The 18 best restaurants in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen’s diverse gastronomy scene is a destination in itself. Thanks to an influx of digital nomads and travelers worldwide, the culinary scene in Playa del Carmen has evolved from streetside taco stands and casual beach shacks into a more worldly melange of hip vegan cafes, contemporary seafood bars, and regional restaurants.

Many restaurants are concentrated along Playa del Carmen's beachfront and its iconic 5th Avenue (Quinta Avenida). However, due to the large influx of tourists, prices here are generally higher. Veer off the busy areas and duck into the side streets if you prefer cheap eats and traditional bites that offer less gimmick and more value. From no-frills taquerias to sophisticated fine-dining establishments, here are the best restaurants in Playa del Carmen.

1. La Perla Pixan Cuisine 

Best for authentically Mexican staple dishes

La Perla Pixan feels like a culinary time machine that blasts you back to a delectable past. The open-concept restaurant features a rustic setting, with a palapa thatched roof overhead and the scent of copal – Mayan’s ceremonial incense – wafting through the air. The restaurant pays homage to traditional Mexican cuisine through staples like pozole verde (green chili stew), chile relleno (stuffed pepper), and tacos gobernador (shrimp tacos with onions, peppers and Oaxaca cheese) – all served on clay pots and pottery plates. Adventurous foodies will love the chapulines con queso fresco y nopales, grasshoppers with cheese and cactus, and vegans can rest assured that the menu also has plenty of plant-based dishes.

2. La Cueva del Chango 

Best for the freshest takes on local favorites

Ask anyone where the best place to eat traditional Mexican food in Playa del Carmen is, and they’ll inadvertently point you in the direction of La Cueva del Chango. “The Monkey’s Cave” awes with its verdant setting, complete with hanging roots and running streams in the outdoor terrace. If you’re traveling with kids, they will love the fun, jungle-like atmosphere of this restaurant. 

Fortunately, the food at La Cueva is just as impressive, consisting of top-quality Yucatán dishes prepared with the freshest homegrown ingredients. Hot favorites on the menu include chicken in poblano mole sauce, shrimp in plantain and recado rojo sauce, and sopa de lima (Yucatán-style tortilla soup with lime) with chicken breast and caramelized habanero. Call ahead to make a reservation, especially on weekends.

3. Alux Restaurant 

Best for a uniquely cavernous atmosphere

Alux isn’t just a restaurant: It’s a one-of-a-kind dining experience, and it may really be one of Playa del Carmen’s must-see attractions. Housed in a cenote cave, Alux brings new meaning to the concept of fine dining, plating haute cuisine in a rustic grotto setting. The multi-colored lights and neon signs may be kitsch, but its contemporary Mexican menu and impressive wine selection add a touch of decadence. 

Under thousand-year-old stalactites, feast on (sustainably caught) seafood risotto in poblano-parmesan sauce, shredded Yucatán deer meat with chiltomate (cooked tomato and habanero) salsa, and 8-hour slow-cooked pork belly with beet mole, eggplant and onion purees, and a touch of 24 karat gold. After the meal, wander around the cavern into an underworld of icicle-like stalactites and rocky hideouts.

4. El Fogón 

Best for favorite hometown tacos

A revered institution in Playa del Carmen, El Fogón is the go-to taqueria for locals and visitors alike, and it’s perfect if you’re aiming to do Playa del Carmen on a budget. The open-air eatery dishes out the city’s most beloved and authentic tacos al pastor: marinated meat grilled on the flames of a Lebanese shawarma grill, served on a handmade tortilla and garnished with tomatoes, onions, and coriander.

Other must-tries include the torta de arrachera (skirt steak sandwich), nopales con queso (cooked prickly pear cactus with cheese, tomatoes and onions), and frijoles charros (bean soup). If you’re coming with kids, they’ll likely find something on the menu they’ll want to eat, and the whole family will get big, hearty servings. El Fogón has gained such a loyal following that it’s opened up ​​several locations throughout Playa del Carmen. If you find a long line to get in the original Avenida Constituyentes shop, try your luck at another location.

5. Lido Beach Club

Best for scenic ocean views and cool beach vibes

A short walk from the Museo Frida Kahlo Riviera Maya, Lido Beach Club is where Centro meets the beach. Though it’s part of the Colibrí Beach Hotel, Lido Beach Club is open to the general public all day, and they even have spots where you can dine with your feet in the soft sand.

With a vast and varied menu that ranges from kid-friendly chicken fingers and hamburgers to Mexican favorites like aguachile (shrimp marinated in lime juice with chiles and cilantro) and arrachera borracha (marinated and grilled skirt steak), there’s likely something on the menu to please everyone. Even better, Lido Beach Club hosts bands to play live music every Wednesday through Sunday. 

6. La Cochi Loka 

Best for Yucatán-style pork tacos and other regional delicacies

Steps from Fifth Avenue and the beach on Calle 10 Norte, La Cochi Loka is a tiny, unassuming stand that serves the best cochinita pibil in town. Slow roasted pork cooked with a blend of Yucatán spices – including axiote and cinnamon – is dished out on freshly handmade tortillas and sprinkled with pickled pink onions. The traditional tacos shouldn’t be missed, but if you are a hardcore foodie, try the costras (griddled cheese-crusted tacos) that are griddled to perfection. There are just a couple of bar tables and high chairs – but don’t bother looking for a seat, as you may feel the urge to line up for more tacos soon enough.

7. Hermanos Taco Cart 

Best for authentically local food truck flavors

Tucked into the corner of the HSBC bank near the Súper Akí grocery store in Centro, the nondescript Hermanos Taco Cart may look like your typical food truck, but it slings some of the best tacos in Playa del Carmen. Of all the competing food trucks lined up on the curbside, Hermanos consistently has the longest line of eager diners. The stand only has a couple of plastic chairs during the day, but come on a weekend night to enjoy the makeshift outdoor market atmosphere.

The house specialty here is the tacos de suadero (made with thinly sliced beef brisket), but regulars also dig their tacos campechanos (​​a mixed bag of grilled pork, longaniza spicy sausage, and crispy chicharrones pork crackling). Be warned: every taco comes with a generous dollop of habanero chili!

8. HA'

Best for haute Mexican/French fusion cuisine 

While HA’ may have an unconventional name, the exceptional dining experience at Chef Carlos Gaytán’s Michelin-starred restaurant at Hotel Xcaret is no laughing matter. Chef Gaytan regularly changes the restaurant’s nine-course tasting menu, which may include anything from escamoles (insect caviar) and tetelas (corn masa triangles) filled with green pipian and duck, to langostino (squat lobster) with vanilla beurre blanc and saffron bernaise, and onion tartelette with comte cheese and roasted poblanos.

Though HA’ is located in the hotel, this restaurant is open to all. Keep in mind that this is fine dining, so more formal attire is expected, and you almost certainly will need to book a table in advance. Additionally, for wine aficionados, don't miss the opportunity to enhance your meal with expertly curated wine pairings featuring some of Mexico’s finest.

9. Pescaderia Y Cokteleria El Pirata 

Best for affordable and delectable seafood

A long-established fixture in Playa’s food scene, El Pirata is packed with hungry locals eager to dive into their affordable yet indulgent seafood. The casual setting of plastic tables and chairs around its front doors may not draw you in, but the glorious seafood will get you to stay. The restaurants’ headliners are the tangy ceviche, shrimp cocktail, and whole fried mojarra fish that crunches on the outside and melts on the inside. Lunch hour is always busy here; come for an early dinner instead as the restaurant shuts by 7pm.

10. Las Hijas de la Tostada 

Best for their signature seafood tostadas

With playful turquoise interiors, this contemporary seafood bar doesn’t just look good; it’s the food that keeps people coming back for more. The chain restaurant is known for its fun, modern seafood dishes like tuna tataki, shrimp tartar, and grilled octopus. But the star of the show here is the tostada, a toasted tortilla topped with all kinds of seafood, from chipotle caramelized shrimps to chili marinated tuna on a bed of guacamole. Las Hijas de la Tostada has multiple locations in Playa del Carmen, including one on 5th Avenue in Centro and one in Gonzalo Guerrero, all with the same menu and reasonable prices.

11. The Traveler’s Table 

Best for beachfront communal dining

Good food is best enjoyed with company, and it can’t be more true at The Traveler’s Table. This concept restaurant may be a bit of a drive away from town (about 11.5 km or 7 miles south of Xcaret), but the communal dining experience is worth the trip. The Traveler’s Table is a meetup-meets-restaurant concept where diners make reservations to partake in a shared dinner in an open-air dining room at a secluded beachfront location. Once you’re here, you’re seated at a long communal table with a few of the other Traveler’s Table diners. 

The idea is simple: the host first sets the tone with flutes of champagne at sunset and provides historical context for the food you’ll be tasting. Then, guests are served an elaborate five-course menu designed by Spanish celebrity chef Eva Millán. There’s a convivial atmosphere in the air as you dine barefoot on the beach with new friends, make your own cocktails, and taste the finest mezcal and tequila.

12. Peace and Bowl 

Best for colorful, tasty and vegan-friendly dishes

Located off Avenida Treinta (30th Avenue) in Centro, Peace and Bowl is health-conscious comfort food at its best. Fresh raw ingredients and bright colors fill the creative menu, with many items you won’t find at other spots in town. If you feel like something sweet, try an eye-catching açaí bowl with chia, banana, mango and other fresh fruit. For something savory, go for a pita pizza with cherry tomatoes, arugula, almond cheese and sweet potato hummus. Top off with a Patcha Matcha smoothie (with banana and matcha), and you’re set for the day.

Come for the food, but stay for the ambiance – the cozy swings, Turkish floor pillows, and plunge pool make it an excellent spot to while your day away.

13. Chez Céline 

Best for baked goods and all-day French café fare

This Parisian-style boulangerie might be the only reason to jostle the crowd on 5th Avenue. Playa del Carmen locals and visitors have long loved Chez Céline for its freshly baked croissants, baguettes and macarons. Late starters will be happy to know that the full breakfast menu is available until 1pm every day, so you can sleep in and still have time for omelets, avocado toast, and yogurt with granola. Even after 1pm, you can still pick from a delectable spread of oven-baked toasts, crêpes, savory croissants and cheesy quiches, and pair them with a mimosa.

14. Amate 38 

Best for family-friendly local cuisine

With a small waterfall, koi pond, and a jungle setting, Amate 38 is a rare patch of greenery and an inviting space to start your day. This earthy restaurant draws high praise for its regional cuisine, prepared with ancestral cooking methods. Its breakfast menu is hugely popular with multi-generation Mexican families, who flock here for their chaya omelet with Edam cheese and teko tekoh eggs (slow-cooked eggs) with Temozón pork loin and chiltomate salsa.

15. Fresco Habito 

Best for farm-to-table fresh fare

This hip all-vegan cafe is a huge hit with plant-based eaters for good reasons: the long list of mouth-watering vegan dishes are all photo-worthy and ridiculously good. Plus, its earth-to-table ethos shines through in the restaurant’s bright, open design, punctuated with tropical murals and hanging plants. Don’t pass up on the ceviche tropical with coconut and matcha, the pita falafel with cherry tomatoes and tahini, and the little donkey burrito stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, caramelized onions and avocado. If you can’t decide on what to order, pick and choose from the arsenal of grains, nuts, and superfoods to create your very own bowl.

16. Restaurante Nativo 

Best for simple and delicious breakfasts

A mainstay in Playa del Carmen, Nativo ticks off all three Bs on a Mexican’s list – bueno, bonito y barato – good, pretty, and cheap. This Gonzalo Guerrero restaurant’s setting is distinctively “Playa”: a palapa roof sits over the wooden hut, decked out in rainbow-colored furniture and vibrant wall paintings.

Part juice bar, part Mexican diner, Nativo serves a repertoire of breakfast classics, from fruit bowls to bacon hotcakes and traditional huevos motuleños (eggs on tortillas with black beans and cheese). But what appeals most to regulars are the licuado fruit smoothies, lauded as the best in town. Order one to share, as they are definitely big enough for two.

17. Cielito Lindo

Best for birria

Birria is a long-time staple of Mexican cuisine: It’s a meat stew that’s traditionally made with goat, but sometimes you’ll find birria made with beef. If you’re looking for top-tier authentic birria in Playa del Carmen, or even if you’re simply looking for some tasty cheap eats, then Cielito Lindo may be perfect for you. Try the birria-stuffed tacos and quesabirria (quesadillas filled with birria and served with a side of consomé for dipping) at this hidden gem that’s located less than two blocks west of Fifth Avenue. If that’s still not enough birria for you and your crew, Cielito Lindo also has birria by the kilo. 

Beyond birria, Cielito Lindo also serves carnitas (Mexican-style pulled pork), skirt steak, and tacos made with other meats. So, even if you’re traveling with anyone who’s not interested in trying Cielito Lindo’s signature birria, they will still have options. 

18. Cocina de Autor

Best for opulent, contemporary Mexican fare

Cocina de Autor is Playa del Carmen’s other Michelin-starred restaurant, located at the Grand Velas Riviera Maya resort. Currently led by Chef Nahúm Velasco, this restaurant serves avant-garde fare like cauliflower with bone marrow and caviar, jackfruit and spider crab (which they call “Jack the Crab”), and cerdo pelón (Mexican Creole pork) with black garlic, figs and watercress. 

For diners who want to kick their fine dining experience up a notch, the Cocina de Autor wine list includes several interesting Mexican wines, including Chardonnay from Valle de Guadalupe (near Ensenada) and Shiraz from Chihuahua. Overall, this restaurant is a strong option for a romantic date night. 

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