Hi Fodorites! DH and I will be in Playa del Carmen for 5 nights in a couple of weeks. Food is a large part of what we love about travel as well as in our daily lives. I'm looking for resaturant recommendations in PDC, ranging from street stands to formal dining.

We were in Playa a few years ago and the eating was a mixed bag: amazing fish tacos from a beach hut and vry dissappointing seafood at the trip advisor top rated restaurant at the time.

Which places are your favorites? Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated!

Our favorite this spring was La Tarraya on the beach off Calle 2. The seafood platter we had fed 4 of us and everything on it was great: grilled shrimp, calamari, octopus, grilled fish, fried fish, fried clams, beans, rice, shrimp ceviche, avocado, salad greens, sauteed onions & peppers with tortillas & salsa on the side. Casual, feet in the sand, palm trees overhead.

Thanks LHS!

For great tacos, I have 2 favorites to share:
Daytime, serving from 7am to 6pm Carnitas Teresitas on Calle 1 sir at Ave. 20
Night, serving from 4pm to 2am Tacos Gomez on Calle 2 between Ave 15 and 20

Make a stop to see Senor Luis for empanadas in the morning (after 9am he is sold out) on the corner of calle 12 bis and Ave. 20.

For a nice dinner, check out ComoComo on 5th Ave between calle 38 and 20. Reservations recommended. Lots of great dining/drinking spots in that area of town. Don't miss breakfast in the back garden at Cueva del Chango. Good tapas and reasonable wine prices at Bistro Bites on 5th Ave. between calles 28 and 30.

The dining options just keep getting better. I'm so lucky to live there!

Thanks Michele! Any other recs?

I have a condo on the north end (Michelle, shout out to Rob for me, tell him Eileen said hi!) and lov exploring PDC's restaurants. On my last trip I ate a really good and fairly inexpensive and casual seafood restaurant on 40th St., btwn 5th Ave and 10th Ave called Cockteleria Manigua. It has a HUGE statue of a lobster outside so you can't miss it. I had the whole fresh fish lightly pan fried and it was excellent and only 140 pesos w/rice and salad. Others at the table (Colokid from this board - thanks for taking me there!) had shrimp dishes and really liked it, and those others had eaten at this place before. Margaritas were very good also.

I really like Piola, on 38th btwn. 5th Ave and 1st Ave. Great outdoor space, wonderful breezy bar open to the outdoors. And nice inddor space also, pretty and colorful blown glass everywhere. Very good Italian food, pastas, apps, wood fired pizzas. I like that the pastas and entrees come in a half size dish as well as full size. Managers and bartenders and waiters all very friendly. Good bar drinks. I've eaten there about 6 times and have enjoyed every dish immensely every time. They are known for the basil martini but I don't appreciate that one...

I keep going back to El Tarraya (mentioned above), not because it is the best seafood but because it is cheap, fresh, nice portions, and feet in the sand is nice there. I also go back to Carboncitas (Calle 4 btwn 5th and 10th Aves, just off of 5th Ave) because they have the BEST 55 peso huge margaritas and the tacos al pastor are good, esp at happy hr when they are half price. They give you all kinds of sauces and stuff for the tacos. I like their breakfast also.

Going for Labor day weekend and can't wait!

P.S. Getting OFF of 5th Ave. (even just a half bock off) is a very good idea when it comes to restaurants. Most of the ones on 5th Ave. are relatively expensive and not nearly as good as the ones off 5th Ave.

There are many good places on 30th Ave close to the Mega supermarket. Try the little restaurant just outside the DAC produce market at 30th Ave., btwn Constitutiones and Calle 20. Very fresh and good for lunch. Around the corner on Constitutiones is El Fogon, which a lot of people like for tacos al pastor. It was pretty good when I went, but I prefer Carboncitas for tacos al pastor.

Thanks, Eileen! Can't wait to get back to Manigua. I even took one of those big fish home for lunch a few weeks ago and they packed it perfectly. Another place on 30th ave just north of DAC is Mi Abuelita which is one of my favs for posole and chicken enchiladas with green chili. Piola also a yum. Wish I were back for Labor Day too. I've been checking flights.

thank you!!!!

Here's my vote: http://ahcacao.com/en/

We were in Playa last December and after 2 other trips decided to not go AI. We found the food on 5th Avenue quite questionable and expensive. I agree, get off of 5th Avenue. The exception was the Texas Burger Company. The best ribs I have ever had. I even ask the waiter if I could get the recipe for the bar-b-cue sauce and he took me straight to the cook who helped me write it down.

The Dirty Martini bar was quite good also. (not on 5th Avenue) Their cumcumber martinis were awesome.

For eating off the resort, the resturants in Cozumel beat Playa hands down at least for us.

OK, I am going to throw this one in the hat. Not because the food is amazing, but because it is pretty good and it is a really nice venue w/live music and entertainment, very laid back, on the beach. Again, feet in the sand, and this one haa low wooden tables and comfy chairs with candles while you are sitting w/your feet in the sand. And they have live reggae music as soon as it gets dark, then a belly dancer, and a "fire show" flame guy too. I enjoy the apps (I get the coconut shrimp and a salad), and my son has had the pasta and liked it. Drinks are strong and good. Service is good. And it just has a nice, relaxing beach vibe.

Fusion Beach Grill and Bar
Calle 6, at the beach
http://fusionhotelmexico.com/2010/10...ach-bar-grill/

Labor Day is on! Quick three days but three days is three days : )
Manigua here I come. Throwing in Wicky's for lunch, dinner is good too but pricey. Now, let's stretch our food wanderings up and down the coast a bit...
Puerto Morelos - Mr. Lau's and Il (or El) Pescatore
Tulum - Don Cafeto in the pueblo and lots of places on the beach road.

Million thanks to all for the great recs, I will post spearately a short trip report.