By Alex Ruelas

Tacos and more tacos

We feel like we should cover this first because if you’re eating tacos, you want to do it right. And no restaurant in Tulum can compete with the authentic experience and absolutely smashing flavor that you’ll find in Taquería Honorio. Nothing fancy, just a roadside taco joint. But oh, are they good. Here you’ll find the variety and taste locals look for, all the way from cochinita to lechón. Whatever you fancy, they are a real Mexican delight.

Are you still looking for tacos but don’t want to miss the experience of eating by the sea? La Eufemia is the place to go. Located right on the beach, this chilled out restaurant offers good vibes and even better shrimp tacos. Fried fish isn’t bad either. Its fantastic views and easy-going personality make it ideal to grab a cold beer and simply chill while you enjoy the ocean’s best wrapped in a tortilla.

Local ingredients from land and sea

On the jungle side of Tulum’s beach road, you’ll find Hartwood, a restaurant that puts local ingredients and sustainability above all else. They work with foodstuffs from the Yucatán Peninsula only, changing their menu daily to fit what they get from land and sea. Fresh catch, locally-sourced produce, and home-grown ingredients are cooked in a kitchen that runs on solar power and wood.

Local ingredients are also the main attraction at Kitchen Table, an intimate space surrounded by lush greenery that keeps seasonality at the center of its culinary concept. Naturally, the menu changes depending on the availability of ingredients. But whether it’s tuna, pork, or a vegetarian specialty, its open kitchen will not disappoint.

Nights out in the jungle

It’s probably only in Tulum that you have to walk into the jungle for dinner and drinks. But that’s precisely what makes Gitano a great place to get the vibe of this town. Glamorous and trendy, it was one of the restaurants that first put Tulum on the map. With its disco ball that hangs from trees, a menu that ranges from rib eye to traditional quesadillas, and cute cocktails, it’s one of the go-to venues for a proper night out.

The other is Casa Jaguar, a somewhat misleadingly small and rustic restaurant. Because if you’re looking for high-end cuisine and top-notch mixology, this is where you want to be. Mexican gastronomy is reinterpreted to create dishes that are unpretentious, yet refreshingly original. And while it’s not on the cheap side, its food, creative drinks, and charming ambiance are worth a visit.

Tulum’s culinary secrets

If you’re looking for international gastronomy, Meze is always a great choice. This Agean taverna took the cobbled streets and charming white alleys of the Mediterranean and put them right in the middle of the jungle. And while taking a trip to Greece in such a tropical setting might sound a bit peculiar, it’s one of Tulum’s up and coming restaurants and deserves more attention than it gets. Large tables, an open kitchen, and a wood-fired oven give Meze an undeniable charm. Here, one can share a good kleftiko and let Chef Alexandros Gkoutsi take you on a cultural journey to his motherland.

Finally, we go to a pristine beach for some Mexican experimental cuisine. Cross the Maya Arch and enter the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Three kilometers ahead you’ll find Ka’an, a restaurant and beach club where you can get a feel of what Tulum was like 10 years ago. Here, an improvised traditional kitchen in Oaxacan style serves as a laboratory where fresh ingredients are transformed into cuisine d'auteur you wouldn’t expect to find in the middle of nowhere. Mexican bio-cultural diversity is elevated, reinvented, and served in an elegant beach restaurant with a loungy feel you won’t want to miss.