Gastronomic Guide to Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is a good town to be hungry in. Yucatecan kitchens, beach shacks that have fried fish the same way for decades, taquerías with a line out the door and a handful of chefs cooking at a national level, all within walking distance of Fifth Avenue. Here is where to eat in Playa del Carmen, from the first taco to the last gelato.

1. Yucatecan Flavors

The Yucatán Peninsula has a cuisine of its own, built on achiote, habanero and slow cooking, and Playa del Carmen is a good place to try it. Look for these dishes:

• Cochinita pibil: the region’s signature dish. Pork is rubbed with achiote, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked slowly until it falls apart. Try it at El Fogón or La Perla Pixan Cuisine.
• Sopa de lima: a light chicken broth with strips of fried tortilla and the juice of the lima, a Yucatecan citrus with a bittersweet tang that ordinary lime cannot replace. Perfect for a light lunch.
• Panuchos and salbutes: small fried tortillas (the panucho is stuffed with black beans first) topped with cochinita, chicken or turkey, pickled red onion and avocado.

2. Fresh Caribbean Seafood

With the sea a few blocks away, fish and seafood in Playa del Carmen are as fresh as they come. Three places that do them well:

• El Pirata: a no-frills spot on Calle 40 where locals outnumber tourists. Whole fried fish, ceviche and shrimp in every form.
• La Tarraya: serving on the beach since 1968 and one of the oldest restaurants in town. Grilled fish or a plate of seafood with your feet in the sand.
• Los Aguachiles: ceviches, tostadas and the aguachile that gives the place its name, in an open-air room a few blocks from Fifth Avenue.

3. Street Food

Street food is part of eating in Mexico, and Playa del Carmen is no exception. Walk Fifth Avenue and the streets behind it and you will find:

• Tacos al pastor: pork marinated in chiles, stacked on a vertical spit and shaved onto a tortilla with pineapple, cilantro and onion. El Fogón and Don Sirloin are the local references.
• Elotes and esquites: corn on the cob slathered with mayonnaise, cheese, chili and lime, or the same kernels cut off the cob and served in a cup (esquites), eaten with a spoon.
• Churros: fried, dusted with sugar and cinnamon and sold from carts and small stands. The right way to end a walk.

4. Fine Dining and Signature Restaurants

For a more elaborate dinner, Playa del Carmen has a solid roster of chef-driven restaurants. Two of the most talked-about:

• Oh Lala!: a tiny dining room, reservations a must, that has sat among the highest-rated restaurants in Playa del Carmen for years. Chef George cooks international dishes with a French and Mediterranean accent. The menu changes often, but expect things like filet mignon, lobster and octopus.
• Axiote: chef Xavier Pérez Stone’s reading of Mexican cooking under a palapa roof, with local ingredients and contemporary technique. The place to see how far traditional flavors can travel.

5. Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants

Eating plant-based is easy here. Many restaurants mark their vegetarian options, and a few are entirely meat-free:

• Bio-Natural: a vegetarian and vegan restaurant with an organic grocery attached, at two addresses in town. Bowls, salads and smoothies are the safe bets.
• Comet 984: a vegan take on a 1950s American diner. Burgers, nachos and milkshakes, all plant-based and much of it made in-house. Hours can be irregular, so check before you go.

6. Breakfast and Brunch

If you like a long breakfast, Playa del Carmen has you covered:

• Que Huevos: a small breakfast-and-lunch café at the north end of Fifth Avenue that does eggs every way you can think of, from Benedict to huevos rancheros, with fresh juice on the side.
• La Cueva del Chango: on Calle 38, in a garden so thick it feels like jungle. Mexican breakfasts, fresh fruit juices and a slow morning pace. Order the chilaquiles.
• Chez Céline: a French bakery and café on Fifth Avenue. Croissants straight from the oven, quiches and a full pastry counter make it a good stop for a light brunch.

7. Artisanal Ice Cream and Desserts

After a good meal, something cold or sweet. A few options:

• Aldo’s Gelato: several shops along Fifth Avenue serving Italian-style gelato, from chocolate and vanilla to tropical fruit flavors.
• Chez Céline: beyond brunch, the pastry counter is the reason many people come back. Fruit tarts and the chocolate éclair are the classics.
• Choux Choux Café: a small bakery-café on Avenida 20 with cakes, tarts, cookies and good coffee.

Tips for Eating Well in Playa del Carmen

• Leave the tourist strip: the small fondas and street stands a few blocks off Fifth Avenue are where locals eat and where the everyday cooking is.
• Eat the seafood: this is the coast. Ceviche, grilled fish or a shrimp cocktail should be on your list at least once.