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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.
Basic Foodie is that cool bakery we all wish we had in our neighborhood, as its artisan bakery has no equal in town, and the rest of its menu caters to organic-minded, vegan, and gluten-free customers. A modern design and laidback atmosphere (plus a reliable Wi-Fi connection), mean the place has become a magnet for hipsters, digital nomads, and the like.
Avenida 25, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, Mexico
Céline's fresh-baked breads and pastries bring honor to France, especially exquisite desserts like the classic lemon tart and bold passion-fruit crème brûlée. Classic bistro fare—including quiche Lorraine and flavorful croque madames—make for a light lunch comme il faut. For a light, sweet breakfast or snack, don't miss the parfait with chia and red fruit coulis. Street-side tables on 5th Avenue are great for people-watching. Chez Céline stays open until 11 pm daily, and there's free Wi-Fi for patrons.
Av. 5 at Calle 34, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, Mexico
This Playa institution, in a funky jungle garden with fountains, palmettos, and a rambling koi pond, is a favorite breakfast spot. The well-prepared, authentic Mexican selections include multiple styles of chilaquiles, a tart mix of meat, sauce, and egg on a bed of tortillas that will have you skipping lunch. It's popular for lunch and dinner as well.
Calle 38, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, Mexico
The name says it all at this New York–inspired restaurant where entrées are grilled on wooden planks or Himalayan salt blocks. The smoky flavors of cedar, maple, hickory, and oak come through in signature dishes like grilled salmon or beef Wellington encased in braided dough. Sides of mashed potatoes and portobello mushrooms are served in mini cast-iron skillets, and flatbreads are topped with goat cheese, figs, and arugula leaves. Cocktails such as the Musty Mojito add smolder to your meal. This is the place to celebrate birthdays, as the entire staff will burst out in song with cake and sparklers.
Calle 16, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, Mexico
Playa's most dramatically sited restaurant sits atop a small cenote in a vast jungly garden full of strangler vines and Mayan ruins—right in the middle of Avenida 5. Designed in accordance with Maya building practices, it's a feast for the eyes, with living "green walls" covered with plants, a bar built on a stone wall, and a park in back that makes for a romantic setting at night (bring bug spray). The menu, full of dressed-up Playa standards—fresh fish, pork shank, guacamole—isn't as memorable (though the jicama tacos are worth a try), but it's a worthwhile meal nonetheless.
Av. 5 between Calles 14 and 16, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, 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 cenote duck, chile Mexico lindo, 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
Follow your nose to this Mexican grill house, where locals gather for some of the best-tasting steak in town. Far from romantic, the open-air restaurant is filled with the sounds of mariachi music blaring from the radio; a mounted bull's head hangs above the plastic tables and chairs. The main draws are the huge cuts of beef, pork, and chicken served with baskets of corn tortillas, baked potatoes, and ripe avocados. This might just be the tastiest arrachera you'll find on your vacation. There is a second location on Constituyentes, between Avenidas 25 and 30.
Calle 1, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, Mexico
If you want to try authentic Mexican and pre-Hispanic cuisine, La Perla Pixan is the place for you with its wide variety of traditional specialties such as pozole (and its vegetarian option), barbacoa, enchiladas, tlayudas, and more. Look for the weekend brunch buffet, and the extraordinary variety of mezcal cocktails. At night, live music and pre-Hispanic shows make La Perla one of the favorite spots of locals, expats, and visitors alike.
Calle 38, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, Mexico
This upscale taquería is an anchor of Playa's alternative culinary scene, reimagining tacos sautéed in olive oil and topped with cucumber or strawberry-habanero salsa. Local favorites include shrimp tacos with "black gold" (beans), fish ceviche with green salsa, and fish tacos wrapped in your choice of corn tortilla, flour tortilla, or a giant leaf of Bibb lettuce. If you're not into spicy food, be careful with the house specialty aguachile. It's an in-the-know spot for lunch or dinner. You'll find another Los Aguachiles location on Avenida Constituyentes (and one in Tulum and another in Cancún).
Calle 34 at Av. 25, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, Mexico
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