Cancún's restaurants outnumber hotels many times over,
and competition is fierce. The bulk of the tourist
restaurants line Av Tulum and its side streets: eat here and
you can enjoy "fun" disco sounds with your meal. Though seafood and
steak form the mainstay of many menus, you can also eat Arabic,
Yucatecan, Italian, Chinese, French, Cajun and Polynesian, not to
mention international fast food plus some local chains. All the
hotels in the zona have at least one formal
restaurant, some of which are very elegant indeed, surrounded by
tropical foliage with fountains and music. Many also feature a more
relaxed and relaxing beach or poolside dining room.
For budget food , follow the locals and make for the
markets. The biggest in Cancún is Mercado 28 , close to the
city's main post office at the western end of Av Sunyaxchen. There
are plenty of food stalls and tiny cheap restaurants here. The
other market in Cancún, Mercado 23 , is much smaller but
makes a relatively peaceful venue for a decent Mexican lunch. From
the bus station, walk a few blocks north along Tulum and then turn
down Flamboyan or Cerdo. Further along, at the junction of Tulum
and López Portillo, is a small plaza, complete with fountain, at
the edge of another market. The little cafés here are packed with
Mexican families and it's the nearest Cancún comes to having a
zócalo.
Note that almost all of the restaurants in the zona
hotelera are geared towards one thing only - parting tourists
from large amounts of cash - and none can be particularly
recommended. If you are staying on the beach, you're much better
off taking a cab or the convenient "Hoteles" bus into downtown
Cancún, where you'll find good food at reasonable prices, and more
importantly, lots of genuine atmosphere.
D'Pa , Gladiolas, Parque las Palapas. Chic little French
creperie with pretty outdoor tables and decent wine by the glass.
Recommended.
El Marisquero , Av Nader and C Mojarra. Friendly seafood
restaurant behind the popular souvenir market (known inexplicably
as the fleamarket) on Av Tulum. Good ceviche and fresh
fish.
El Meson de Novotel , Av Tulum 75. Pavement café in front
of the Novotel Hotel , with good breakfasts and special
lunchtime offers. Great people-watching spot.
El Pabila , inside the Hotel Xbalamque , Yaxchilan
31. Classy coffee shop with very good cappuccino, espresso and the
like in a peaceful and sophisticated environment.
Gory Tacos , Tulipanes 26. Don't be put off by the name:
this spotless and very friendly place serves good, inexpensive
Mexican food, steaks, hamburgers and sandwiches, and a range of
vegetarian meals.
La Habichuela , Margaritas 25, in front of the Parque Las
Palapas. Long-established and fairly expensive restaurant set in a
walled garden. The menu is excellent, featuring such dishes as
cocobichuela : half a coconut filled with lobster and shrimp
in a curry sauce, accompanied by tropical fruits. Live jazz adds to
the atmosphere.
La Parilla , Yaxchilán 51. Decent and popular Mexican
restaurant specializing in flame-grilled meat. It's a bit of a
tourist trap but the food's very tasty, plus there's live music
every night and a buzzing atmosphere.
Los Almendros , Bonampak 60, opposite the Plaza de Toros.
This is the Cancún branch of the famous restaurant that originated
in Ticul, and is justly renowned for its good-value Yucatecan
specialities.
100 Percent Natural , Av Sunyaxchen 26, at the junction
with Yaxchilán. Not entirely vegetarian, but it serves fruit
drinks, salads, yogurt and granola, as well as Mexican dishes,
seafood and burgers. A pleasant enough place, if a little
overpriced. There are also branches in Plazas Terramar and Kukulcan
in the zona hotelera .
Pericos , Yaxchilan 71. Famous Mexican restaurant with
live entertainment including strolling magicians, stilt-walkers and
juggling barmen. Although it's almost exclusively patronized by
groups of tourists (and very popular - arrive early to avoid the
queues), it might well be the most unforgettable evening of your
holiday and definitely worth paying a bit extra for. Not to be
missed.