Top 10 Restaurants

[austxdan]

Hi All,

I suppose I should have posted this more than 3 days before leaving . . . however:

We are leaving Sunday to spend 10 days in Tulum. As such, I'll need about 10 restaurants to have dinners at. We are meeting folks at Mezzanine, so that's one. And I have heard great things about Don Cafeto's so that's two. I seem to have a delta of roughly 8. :confused:

So while I go do a "search" on this forum, how about I start a thread and those of you that have spent time in Tulum can list your favorite places to enjoy some "comida". From the fancy to the 'quaint' are all acceptable.

Thanks,
Dan

[jx2]

All the rest. on the beach are going to be a few more $$$ than in town. I would try Zamas and Posada Margharita for starters on the beach.

[Jessie James]

I don't recall the names of any hardly. When you're staying on the beach you usually stay and eat close by. The only time I've gone to town while the sun was still up was when I was heading out of town. It's just not worth it to have to take a cab to town and back to eat. Don Caffetos as you meantioned has good food. We would wander down to their beach place and eat breakfast from time to time. Never ate where you're staying myself. For dinner we would grab a cab to town though. There's an italian place thats always pretty busy that I love but as I said no clue as to what it was called. Can't miss it. Very outdoorsy one. Ate there many times and always loved it. Tried the french place once a few years back but did appreciate the unfriendly service. Don Caffetos in town was good as well for dinner. The taco place near the far end of the strip has really good pastor tacos. There's a place with ice cream and fruit drinks. The fruit drinks are great, but you get the smallest portion of ice cream ever. Ate a lot of hot dogs and hamburguisas from the street vendors. You won't have any trouble finding plenty of places to eat when you get to town. They're all on the one main strip that's at the most a mile long. Just grab a cab to town and walk up and down a bit and look at the menus posted on the
street.

[c943]

Posada margharira was the finest tasting meal with great ambiance. we ate there and ate at mezz 2x which was good also, but posada rocked our world. the food was amazing.
I tell you its a must go.

[Gale in KY]

In town I like:
Charlie's
Don Cafeto's
Dona Tina-Close to Rancho Tranquillo, we had the place to ourselves, food was very very good
La Nave-BEST Pizza I have ever had..
There is a bakery in Tulum that has the best rolls and sweets..can't think of the name of it though..right on 307, almost middle of town. Ate breakfast there quite a few times.

At the Beach-
Nacho's for lunch
Zamas-was good, but not as good as I expected
La Vita E Bella has very good pasta


The restaurant at Rancho San Eric, Hechezzio's, I think, get awesome reviews, haven't tried it myself, but would love to. Upscale dining, you have to make a reservation and I am not sure if they are open during low season..have heard great things about this place.

On Coba Rd, before you get to the beach road, on the north side is a new place..new to me anyway, that I have heard good things about too..L'iContro Forno a Lega..maybe give it a try and give us a report back?

[playaguya]

We were only in Tulum for 3 nights, so I won't be as much help as you need. Ate dinner in town each night, trying Don Karonte, El Mariachi, and Don Cafeto. Liked them all, but probably would pick Don K as our favorite. Like someone else, I'd also give a big yes to the bakery in town. It's on the main street, down a couple of blocks from the taxi stand if I remember right. They have a great bread loaf filled with ham, cheese, jalapenos, and other good stuff. We added a couple of cervezas and had a tasty lunch on the beach the next day. Have fun!

[shaed]

I emailed Hechizo to see if they were open in August when I'd be there. Unfortunately the owner said they close from mid-May to mid-December. He said they do open for advanced reservations of 10 or more adults. I've heard the best things about this place. The chef's parents own Rancho San Eric. Him and his wife worked at the Ritz Carlton in Singapore for a while then decided to open a restaurant in Tulum.

[Jessie James]

Like someone else, I'd also give a big yes to the bakery in town. It's on the main street, down a couple of blocks from the taxi stand if I remember right. They have a great bread loaf filled with ham, cheese, jalapenos, and other good stuff. We added a couple of cervezas and had a tasty lunch on the beach the next day. Have fun!


Do your best to bring small bills/coins with you to the bakery. They always seem to have trouble making change and they've even asked for a smaller bill when all we had were 50peso bills. Great bakery though and a nice place to snack and people watch out front.

[petecat]

In town as others have stated, Don Cafeto and La Nave, Charlei's was very good but changed hands and is not the same to us now, on the beach the best pasta and grilled fish is Posada Margherita, Tita Tulum's small restaurant is absolutely lovely and great view and the food is excellent, very good prices also. La Vita E Balla has some very good dishes and their pizza is pretty good also. Mezzanine has some very good Thai dishes. Ana Y Jose was good but we have not been their our last two trips, unfortunately they are moving in an upscale direction and that is not the reason we visit Tulum, La Banana has been very good at Nueva Vita on the beach.

[Uno Mas]

Pictures are worth a thousand words....

La Nave - Excellent Pizza and Bruchetta
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/jhefley/Picture123.jpg

Ana y Jose Shrimp Civiche
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/jhefley/Picture157.jpg


Posada Margherita - Red Snapper
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/jhefley/Picture177.jpg

Shrimp and Fettucnie
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/jhefley/Picture176.jpg

See http://www.tulum.info/showthread.php?t=227 for Breakfast!

[petecat]

Great Job Uno Mas! Makes my wait to August a little harder though, I will try and post a picture of Tita Tulum's Cerviche when I return in August, it has an abundance of shrimp, octopus and conch its fantastic!

[John in DC]

Another nod to Don Cafeto on the east side of 307. I also like El Mariachi, directly across the street, especially for lunch. Last May the lunch special was two-for-one tacos. With their extensive buffet of taco accompaniments, you can stuff yourself silly. Oddly enough, however, they had no tacos al pastor. For a very good Italian dinner in a pretty garden setting, try Il Giardino di Toni e Simone. It's a block and a half west on Avenida Satelite, the first side street you come to when approaching Tulum from the north.

[petecat]

Yes how could I have forgotten Ill Giardino and El Mariachi in my report.

[jx2]

One huge vote for Bronco Pollo on 307 in Tulum pueblo. Had some excellent pollo there. Wife and I ate one half pollo with rice, salsa, coleslaw kinda topping, tortillas, agua, coke for under $5.00:D Best pollo i have had in Mexico.

[Uno Mas]

Bronco Pollo

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/tul9033/Picture064.jpg

[jx2]

Uno Mas that be the one.
We were bad with the camera this year, missed alot of good photos:(
Got this one though.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/jx2/MexicoMay2006062.jpg

[Kenster]

Zamas has always been a favorite of mine, convenient to Copal and Azulik where I've been staying for many years. Copal and sister restaurant Zahra are good. They have very similar menues but Zahra (at least last year when I was there) had a little old lady who made fresh tortillas on the spot. In town, Don Cafetos is a good standby for all meals. Tony y Simone's is fantastic, quiet and elegant. Even had a few meals at the Weary Traveler - cheap and filling.
I really loved Gringo Dave's but it's been closed for the past two years.
Someone mentioned Don Cafeto's on the beach. Where is it located? I didn't know about that location.

[jx2]

Zamas has always been a favorite of mine, convenient to Copal and Azulik where I've been staying for many years. Copal and sister restaurant Zahra are good. They have very similar menues but Zahra (at least last year when I was there) had a little old lady who made fresh tortillas on the spot. In town, Don Cafetos is a good standby for all meals. Tony y Simone's is fantastic, quiet and elegant. Even had a few meals at the Weary Traveler - cheap and filling.
I really loved Gringo Dave's but it's been closed for the past two years.
Someone mentioned Don Cafeto's on the beach. Where is it located? I didn't know about that location.


That would have been me:D Funny thing is I dont know where we were at :confused: All I know is it was North of El Paraiso and South of the Ruins. I thought the sign said Zazil- Kin but was proven wrong:o . It was right on the point where you can 1st see the Tulum ruins from the beach. The restaraunt only had a banner style sign that said Don Cafetos, so I took that to mean that was a second restaraunt:confused: Probably something new.

[c943]

Uno Mas that be the one.
We were bad with the camera this year, missed alot of good photos:(
Got this one though.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/jx2/MexicoMay2006062.jpg




MAN....that is how I still like my MEXICO.....that pic says a lot about TULUM...

[Gale in KY]

Don Cafeto is between Zazil Kin and El Mirador.

[Kenster]

Is the beach location of Don Cafeto pretty similar to the one in town? I mean, is the menu and prices the same? I like Don Cafeto's but would much rather eat at the beach than go into town.

[jx2]

Is the beach location of Don Cafeto pretty similar to the one in town? I mean, is the menu and prices the same? I like Don Cafeto's but would much rather eat at the beach than go into town.

We didnt even go in, just walked by on the way to the beach. The restaraunt is about 150 yards away from the waterline. It looked nice enough, but I have no idea of the prices:o

[AdGuy]

MAN....that is how I still like my MEXICO.....that pic says a lot about TULUM...


AMEN! We ate at El Pollo Bronco this past Tuesday and it was incredible. Just the ticket after walking three hours through Coba and prior to heading to the Grand cenote. A half chicken with all the fixins was 35 pesos ($3.13 USD). Now, if we can just get them to serve cervezas!!! :)

[jx2]

AMEN! We ate at El Pollo Bronco this past Tuesday and it was incredible. Just the ticket after walking three hours through Coba and prior to heading to the Grand cenote. A half chicken with all the fixins was 35 pesos ($3.13 USD). Now, if we can just get them to serve cervezas!!! :)


Exactly what we did. Our bill came to 52 pesos and that icluded 1 coke and 1 water:D Cerveza would be nice. While we ate their a friend of ours wanted some tacos so she went next door (South :unknown name) and she said they were some of the best tacos she has had.

[AdGuy]

While we ate their a friend of ours wanted some tacos so she went next door (South :unknown name) and she said they were some of the best tacos she has had.

Great to know...we're heading back down for a week's stay in December. I'll definitely have to check out that taco place!

[Ginger]

I know I'm always touting Cabanas Tulum, but we had some great tacos and chilaquilles there. The rest. doesn't look like much, but it really was absolutely delicious. And muy borato!:D

[Ginger]

We also had a great meal at Zamas...loved the ambiance, dining al fresco, feet in the sand.

http://www.gingersadventures.com/playa/day2/report/JPEG/2005_10_31%20133.jpg

BonnyW had this fish which was delicious and I wished I had ordered it after she let me try:

http://www.gingersadventures.com/playa/day2/report/JPEG/2005_10_31%20141.jpg

[petecat]

Exactly what we did. Our bill came to 52 pesos and that icluded 1 coke and 1 water:D Cerveza would be nice. While we ate their a friend of ours wanted some tacos so she went next door (South :unknown name) and she said they were some of the best tacos she has had.

We always bring a few beers with us from San Fansisco market and actually the waitress sent a bus boy down the block to get us a few more and they charged us what they cost them, so my tip was a little bigger.