Ever since my Flor de Michoacan paleta post, I’ve gotten a ton of requests for more Tulum restaurant tips. Instead of writing a bunch of emails, I decided to make a little eating guide with some food photos I took when I visited the small Mexican beach town last Christmas. For part 1, I’ve included all the places I love in the puebla (as opposed to the beach).
This is by no means an exhaustive list, so if you have Tulum food advice, help a fellow traveler and write it in the comments.
El Tacoqueto, Av. Tulum (it’s a red building with a thatched roof)
Popular with locals, El Tacoqueto is a place we always make sure to visit every time we’re in Tulum. This little red, thatched-roof restaurant is located on the main drag and offers some of the best “home-cooked” food in town at great prices—two people can eat for about $10. When you walk in, you’ll see a big, open kitchen, where women reside over large stainless steel pots of soups and stews. There’s no menu, so just walk up to the kitchen and take a look before you order. The mole is great (pictured at the top of this post), the soups never miss, and sometimes they even have chile rellenos.
Tamales “Don Taco”, Av. Tulum at Centauro Nte.
This little stand sits right across from the police station, and it’s not to be missed. Steamed in banana leaves, these tamales are so moist and the masa is beyond flavorful. You can get the requisite chicken or pork, but I go for the egg-stuffed tamale. Just choose a chair and place your order, or point to someone else’s food if you don’t speak Spanish. You’ll be asked if you want it drenched in salsa. Say yes.
Oasis (west end of Orion St., off of Av. Tulum)
Oasis is a cute little restaurant off the main drag, within the surrounding neighborhood. The décor is nautical to the max, and there are a few different rooms to sit in. We tried the fish quesadillas and the mixed ceviche. Both were good and very inexpensive—everything is about $6-$10 (seafood entrées can go up to $16). Oasis bills itself as a cockteleria, so there are plenty of shrimp cocktails to choose from. We saw another location on our drive back to the Cancun airport, so Oasis might be a small chain. Good beer selection, full bar.
Taqueria el Carboncito (east side of Av. Tulum at Acuario)
This is a local hotspot, and the service can be a little gruff towards tourists, but I can’t blame them. However, it’s on the main drag, so I’m not giving away any secrets—plus, the al pastor spit alone is enough to lure anyone wandering by. The seating at Taqueria el Carboncito is mostly outdoors, and that’s where most of the cooking happens, too. The pastor is very juicy and tender with bits of pineapple, and the queso fundido is pure decadence—just grab a tortilla and fill with a slab of bubbling cheese. Say yes when they ask if you want mushrooms.
Flore de Michoacan (Av. Tulum)
I wrote an entire post about this paletaria/juice bar back in back in January. I usually find myself at Flor de Michoacan more than once when I visit Tulum. The paletas are all fresh, handmade, and beautiful. And the frozen bananas are kind of spectacular. Sit in the courtyard out back—it’s really gorgeous with its white wrought iron chairs and tables and there’s always classical music playing. Don’t miss it.
Other spots worth checking out (Sorry, no pics):
Pan del Carmen—this is a large bakery where they serve pretty much any type of pan dulce (Mexican bread) you can think of. Grab a tray, and fill it up. Prices are only a little steeper than East LA.
Charlie’s Restaurant & Bar—I’ve only been here for breakfast, and I enjoyed the huevos rancheros I ordered. Also a gallery, the vibrantly colored art makes it a great spot, and I once saw a man order a giant sundae that I’ve never quite been able to get out of my mind. Very close to the bus station—moderate prices, beautiful courtyard.
Conchinita Pibil Stand—I don’t know exactly when this stand is open. In fact, in the 3 times I’ve been to Tulum, I’ve only gotten lucky once. But if you see a guy and his grandmother selling chonchinita pibil tacos next to the train station, buy one! They roast the pig in the ground, and begin serving at 6am until they sell out. I swear, it will make all your wildest dreams come true.
-Valentina
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
gorgeous pics! that ceviche looks so bomb! awesome!
I’ve never seen a tamale stuffed with egg before – sounds amazing! Will definitely keep this in mind if I’m ever in Tulum!
@iris–thanks, and yes, the ceviche was definitely bomb!
@diana–i hope you find yourself in Tulum some day. It’s one of my favorite places on earth.
Have you tried El Pescador? On the main drag… It’s owned by old friends Charlie & Elise from Playa del Carmen where they had a beach bar on 14th & ocean! If you go tell them Hi from Mike & Deb…we haven’t been yet !
@Deborah–I don’t think I’ve been, but I’ll keep it on my list for next time.
Thanks for the new tips! We’ve been to many on your list and love your choices. The tamales across from the police station are the best in town, aren’t they?! Of course, I’m going to have to check out the pibil taco stand one early morning next time we’re down. And the ice cream late at night after hanging out Charlie’s listening to music. That’s the way to top off the night and head home!
@ Deborah, I’ve not been but have wanted to. We’ll have to make sure and hit it next time, too.
@Kathy–I’m going to have to check out Charlie’s for music next time I’m in Tulum. I hope I can get there again soon!
You reviews have me ready to fly to Tulum! When will you be posting part two?!
These are great, thank you! I also can’t wait to try some paletas. We leave for Tulum in 12 days–any beach road recommendations? This is our third trip to Tulum and we don’t make it into town much. It’s hard to leave the beach!
@ Ksquared, in my experience, the beach restaurants tend to be overpriced and not that good, but I do have some favorites:
Zamas for breakfast–the food is good, but its the ambiance that really gets me–multi-colored tables, ocean view, great service. I like the chilaquiles, hotcakes and toasted molletes. Lunch is good there, too, but their dinner is just so so. I go there a lot when I’m in Tulum.
El Tabano is good for dinner. It’s one of the better culinary experiences on the beach. Their menu changes daily, but generally you can get nice seafood dishes and really interesting appetizers. Good wine list if I remember correctly. Make a reservation because it fills up.
Posada Margherita–It’s Italian, but still worth going to. Very nice ambiance. Can be pricey.
Zahra–it has an extensive Mexican menu. Not my favorite, but it’s a nice setting. I think I’ve only been for breakfast.
There’s also this one other place, but I can’t remember the name. It’s right and across the street if you’re coming out of Zamas. It’s a little place with a juice bar and a small menu. I had really good eggs in tomato sauce there–I think they had a lot of vegan and vegetarian options as well. Very hippie, but I remember enjoying it. Watch out, though, because I remember the juice was EXPENSIVE!
Thanks for the suggestions! We leave om Tuesday and can’t wait!
Thank you so much for taking the time to post this- my wife and I leave for Tulum tomorrow morning and we have made note of all of your suggestions, and can’t wait to try them. We’ll post again when we return. Thanks again!
@Pete–I’m so jealous! I can’t wait to hear about your trip. I hope you’ll have some new places to share.
Back to the real world after our fantastic trip to Tulum. Thanks again for your blog- your suggestions were spot-on! We took careful notes and tried to find everything on your list. Our results:
Flor de Michoacan- once we found it, we went back every day. What a fantastic place.
El Tacoqueto- made a beeline for this place the first day, and were not disappointed- it was exactly as you said. We had the mole chicken (and I took almost the exact same photo that you did!)
Don Taco- we made the mistake of looking for this name exactly and it took us a few days, but it was well worth the wait.
We really wanted to find Taqueria el Carboncita, but never found ourselves in the Pueblo late enough in the day, unfortunately.
A couple of additions though, if I may:
We stayed in a cabana on the beach, just a couple of km from the main road that goes into the Pueblo; it is true that the food & drinks are more expensive there, but we did find a couple of gems that were definitely worth our time (and we spent a lot of time there)- Mateo’s for the atmosphere, drinks and some very great staff; didn’t eat there much except for breakfast (fantastic chilaquiles and a fresh coconut every morning, and WONDERFUL mixed ceviche) and a new restaurant that just opened next door, Puro Corazon, with the most fantastic menu that even the most discerning foodie would appreciate. The staff was amazing, as was the food; even on day 2 of our trip we were bummed to realize that we could return every day and not get through the entire menu. We recommend the Latin Tower (starter) and the Tamarind Shrimp, and you must not leave the area without trying the Lime Soup. The food quality was 5-star even though the prices were very reasonable.
At several locals’ recommendations for the “best, freshest seafood in Tulum Pueblo” we went to El Camellos, and it was fantastic. (Far south end of Av. Tulum, past the “strip.”) The ceviche was excellent, and the starter (served with chips) turned out to be something of a shark salsa; one of the best surprises of the day.
A couple of other great examples of local fare- “Pollos Asados y Carnitas Mendez” featuring a large street-side grill full of bbq whole chickens; and Taqueria El Parico.
Overall, the most amazing trip we have ever taken.
@Pete, I’m so glad you had a good time. I’m hoping to hit Tulum at Christmas, and I will definitely be using your suggestions. Can’t wait!
Eastside – You have to visit El Camello at the end of Tulum. If you go to my blog lawandbutter.com, try to find the post for Eating My Way Through Tulum, MX (is that what I called it? I can’t remember). I took pics of all of the delicious places I ate in Tulum. I also made similar posts for Cancun, Chichen Itza/Piste and Playa del Carmen. You HAVE to eat at El Camello.
You will surely love it. I reccomend the fried fish (holy moley, it’s delicious) and a the ceviche mixto. If you get a chance, drink their lime agua fresca with mineral water, not natural. Ahhh!! Best city I ate in Mexico.
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