With everything going on in the world, we couldn’t have dreamed of a better time to visit Tulum, Mexico. In other words, life had gotten… weird. We’d been feeling stuck and genuinely down. Early one week, Thomas decided it was time for us to hit the road. Maybe I should say hit the skies. We enjoyed the most perfect few days on the beaches of Tulum, resting, relaxing and finding some of the best restaurants in Tulum. Eating in Tulum is so much more than grabbing a bite and moving on. Eating in Tulum is filled with purpose, meaning and passion. We decided where to stay in Tulum solely based on where the most restaurants we wanted to visit were located (and it’s a good idea for you to do the same!).
Back when I was working for CheapCaribbean.com, I actually wrote an entire set of articles on Tulum… What I, along with just about everyone else, failed to realize is, without ever setting foot in Tulum, you can’t possibly know the magic this former fishing village in Mexico possesses (Most of the time, CheapCaribbean doesn’t actually send it’s staff writers to visit the places they put out information on, so you could see where that led to a few issues). Nonetheless, I wanted to clear a few things up, so what better of a way than to write our own articles?!
The Best Restaurants in Tulum
ARCA Tulum
We actually had no intention of stopping in at ARCA Tulum – we were just strolling along after our amazing dinner at Hartwood and couldn’t resist the super cute vibes!
What we recommend:
Like we said, we’d already eaten dinner in Tulum and weren’t technically looking for more food or drinks…. But for some reason we ordered the scallop crudo, topped with a basil and coconut salsa verde, positioned atop a chia seed chip that provided the PERFECT crunch with the soft fish.
Drinks: Mayami Nice – Rum, Xtabentun (fermented honey liquor), passion fruit, almond orgeat (sweetener) and lemon. Har Mar Suprstar – Mezcal, ginger, honey, lemon and thyme. The Mayami nice was definitely the better of the two drinks, but if you like Mezcal, give the Har Mar Superstar at ARCA Tulum a try!
Location: Tulum Beach across from Hotel Playa Xcanan
Bonita Burger Bar Downtown Tulum
This little burger bar is absolutely adorable. From the giant “BONITA” sign out front to the colorful decor of the restaurant and the amazing food, this spot is not to be missed… And dare we say, the best burger in Tulum? We found Bonita Burger Bar via Instagram (read how we find restaurants and vendors on Instagram) and are so happy we did.
What we recommend:
Aloha burger, Peanut & Chipotle burger and fries. The vegan cheesecake is worth a try. The one they had was goji berry. It wasn’t our favorite dessert ever but it was so unique, we couldn’t pass up trying it.
Location: Tulum Town @ Av Tulum & Calle Beta Sur
Dos Ceibas Beach Club
Dos Ceibas was the beach club our AirBnB/hotel offered access to. While it may not be as picturesque as some of the other beach clubs in Tulum, it’s still super cute and has tasty food, drinks and beach beds!
What we recommend:
Shrimp Ceviche and the Agua de Piedra still water. Agua de Piedra is by far the best still water we’ve had and was available at every place we went to other than ARCA.
Location: Tulum Beach @ Hotel Dos Ceibas Eco Retreat Tulum
Food Peddlers
This might be a little intimidating to some, buuuuut, throughout the day, in the Tulum beach area you’ll see people riding down the street on bicycle carts with coolers of food and drinks. Mostly, you’ll see locals stopping at the carts to grab a bite to eat or drink. Don’t be intimidated by these guys. Stop them, ask what they have… Usually, it’s all sorts of delicious things! From tacos to tamales to empanadas and more. You never know, it could be some of the best food in Tulum!
Pro tip: These guys are cash only, so be sure to have pesos, especially in smaller denominations.
Location: Tulum Beach
Gitano Tulum
Gitano Tulum was one of those places we’d been eyeing from the minute we first learned of it! For years we’d been watching their Instagram and other social channels, admiring some of the best drinks in Tulum and dreaming of snapping the infamous pic in front of one of the hottest Instagram spots in Tulum – the neon Gitano sign!
What we recommend:
Red snapper tostada, apparently this one sells out nightly, so don’t miss it. Served cold, the shrimp chaya tortilla tacos with cilantro, sweet onion and lemon jam, while super spicy, they were unlike anything else we’ve ever had before and a real treat for our tastebuds.
Gitano Tulum is known for their mezcal cocktails, so, we of course went straight mezcal and shared them all. We started with a mezcal mule (Union Joven Mezcal, Pentimans, ginger beer and lime), Gitano Margarita (mezcal, lime, rosemary and cucumber) and the Gitano Carajillo (mezcal, cold brew and cacao honey).
Pro tip: Go at night and order all the mezcal drinks, but if you aren’t a mezcal fan, you can get any of their signature cocktails with other liquors or your average run of the mill cocktail. BUT if you can stomach mezcal (some people just cant) try something from their list of signature cocktails.
Location: Tulum Beach down from Hartwood
Hartwood Tulum
My oh my. This was another one of those spots we’d been dreaming of for years and it beat every expectation we had. From the food to the insanely friendly servers, there wasn’t a thing we’d change. The decor here is insanely cute and they do everything they can to keep the vibe of this place totally Tulumy.
What we recommend:
The Costillas Al Agave (Pork Ribs), Ensalada de Jicama (Jicama Salad), Ceviche Yucatan, Passion in The Jungle (Rum, passion fruit and watermelon), Flamingo (Vodka, dragon fruit and lime), Cenote (Mayan Gin, substituted for vodka, real ginger, lime and mint), corn & honey ice cream and vanilla, peanuts and caramel ice cream. The ice cream is a MUST try.
Pro tip: Hartwood reservations are not usually easy to come by. Try to make your reservation at least a month in advance by emailing Reservations@HartwoodTulum.com. Also keep in mind, they’re closed Monday and Tuesday and only accept cash (but can do PayPal)!
Another thing to remember- the Hartwood Tulum menu changes daily based on what’s available and/or fresh, so the items we loved may or may not be available when you visit Tulum.
Location: Tulum Beach across from Casa Ganesh Hotel
Ki-Bok Coffee
Popped in to Ki-Bok Coffee the morning we went to Matcha Mamma for smoothie bowls. We knew we had a long list of things to do in Tulum so we wanted to make sure we were well fueled, so we stopped here. We sat in the back garden room which was covered in plants and was totally serene. The staff was so inviting and nice. Easily one of the best coffees we’ve ever had!
What we recommend:
Chilaquiles rojos with homemade tortilla chips and americano coffee (SOO good).
Pro tip: There is parking around the corner. The restaurant is all about “being present” so no WiFi.
Location: Tulum Town @ Av Tulum & Calle Centauro Sur
Kookie by Kitchen Table Tulum
Kookie might just be the most random find on our list of the best restaurants in Tulum…. We found it searching Instagram and it’s undeniably a hidden gem in Tulum. Owned by the same people who run Kitchen Table Tulum (which was closed while we were there), Kookie is a delivery-only cookie spot with six unique flavors.
What we recommend:
Lunette (butter cookie and house pineapple jam), Double chocolate (chocolate cookie filled with dark chocolate), Peanuts (butter cookie filled with house peanut butter and house hibiscus jam), Cinnamon (butter cookie filled with apple and cinnamon), Gorilaz (chocolate cookie, banana cream and lime meringue) and The Legit (butter cookie with chocolate chips).
Pro tip: You have to order online through Tomato.MX by 8:30 pm.
La Pinche Taqueria Food Truck
We stopped in here our first night when we were absolutely starving after our drive from Cancun to Tulum. It is part of a food truck park with a few other food trucks and a bar called Tulumunchies, right on Tulum Beach road.
What we recommend:
TACOS (Al pastor, chicken and fish) and the guacamole with homemade tortilla chips.
Location: Tulum Beach across from La Zebra Tulum Hotel
Matcha Mamma Tulum
I know we’ve said this a dozen times, but Matcha Mama Tulum was another one of those places we’d been dreaming of. The swings, the smoothie bowls, ALL OF IT. This little shack might go down as one of the best restaurants in Tulum (can you call a shack a restaurant? We don’t know, but it’s definitely on our list) and if it’s not on your list of Tulum restaurants, it should definitely be on your list of the best Instagram spots in Tulum!
What we recommend:
Mamacita smooth bowl (matcha, almond milk, banana, mango, peanut butter and topped with amaranth which is a pseudo-cereal.) and Mango Tango Smoothie (mango, banana, ginger, turmeric, passion fruit, GOJI BERRIES, honey and oats. Topped with bee pollen, shredded coconut, chia, almonds and fresh fruit). We have a thing for goji berries.
Location: Tulum Beach across from Casa Aakbal Hotel
Mateo’s
We stopped in here for lunch after a morning at Cenote Calavera and we were pleasently surprised. Mateo’s is one of the first restaurants you see when entering the Tulum Beach area. Mateo’s doesn’t look as “Tulumy” as some of the other spots on our list of the best restaurants in Tulum, but we’d stack the food up next to the best of them!
What we recommend:
We dined on the white fish ceviche, fish tacos (4 tacos with white fish, chipotle slaw, mango salsa and secret sauce), served with rice and beans. This was also the only place we were served complimentary chips and salsa in Tulum, both were DELICIOUS and made our Tex-Mex lovin’ hearts so happy. If you enjoy a good agua fresca, definitely order the strawberry agua fresca.
Location: North Tulum Beach across from Tulum Bay Hotel
Posada Margherita
Yet another on the list of restaurants in Tulum that has been on our list of must visit spots. Posada Margherita is a true oasis. The walkway from the main road is lined with plants and greenhouses while the beach area is lined with picturesque white daybeds and the most stunning shades of blue. Definitely on our list of the best Instagram spots in Tulum.
What we recommend:
We stopped at Posada Margherita post-lunch/pre-dinner and were bummed we weren’t going to be able to try the pizza or pasta, but opted for scoops of their gelato. We ordered the berries as well as the pistachio – both were absolutely delicious and we highly recommend
Pro tip: You need to order food to have beach bed access. They prefer cash but there is the option to use Zelle if you have it.
Location: Tulum Beach @ Posada Margherita Hotel
The Real Coconut Tulum
The Real Coconut is another one we’ve been eyeing for some time now! They focus on total wellness and it’s evident from the minute you step foot in the restaurant. You can tell they care about every minute detail, not only from the food and drinks they serve but in the people who work there and the perfectly curated setup of the restaurant.
What we recommend:
Breakfast – Ranchero Eggs (quite possibly the best we’ve ever had), Seasonal Chia Parfait (chia, fresh coconut milk, coconut yogurt, mango chia jam, and fresh mango) with the super sprinkles (toasted hemp, chia, chopped almonds, cacao nibs, coconut flakes) and the fresh mint tea.
Afternoon Snack – Bone broth (slow simmered for 12 hours), Pinada Ice Cream Smoothie (Coconut milk, frozen pineapple & bananas and dates), Mint Passion Healthy Hydration (fresh coconut milk, ginger juice, mint, passion fruit and maple syrup, muddled) and of course, more Agua De Piedra.
Pro tip: Go for breakfast for the perfect start to your day. It’s also a great afternoon spot to escape the sun and lounge around.
Location: Tulum Beach @ Sanara Hotel Tulum
Taqueria Honorio
We had Taqueria Honorio on our list, but may not have known exactly where it was without the help of our AirBnB host. It’s right off the main street in Tulum town/ Downtown Tulum. We’d actually passed it the day before and wondered why the heck so many people outside! These tacos are easily some of the best tacos in Tulum and are totally worth the trip to Downtown Tulum! If you’re looking for the best tacos in Tulum, this spot should definitely be at the top of your must-try list.
What we recommend:
TACOS (Carne Asada, Pollo Chicken and Lechón Al Horno Pork), Pineapple Agua Fresca, Horchata Agua Fresca, Mexican Coke and Cream Cheese Empanada.
Pro tip: Look for the yellow building with tons of people (probably mostly locals) hanging outside and bring cash.
Location: Tulum Town @ Satélite Sur and Andromeda Ote
Tulumunchies Food Truck Park Bar
If a city has food trucks, we will find them. This little food truck park in Tulum is one of the only ones that had a bar and THIS BAR was fabulous.
What we recommend:
Passion Fruit Mojito! We stopped in during happy hour so the mojitos and margaritas were even cheaper. If you even remotely enjoy passion fruit, this mojito is a must!
Pro tip: The mojitos and margaritas happy hour is from 6-8 pm.
Location: Tulum Beach across from La Zebra Tulum Hotel
Every restaurant in Tulum was beyond anything we imagined. We consistently left places with our taste buds on a high. Fresh, local, ingredients at every turn, brought so many unique flavors together… From the ceviche, to the fish tacos, to the smoothies and even the burgers. There is something about Tulum food that draws you in to not only the food, but the entire town. Whether it was the higher end spots like Hartwood or local food stands, everything we feasted on showed how exquisite all restaurants in Tulum are! Basically, you can expect the food in Tulum to absolutely blow your socks off.
