Compilation of Forum Restaurant Recommendations

[Dem]

I compiled the below list of restaurant recommendations from this forum for my own use on my first visit to PDC - but thought others might find it helpful.

Atmosphere
- Papa Hemmingways: 5th around Calle 12 across from Media Luna and Idea Pasta. The service was excellent, and the food was phenomenal! We both had fish and it was excellent. With an appetizer, a couple beers each and our entrees, I think dinner was $40 USD. Not bad for an excellent meal in a wonderfull treehouse-like setting.

Bakery
- El Molino (excellent cakes, esp. pastel con tres leches) on 30th a bit south of Juarez
- Hot Baking Company - good place for breakfast or a lite lunch. good bakery. on 5th between 10th on street 10. Eggs Benedict on weekends w/ homemade muffins. cash only. American type prices.

Breakfast
- Hot Baking Company - good place for breakfast or a lite lunch. good bakery. on 5th between 10th on street 10. Eggs Benedict on weekends w/ homemade muffins. cash only. American type prices.
- Sabor - very good for breakfast.
- Le Bistrot – Restaurant associated with Hotel Alhambra on the beach at 8th Street. Wonderful place to eat breakfast on the beach. They will even make Chilequiles Cost is about 50 pesos. Very good coffee.

Coffee
- El Diwan for great coffee.
- Le Bistrot – Restaurant associated with Hotel Alhambra on the beach at 8th Street. Wonderful place to eat breakfast on the beach. They will even make Chilaquiles Cost is about 50 pesos. Very good coffee.

Good / Cheap
- Cafe de la Luna calle 4 at 15th run by two brothers from Sardinia...and the pan-fried fish in white wine sauce with capers was fantastic!!! Dinner for two with beer was 55 pesos.
- Caribbean Paridise Hotel restaurant on the second floor a new place on the north end of 5th, at about calle 20. It is run by a nice Mexican family - the platter for two was excellent and very filling...
- Chac Mul. It is on 2nd between 5th and the Ocean. The place opens a 4pm. They have a barbeque set up outside and offer a limited menu. Shish kebabs during our last visit. Chicken 60 pesos, mixed 65 pesos and steak 70 pesos. And beer was only 10 pesos. You can have a nice dinner and relax and enjoy the view out to Cozumel island and still have change from a 200. [cheap local]
- Cocteleria el Paisano Veracruz – west of fed highway on Benito Jurarez bright yellow and blue building on north side. Shrimp specialize. Best in early afternoon while supplies last. Meals are 60-80 pesos. Cash only.
- El Chino's, calle 4 between ave 10 & 15, for Mexican and Mayan dishes, subtle charm in atmosphere and very reasonable prices ...
- El Correo – corner of 15th & 1st. good cheap meals –
- El Cuerno de Oro. It is on 2nd just after 10th. We had “Poc Chuc” and two beers each for 125 pesos total. Not bad for a filling meal of pork, rice and beans along with tortillas and refreshments. this a recommendation for cheap food not tourist food
- El Fogón – On 30th Ave around 26th or 28th Street. very Mexican and very inexpensive.
- El Jalepeño Tex Mex Cafe is open 6:30am to 10pm everyday and is where friends meet. Ask your taxi driver to drop you off on 15th and 8th, the restaurant is under the Sahara hotel across from the movie theatre. Nothing fancy just good clean fun and food!
- El- Serape on Juarez for tacos el pastor. This is marinated pork steak which has been stacked on a spit (like Greek gyros) and topped with pineapple. Several places on 30th sell it. This is available only at night as a rule.
- El Vaticano on 30th & 16th close to the supermarket. locals frequent – food good and cheap. breakfasts are great and only 25 pesos. Dinner for two about 200 pesos.
- H&M Butcher shop between 25th and 30th on 1st street (one block south of Juarez) sets up a big charcoal grill everyday and prepares VERY good imported arrachera (flank steak), churrasco (ribeye), chorizo (Mexican sausage) by the kilo and their grilled onions, potatoes and especially the blackened tomato salsa are excellent. I usually pick up half a kilo of arrachera with salsa, some tortillas and a grilled onion and two of us eat a great lunch for about 50 pesos. I always do carryout but you can eat there if you want.
- La Floresta a little palapa covered place on the west side of the federal highway (Hwy 307) – serve only fish and seafood. Shrimp tacos are great 10 pesos each. Not open in the evenings. Cash only
- La Tarraya (sp?). NOT fancy!!! on the beach, full of locals, inexpensive, generous portions, not far from the ferry dock heading north (on the beach)from the pier,
- Las Brisas on 4th street near 10th ave. Oh yeah, and try the brocheta de mariscos (seafood skewer) at It's really tasty and at 50 pesos is a deal anywhere.
- Las Cacerolas between 4th and 6th on 15th ave. yummy homemade comida corrida.
- Las Delicias on 5th and 22nd good cheap Mexican -Las Delicias at 5th Ave. north of Constituyentes. good mexican food at a reasonable price
- La Vendimia – Cuban food - in a courtyard off 5th near 12th on the side nearest the ocean - inexpensive (65 pesos per person) and the food was nicely prepared. I don’t think the young couple that ar e operating the place are going to be able to keep it open. Look for the “Casa Mediterranea” sign.
- Makech, 1st street south (parallel to Juarez, one block south) near 10th. pozole on Thursdays. 1st street south, 50 meters west of the town square. This is quality comida corrida,
- Makesh on Calle 1 Sur near 10th ave, and las Cacerolas on 15th Ave between 4th and 6th - good cheap eats. Like less than 4 bucks total for homecooked big lunches.
- Mamita's Beach Club (next to Tucan Beach Club), just north of the Porto Real Hotel comida corrida rules
- Padrino’s – nice cheap place to eat under the palapas.
- Taco Bills. Very local, very cheap...pastor tacos (3) were 9 pesos. We often went there for late lunch or a pre-dinner appetizer. Depends how "local" you want to get. Actually there are great local places on Avenue Juarez between 5th and 15th.

Good Place to Have a Cold Beer
- Beer Bucket, on fifth around 12th street. Good blackened shrimp.
- Cabalova, on fifth around 12th street.
- Late night at Soma is techno-DJ stuff, which is mostly local and fun, and open very late.
- Lima, on fifth around 12th street.
- Tequila Barrel for dinner or drinks and live music. on fifth around 12th street.

Hotel Restaurants
- Caribbean Paridise Hotel restaurant on the second floor a new place on the north end of 5th, at about calle 20. It is run by a nice Mexican family - the platter for two was excellent and very filling...
- Il Pescatori - excellent – in the Gran Porto
- Le Bistrot – Restaurant associated with Hotel Alhambra on the beach at 8th Street. Wonderful place to eat breakfast on the beach. They will even make Chilequiles Cost is about 50 pesos. Very good coffee.

Italian
- de Gabi's for great Italian food Calle12, a half block off 5th towards the ocean. some found it expensive.
- Idea Pasta - Italian
- Karen's on 5th.. the service is great and the place is always busy.

Local Hangouts – tacos, comida corrida
- Chac Mul. It is on 2nd between 5th and the Ocean - opens a 4pm. They have a barbeque set up outside and offer a limited menu. Shish kebabs etc. Chicken 60 pesos, mixed 65 pesos and steak 70 pesos. Beer only 10 pesos. You can have a nice dinner and relax and enjoy the view out to Cozumel island and still have change from a 200.
- El Cuerno kept me alive when I was a broke divemaster.
- El Faisan y El Vanado – located on fed highway #307 close to Ave Benito Jurarea where the locals eat lunch around 1 or 2.
- El Serape on Juarez for tacos el pastor. This is marinated pork steak which has been stacked on a spit (like Greek gyros) and topped with pineapple. Several places on 30th sell it. This is available only at night as a rule.
- El Vaticano on 30th & 16th close to the supermarket. locals frequent – food good and cheap. breakfasts are great and only 25 pesos. Dinner for two about 200 pesos.
- H&M Butcher shop between 25th and 30th on 1st street (one block south of Juarez) sets up a big charcoal grill everyday and prepares VERY good imported arrachera (flank steak), churrasco (ribeye), chorizo (Mexican sausage) by the kilo and their grilled onions, potatoes and especially the blackened tomato salsa are excellent. Pick up half a kilo of arrachera with salsa, some tortillas and a grilled onion and two can eat a great lunch for about 50 pesos. Carryout or eat there.
- La Bamba Jaroche, which is a seafood place on 30th quite a ways north (past 26th)-it's on the west side of the street and has orange trim. Huge menu. I loved the cilantro shrimp, though they are unpeeled.
- La Tarraya (sp?). NOT fancy!!! on the beach, full of locals, inexpensive, generous portions, not far from the ferry dock heading north (on the beach)from the pier
- Las Cacerolas between 4th and 6th on 15th ave. yummy homemade comida corrida.
- Mamita's Beach Club (next to Tucan Beach Club), just north of the Porto Real Hotel comida corrida rules
- Taco Bills. Very local, very cheap...pastor tacos (3) were 9 pesos. We often went there for late lunch or a pre-dinner appetizer. Depends how "local" you want to get. Actually there are great local places on Avenue Juarez between 5th and 15th.

Lunch
- La Floresta - a little palapa covered place on the west side of the federal highway (Hwy 307) – serves only fish and seafood. Shrimp tacos are great 10 pesos each. Not open in the evenings. Cash only
- Mamita's Beach Club (next to Tucan Beach Club), just north of the Porto Real Hotel comida corrida.
- Taco Bills. Very local, very cheap... 3 pastor tacos for 9 pesos. Good for late lunch.

Music
- Apasionado: 5th, down near 22nd I think. Flamenco band
- El Tacolote – good mariachis good flan
- Karen’s - live band every nite
- La Parilla on the corner of 5th and Calle 10. Popular place, fun mariachis in the evenings.

Mayan / Mexican
- Caribbean Paridise Hotel restaurant on the second floor a new place on the north end of 5th, at about calle 20; run by a nice Mexican family - the platter for two was excellent and very filling...
- El Chino's, calle 4 between ave 10 & 15, for Mexican and Mayan dishes, subtle charm in atmosphere and very reasonable prices ...
- El Correo – corner of 15th & 1st. good cheap meals –
- El Cuerno de Oro. It is on 2nd just after 10th. We had “Poc Chuc” and two beers each for 125 pesos total. Not bad for a filling meal of pork, rice and beans along with tortillas and refreshments. this a recommendation for cheap food not tourist food
- Las Delicias on 5th and 22nd good cheap Mexican
- Mamita's Beach Club (next to Tucan Beach Club), just north of the Porto Real Hotel comida corrida.
- Taco Bills. Very local, very cheap...pastor tacos (3) were 9 pesos. We often went there for late lunch or a pre-dinner appetizer. Depends how "local" you want to get. Actually there are great local places on Avenue Juarez between 5th and 15th.
- El Fogón – On 30th Ave around 26th or 28th Street. very Mexican and very inexpensive.
- El Serape... it's on the north side of Juarez Avenue. Juarez around 20th or 25th street. Good stuff. At night, it's lit up like a McDonalds and it always seems to be open (I've been there at 4-5am). They have the entire spectrum of Mexican food which I found to be very good
- La Poblana (on Juarez) for "real" Mexican food
- Las Delicias at 5th Ave. north of Constituyentes. good mexican food at a reasonable price
pesos.

Pricey but worth it
- Los Pelicanos (Puerto Morelos): With drinks and dinner it was a little pricey, but worth every penny.
- Media Luna. cash only. good mango dishes. moderate.
- Papa Hemmingways: 5th around Calle 12 across from Media Luna and Idea Pasta. The service was excellent, and the food was phenomenal! We both had fish and it was excellent. With an appetizer, a couple beers each and our entrees, I think dinner was $40 USD. Not bad for an excellent meal in a wonderful treehouse-like setting.

Road Trip Food
- Ana y Jose's Restaurant and Cabanas [Tulum]. Take the left turn at Tulum and go to the beach area. Turn right there and advance slowly around the potholes until you can hardly stand it any more. Nice facility, far from the madding crowd.
- Casa Cenote Restaurant [Tulum]. Just north of Tulum there's a sign. I remember it's just north of a road to a big hotel whose name escapes me now. Anyway, the road to this place is full of potholes but if you drive slow it's fine. This cenote [Cenote Manati] is free and very pretty. Enjoyable snorkeling there. Casa Cenote Restaurant sits on the beach, near Cenote Manati (mantaee), which is one location where the massive cave system Nohoch Nah Chich dumps into the sea. The flow goes under the road.
- Chen Rio, [Cozumel] there is a protected area where many families were swimming. This is a nice, relaxing place to swim and get some seafood.
- Don Cafetos [Tulum] on the main drag in Tulum. Very good, great service, and reasonable prices
- El Mirador [Tulum] restaurant was cheap, excellent and provided plentiful meals. It is down on the end near Don Armandos.
- Gringo Dave's [Tulum] on the cabana road to the left as you are going down toward Don Armadas. beautiful, outdoor restaurant. limited menu of several kinds of sea food, barbecue chicken, fajitas, etc. 70 pesos each including rice and grilled veggies on the side.
- La Buena Vida [Akumal] - a fantastic restaurant to eat at on Half Moon Bay near Akumal.
- Oscar y Lalos layed-back atmosphere, good seafood - Punta Soliman. A little pricey compared to some of the other restaurants on the Boca Paila Rd. You can snorkel or kayak there also. Then drive down to Tankah to snorkel in a cenote, visit ruins in Tulum or Yal Ku Lagoon, all very close. Some of the best grouper we've ever had...It's a nice place to just sit back and veg out!...
- Pancho's Backyard (Cozumel): The food and setting here was fantastic. Lunch with beer water and food, was like $20 USD. If you plan a day trip to Cozumel, it is definitely worth seeking this place out.
- The Casa Cenote Restaurant [Tankah] is also great on Tankah bay – good beach and entrance to Cenote Maniti. Located off highway 307 between Akumal and Tulum on beautiful Tankah beach. Eight kilometers south of Xel-Ha look for the blue Casa Cenote sign with yellow lettering, follow the road to the beach and turn left, the restaurant will be 1/4 mile on your right. The cenote itself goes under the road and the restaurant to end up mixing with the waters of Tankah Bay.

Seafood
- 100% natural. great fish, interesting soups and juices - tree house like setting. 5th between streets 10 & 12. Credit cards.
- Cafe de la Luna calle 4 at 15th run by two brothers from Sardinia...and the pan-fried fish in white wine sauce with capers was fantastic!!! Dinner for two with beer was 55 pesos.
- Cocteleria el Paisano Veracruz – west of fed highway on Benito Jurarez bright yellow and blue building on north side. Shrimp specialize. Best in early afternoon while supplies last. Meals are 60-80 pesos. Cash only.
- La Bamba Jaroche, a seafood place on 30th quite a ways north (past 26th)-it's on the west side of the street and has orange trim. Huge menu. great cilantro shrimp.
- La Floresta a little palapa covered place on the west side of the federal highway (Hwy 307) – serve only fish and seafood. Shrimp tacos are great 10 pesos each. Not open in the evenings. Cash only
- Las Brisas on 4th street near 10th ave. Oh yeah, and try the brocheta de mariscos (seafood skewer) at It's really tasty and at 50 pesos is a deal anywhere.
- Oscar y Lalos layed-back atmosphere near Punta Soliman, good seafood. A little pricey compared to some of the other restaurants on the Boca Paila Rd., but we enjoyed it. You can snorkel or kayak there also.

Street food - cafes / vendors
- big taco places (taquerias) on Juarez, just three blocks or so up Juarez from the square. Taquerias rock, and they are not what you would expect, if you've never really eaten authentic Mexican. Tacos al pastor, cooked vertically like Greek gyros, with a chunk of pineapple and red sauce are addictive like crack.
- churro stand on the square (open evenings only). Wait for fresh ones - they are not nearly as good if they have been sitting a while. Churros are a kind of deep-fried doughnut.
- empanadas on fourth street. Budget about 16 pesos to get stuffed on them.
- loncherias - try a comida corrida for lunch. They are available in lots of small loncherias for 25 to 35 pesos, and they are very filling complete meals. It's a great way to eat authentic and get a good deal.
- pushcarts near Juarez on the town square breakfast: try tacos or tortas (sandwiches)
- tacos el pastor- several places on 30th sell it. This is available only at night as a rule.
- various asaderos and rosticerias a half chicken with beans rice and cabbage salad for 25-35 pesos at the on 4th street between 20 and 25th or 2nd and 25th or any of three on 10th ave.
- 30th is the local main street (as opposed to 5th, the tourist main street. Literally hundreds of options await you.

Take-out
- H&M Butcher shop between 25th and 30th on 1st street (one block south of Juarez) sets up a big charcoal grill everyday and prepares VERY good imported arrachera (flank steak), churrasco (ribeye), chorizo (Mexican sausage) by the kilo and their grilled onions, potatoes and especially the blackened tomato salsa are excellent. Pick up half a kilo of arrachera with salsa, some tortillas and a grilled onion and two can eat a great lunch for about 50 pesos. Carryout or eat there.

Treats
- Churro stand on the square (open evenings only). Wait for fresh ones - they are not nearly as good if they have been sitting a while. Churros are a kind of deep-fried doughnut.
- Flor de Michoaca ice cream/paletas. Paletas are ice cream or fruit ice bars, really loaded with fruit or nuts. There are several in town; the easiest to find is on 30th just north of Constituyentes.
- Italian ice cream shop in the shopping mall just south of the ferry is excellent, though not cheap.

[beachbreezes]

Boy, I wish I had a copy of this before I went to PDC, although the restaraunts we chose were great! Thanks for putting this info together-I will use it the next time I go!

[JAH]

What a great list! You have definitely done your homework and it's wonderful that you are willing to share it.

I would like to update a couple things. El Vaticano is closed. There is a pharmacy there now. And a friend emailed me a month or so ago that El Correo has moved to somewhere on Constituyentes and changed the menu. James or Anna can probably verify that.

For a pricey restaurant that is worth a try, I'd like to recommend Yax-Che, an upscale restaurant serving “traditional” Yucatecan specialties with flair. The food is absolutely wonderful, as are the service and ambiance. Don’t miss the lobster appetizers. Located between 5th and 10th Aves on Street 8. Takes credit cards

[BarbC]

Thanks from all the hungry beachbums!

[Michael]

Dem,

You did a great job building that compilation. A lot of these are going to get printed and taken to Playa. Two essentials for a trip to Playa. A Can Do map and Dem’s list. It is now just a matter of time before one of us sees this list printed, and sitting next to another customer; when we return to eat at one of our favorite places. I have already run into another person that was guided to the Churro stand with a Can Do map and arrived at exactly the same moment as me.

- Mike

[Munichchick]

Wow Dem! Great Job!!!! This will be very helpful to many PDC Travelers.

many thanks....i have jahs list which is great also....leaving monday yahooo 2 weeks:-)

[pearlander]

THANKS, DEM.
Changing the subject a little...
(a) what is the current exchange rate, pesos/dollars? and,
(b) how important is it at PDC and Cozumel to have pesos to use? and,
(c) what are the best places to get pesos, and not get screwed in the exchange?
Thanks, anyone.

[james]

It's more useful to make a new post instead of changing subjects mid-thread.

[CTyler]

Found this during a search and thought it might be useful for some of you heading that way soon.

[katalina]

Thanks so much for your restaurant compilation! I'll be there on Friday and your list will be in hand!!

[teacher1]

I also want to thank you....I had my husband print it...yes it was long, but well worth it. It is tucked away safe in the "trip folder".

[Mikey]

Great Job,

We will not arrive until August but while we are there we will see how many we can check off. GREAT LIST!

[kathy.web]

The original post is 2 years old, keep in mind that some things may have changed since then...

[dymnback5]

Went to a place last night...Appasionado´s? Terrible remembering names. Right above Zoo something...lol...I suck at this.... Anyways...Expensive...but I had some of the best shrimp I ever had, the service was fantastic...and it had great atmosphere....In case anyone is interested....and by expensive...I think I spent 50 bucks for two. It was money well spent! And the above list...I copied it...brought it...and have eaten at about half those places listed. All I can say is I agree....its a MUST when you come to Playa...and I say peso for peso the best on there is El Fogon! Happy eats!