather musty and humid.
Av. Juárez between Calles 65 and 70, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, Mexico
Abutting the plaza at the beach, Pangea has it all—breakfast, lunch, and dinner served on an umbrella-shaded terrace overlooking the sea, plus live music and entertainment until late. Daily menus—all prepared with organic ingredients and without preservatives—may include grilled fresh tuna, vegetarian lasagna, or shrimp kebabs, and there's fresh ginger-lemongrass tea and pancakes for breakfast. Evening menus are themed according to the show: expect Middle Eastern food for belly-dancing night and Spanish tapas for flamenco. The owners came from Mexico City in the early 1990s and are a great source for tourist tips and local gossip.
Av. Morelos at the water, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, 77580, Mexico
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