972 Best Restaurants in Mexico

Trio is simply Puerto Vallarta's best restaurant. Waiters are professional yet unpretentious—either the sommelier or the maître d' can help you with the wine—but the main reason to dine here is the consistently fabulous food, which is also a great value. The grilled oyster from Cabo Corrientes is a great appetizer and then you can treat yourself with the rabbit roasted with aromatic herbs and red wine. The kitchen often stays open until midnight, and during high season the restaurant opens the back patio, second floor, and rooftop terrace.

Considered by some as the best gourmet Mexican cuisine in Tulum, TU is, if nothing else, a fascinating expression of the country's rich gastronomy. Start with octopus tacos served with chipotle mayonnaise, and try the huitlacoche risotto with salmon as main dish. A Mexican flan as dessert will keep you happy and asking for more. The cocktails and the atmosphere are as stylish as the dishes. 

An anticapitalist communal space, bakery, and kitchen, this feminist cooperative has been serving handmade goods since 2017, in resistance to unhealthy working situations and overarching franchises without a soul. Their homemade breads use a unique fermentation process, and they also sell sweets, snacks, coffee, and tea. There’s a focus on a nonhierarchical environment, and they regularly promote the work of women and LGBTQ+ artists with book launches, concerts, and craft-making. Beautiful artisanal crafts are also sold here with a focus on fair trade. 

Sensational views of the sunset and sparkling city-light panoramas after dark make this one of the best restaurants in PV for a celebratory toast—of life, love, or the perfect vacation. Dedicated observers can spot whales spouting offshore almost any day during the winter months. An army of attentive waiters brings baskets of delicious, buttery rolls and whisks away plates. Try the stellar crab-and-sea-bass cakes, lobster tacos, or sashimi with truffle-and-soy vinaigrette and avocado coulis. The chef adds new dishes every few weeks; the barman stocks top-of-the-line spirits; and there is a large wine cellar representing several continents.

The secret to this restaurant's success is its creative handling of Italian and Swiss cuisine, which explains why both carpaccio de pulpo (thin slices of fresh octopus) and lettuce taco with sautéed duck breast appear on the menu. Appetizers are tempting, too—there's puff bread from a wood-burning oven plus a salad and antipasto bar. For something with more local flavor, try the black ravioli stuffed with lobster or Casa Rolandi's specialty linguine alle vongole (linguini with clams, garlic, white wine sauce, and parsley). Entrées are served under silver domes. The restaurant also has an extensive wine list.

Along the Costera Miguel Alemán are several of these 24-hour restaurants specializing in quick service and light, healthy food: sandwiches made with whole wheat bread, soy burgers, chicken dishes, yogurt shakes, and fruit salads. You'll recognize these eateries by their green signs with white lettering. The original—the first, and best, in this now-national chain—is across from the Grand Hotel Acapulco.

Start the day at this open-air restaurant with a signature omelet and a bebida inteligente ("intelligent drink") which combines fruit juice with ginseng. Sandwiches, soy burgers, and stuffed pitas are prepared with fresh-baked breads. Crave meat? Try the grilled chicken done fajita-style. Mexican and Italian specialties are also available. The neighboring 100% Integral shop sells whole-wheat breads and other goodies.

Start the day at this open-air restaurant with a signature omelet and a bebida inteligente ("intelligent drink"), which combines fruit juice with ginseng. Sandwiches, soy burgers, and stuffed pitas are prepared with fresh-baked breads. Crave meat? Try the grilled chicken done fajita-style. Mexican and Italian specialties are also available. The neighboring 100% Integral shop sells whole-wheat breads and other goodies.

Within the gracious Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, Restaurant 1826 conveys both ease and sophistication. The upholstered chairs are comfortable enough to linger over various courses. Flavors represented on the international menu—a small but inspired collection of plates—are subtle, with unusual seasonings that truly please the palate. Sinfully large and calorie-laden desserts include a volcano of semisweet chocolate (in presentations from ground to molten), with a fig compote and rosemary ice cream. Almost-floor-to-ceiling windows frame the large, rectangular space, and the artwork of local luminaries like Marilo Carral grace the walls. A pre- or postdinner drink on the rooftop bar, La Luna, offers incredible 360-degree views of the city. Breakfast (starting at 7 am) and lunch offer more Mexican dishes. Cooking classes with chef Victor Palma and expansive Sunday brunchathons happen on the outdoor patio.

It's quite soothing to sit in this restaurant at the ocean's edge under the shade of a palapa while watching the surfers. For breakfast munch on their machaca con huevos (eggs scrambled with shredded beef) washed down with a fresh-fruit smoothie, but later in the day, grab some blue shrimp tacos or a grilled marinated octopus accompanied by a blueberry mojito. Burgers are piled high with jalapeños and caramelized onions. For something light, try the sashimi with Thai dressing. Drop in to watch the sunset and dine on wild sea bass with lemon butter. With a focus on healthy cuisine, the kitchen uses all local organic ingredients, cooks with olive oil (instead of butter), uses soybean oil for deep-frying, and will not serve marlin, mahimahi, or parrotfish due to commercial overfishing. Your entertainment is simple: a wonderful view that never stops changing.

There’s more to Agave Azul than those sweeping lagoon and mangrove views. The glass-walled restaurant at the elegant Rosewood Mayakoba is hands down the best place to go for fresh sushi and premium tequila. Housing more than 120 labels of the latter (and 40 of mezcal), it hosts weekly tequila and sushi pairings. In addition to ceviche, sashimi, and maki rolls, the dinner menu here includes Asian-inspired entrées like sesame roasted cauliflower, spicy kampachi (yellowtail), and ramen "Yucatán." The coconut flan with strawberry tapioca pearls is the perfect accompaniment to more tequila. Kick off your night by sampling dangerously smooth cocktails infused with fresh cucumber, watermelon, and jalapeños.