As many of you already know, my friend and I rented an Airbnb in Tulum and we were working remotely from there for 3 weeks. Our plan was to continue working from home like we were back in NJ, but with some warm weather and better hot sauce 😉 My Tulum Restaurant Guide is dedicated to all of the restaurants that we tried within our 3 weeks, because other than that, we were social distancing on the beach or working away at our apartment! I am NOT encouraging travel if it is not necessary, but please use this as a guide for you if you do have a long term stay planned in Mexico, or if you plan on visiting in the future! LET’S GET STARTED!
Beach Strip Restaurants
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Raw Love ($$)
This little spot is great to catch some Wi-Fi on the beach! It’s part of the Ahau Tulum Hotel. There are 2 locations. The first one is part of the hotel and you are in middle of all of the trees. The little hut on the beach has better Wi-Fi if you are working! They have all types of delicious wake up beverages, juices, smoothies, bowls, and brunch options! We ordered the:
- Avocado Toast
- Maca Vanilla Bowl
- Acai Bowl
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Macondo ($$$)
This Mediterranean spot is part of the Nomade Hotel. BEST vibes when you go at night. Try to get one of the floor seats, as it will feel more authentic! This place is also decorated so cute!! The food + drinks were amazing. We ordered the:
- Hummus & Pita
- Babaganoush
- Baked Cauliflower (THE BEST)
- Falafel
- Lychee Martini
- Cucumber Cocktail
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Gitano ($$$)
If you are from NYC, you have definitely heard of this popular spot! Tulum has one too, and it’s just as poppin as you’d expect it to be! They have a live band so you can enjoy your food and drinks with some good music. We only went there for a few apps, but it was definitely worth our time. Make reservations in advance! We ordered the:
- Habanero Cocktail
- Mushroom Tostada
- Mushroom Tacos
Rosa Negra ($$$)
This place is the ultimate gem if you want to have dinner + a party scene afterwards. We only went for dinner due to covid this time, but I was here pre-covid and the party atmosphere is the best! The food is definitely on point, and the music is always good! We ordered the:
- Pandemic Fashion Cocktail
- Naughty Birds Cocktail
- Humita w/ Truffle Empanda
- Burrata
- Esquite Tostada
- Mushroom & Truffle Risotto
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Bak ($$$)
This place has an amazing ambiance! Like most restaurants on the beach strip, you will feel like you are dining in middle of the jungle! I am listing a couple of non-veg options as well because we had a special carnivore guest with us and he said these items were great! We only ordered apps but it was delish. We ordered the:
- Cauliflower
- Tomato Soup
- Onion Soup
- Bone Marrow
- Octopus Ceviche
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Papaya Playa Beach Club ($$$$)
If you aren’t staying at this resort, guests must pay 100 USD per person to enter the beach, and that money is used towards food. We made a whole day out of it so our food + drinks on the beach were worth it! They will also give you a private little cabana so you aren’t close to people. We ordered the:
- Chilaquiles (get red & green sauce)
- Eggs Benadict
- Grilled Octopus Tacos
- Avocado Tacos
- Shrimp Quesadillas
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Azulik (Kin Toh) ($$$$)
This is an iconic spot that you MUST visit, whether it’s to stay at or a simple drinks + dessert situation. It’s one of the most picturesque spots in Tulum, so please try to visit! We had lunch here and we booked one of the indoor nests. The nest is 100 USD to book, plus 25 USD per person, which can be used towards the food. We ordered the:
- Guacamole
- Vegan Ceviche
- Seafood Ceviche
- Vegetarian Tacos
- Tres Leches Cake
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Funky Geisha ($$$)
Another spot on the strip that has amazing food, drinks, and MUSIC! We enjoyed this spot so much because they have the best songs, and we were definitely craving some Asian food. If you like hookah, that is also available here 😉 We ordered the:
- Drunken Noodles
- Penang Curry
- Veg Spring Rolls
- Shishito Peppers
- Miso Soup
- Green Tea Cheesecake
Taboo ($$$$)
If you are looking for a daytime beach party, Taboo is YOUR SPOT. We decided to book a private cabana instead of staying in the center where the party was going on, but we enjoyed it because we got to relax on the beach while still listening to the music! It costs 100 USD per person to get on to the beach, and you get to use 50 USD from that for food + drinks. I LOVED the food! We ordered the:
- Gin Infused Hookah
- Spicy Feta
- Mushroom Soup
- Rigatoni Vodka
- Burrata
- Patatas Bravas
- Kiz Kulesi Drink
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Matcha Mama ($)
This is one of my favorite spots to grab a breakfast or early afternoon drink! They have matcha (obviously), but also plenty of different beverages, smoothies, shakes, and smoothie bowls! This is also a great place that is super instagramable, which is actually how I found out about it!! Right next door is a delicious restaurant that serves the best pizza which I will talk about next 😉 We ordered the:
- Iced Matche Latte
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La Onda ($$)
This is located right next to Matcha Mama, so it’s a great place to stop right after an afternoon matcha! I went here a year ago and we absolutely loved the pizza, so I needed to visit again. They make it in an outdoors pizza oven, so it’s super fresh and you an see what’s going on. There is a sign in front that says “Best Pizza on Earth,” and they aren’t lying! We ordered the:
- Chiles Jalapenos Rellenos
- Pizza w/ Jalapenos, Peppers & Onions
- Rucola Pizza
Center of Town Restaurants
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Burrito Amor ($)
A delicious spot for breakfast! Their burritos are super filling, and surprisingly cheap! They also have the cutest outdoor seating, so try to grab a spot on the front patio! If you are close enough to ride a bike or walk, I recommend doing that because parking may be a little hard. We ordered the:
- Guacamole
- Cinnamon Roll Smoothie (fave)
- Caramel Smoothie
- Vegetarian Burritos
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Pizzeria La Querida ($$)
A super cute spot that is located on the main strip with all souvenir shops! They have all types of food, which we were super excited about. It’s at the corner, so you can find indoor and outdoor seating. The spaghetti was SO good here that we literally picked it up at 10 am to eat on the ride back to the airport!! We ordered the:
- Spaghetti con Tomate
- Veggie Nachos
- Chicken Tacos
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Pasha ($$$)
This is a Turkish restaurant that has super cool ambiance inside. We wanted something other than Mexican / Italian, so we decided to go. They will have random shows with street dancers, which adds to the experience of the place! We ordered the:
- 13 Traditional Meze – falafel, hummus, tzatziki, feta, etc.
- Cheese Ravioli (Turkish)
- Parsley Pasta (Turkish)
- Beef Shish Kebab
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Del Cielo ($$)
This spot is pretty big on brunch, so you may have to wait 15-20 minutes before getting your seat. Definitely call before going on the weekend. They have an assortment of juices and smoothies, so if you are just trying to grab something quick, this may be your spot! We ordered the:
- Coco Mocha Latte
- Mimosas
- Rancheros (green & red sauce)
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Ki’Bok ($)
One of my favorite lunches that I had in town! I was craving something healthy because I was 2.5 weeks into my trip and I was eating a lot of junk. This little cafe has a lot to offer! If you get a chance, try to get a seat in the back “garden” area! We ordered the:
- Chai Latte
- Banana Muffin
- Detox Juice (apple celery cucumber carrot)
- Veggie Burger (SO GOOD)
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The Good Pizza ($$$)
We had such a great time at this place! It opens at 6 on the weekdays, so get there right on time so you can get one of the pods on the rooftop! They have great drinks, personal pizzas and hookah! This is also one of the best places to get a view of the center of town. We ordered the:
- Vegetarian Pizza (ask for peppers and onions too)
- Vegan Pizza
- Hookah
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El Milagrito ($$)
We came here for some drinks and apps, but it was awesome! They have tv screens so if you are with anyone who wants to watch any American sports, they will put it on for you. The music is also on point, so it’s a great place to start your evening off! We ordered the:
- Margaritas w/ Corona
- Guacamole
- Veggie Nachos
I know this may seem like a TON of restaurants, but I was there for 3 weeks, as opposed to most of you that may be going for a week MAX. Try to narrow down by location of which you intend on staying at! The beach strip restaurants are all AMAZING, and there are still many that I wanted to go to that didn’t end up happening. They are also significantly more expensive compared to the town restaurants because it’s more of the touristy area. But I hope this gives you a head start on choosing where to dine in Tulum! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Please tag me in a story if you end up using any of my recommendations !! I’d love to hear your feedback! <3
P.S. – if you are not going to Mexico but craving Mexican food, you can always check out my Mexican Food section on the blog!