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VARIOUS PLACES TO EAT: The Last Full List

Current as of: 10/1/2013

Playa del Carmen: List of Recommended Restaurants

Compiled for your pleasure by David Preefer

Tacos and cheap eats

• **** Asadero el Pollo Estillo Sinaloa - Serves one of the best roasted chicken. Eat in or take out. Located on 20th Ave. at 2nd Street, and a new location on 30th Avenida and the CTM (46th Street). Closes early, often before 5:00.

• Chicharroneria y Carnitas Teresita - Maybe it should be called Little Terry’s Pork Place. It is located on Calle 1 SUR between 20th and 25th Avenues. This little hole-in-the-wall has a few tables and sells meat by the kilo to go. It has chicharrones (fried pork skin), kastakan (fried pork skin and meat), buche (fried pig stomach) and maciza (lean soft pork meat) and more.

• Chicharon - Not more than a hole-in-the-wall, this tiny shop on the CTM (Calle 46) between Avenida 30 and 25. It is simply a nice lady who makes only chicharones and Kastakan, both of which will stop your heart, but it just might be worth it. Cheap, filling and definitely not something you will tell your doctor about when you go home.

• **** Food Carts at the Zocalo – Previously located on 5th Avenue and 2nd by the park across from the bus station they have been moved to Juarez and 15th Avenue Another affront by the bureaucrats mostly interested in making their own jobs easier. These carts are there in the morning and leave when they are sold out, usually before 11:00 A.M. Tacos and sandwiches (tortas) of pork, chicken, beef and shrimp, with great hot sauces. Go to the cart with the biggest crowd, telling you which is the best. Great breakfast for $2 to $3. And do not forget the fresh squeezed orange juice cart to wash them down. This is not to be missed. New visitors might shy away from this street food, but I have never heard of anyone getting ill from eating there and it is one of Playa’s best food experiences.

• **** El Jurado (Mixiotes y Huaraches) - Across from the Mega on Constitutiones, and next door to the new branch of El Fogon, El Jurado is best spotted from their orange awning noting “Mixiotes y Huaraches”. Serves excellent huaraches, which is a thick tortilla, about a foot long and 5” wide, served open with a choice of toppings, usually cheese and meat. An excellent and inexpensive meal.

• ****La Portena - A hole-in-the-wall on Calle 38, just east of 10th Avenida , this Argentine mom-and-pop place has only 4 tables under a palapa. Very inexpensive, but good empanadas and Argentinian arrechera. Not fancy, but real good food. Try the Argentine sausage choripan for the best hot dog you ever ate for 45 pesos!

• **** La Floresta – On the highway by the electric station (before Ave. Juarez), this open air local place is now open through the evening. Fantastic tacos of shrimp and fish are the mainstay, but ceviche and fish cocktails are also popular! For 15 pesos each you get fresh seafood and awesome hot sauce. Wash it down with a cerveza and head for the beach. They now serve arrechera in the evenings, after 6 P.M. as well as their sea food.

• Posoleria Mi Abuelita - This small and friendly posole house has a small menu but specializes in pork and chicken posole, which is quite tasty. It is accompanied by a three-tiered plate of chips and chiles and additions, and for $50 Pesos, is a very good bargain. Located on Avenida 30 between 20th and 22nd.

Breakfast and Sandwich Shops

• Aldea Corazon - Very large with a beautiful garden when you enter, this Mexican place on 5th at 14th has a large breakfast menu with nice Mexican specialties at reasonable prices.

• **** Chez Celine - Opened in June of 2010 on Avenida 5 and Calle 34, this newcomer provides the first real French bakery in Playa. The breads and pastry are great and the coffee is a fine waker-upper. They could use a little help in making a real French omelets, but this too will come.

• **** La Bendecida - Newly opened on 5th on the corner of 40th, this is the best coffee / breakfast place in town. A true Playa original without pretense, the coffee is fresh roasted and the clientel are regulars. Mario has a vision. He decorated it himself and on Friday nights, he brings ion Spanish flamenco for his customers. Do not miss it!

• La Ceiba de la 30 - The DAC is across from the Mega on 30th and a favorite place for locals to buy fruits, vegetables, grains and Mexican specialties. They recently opened this small restaurant which seems crowded every time I visit to shop. The portions are large and the food is good, and you know that it is all very fresh. Fruit smoothies and full breakfasts are the specialty and lunch is very good as well.

• **** La Cueva Del Chango- A must! - This place is a little out of the way but well worth it. Generally regarded as Playa’s standout breakfast destination. Located on 38th Street, up one block from Shangri-La. Homemade granola served with fresh fruit and yogurt. Eggs with cheese and chaya (Mayan spinach) served with homemade tortillas. Fresh squeezed juices and great coffee. They are also open for lunch and dinner. 38th st between 5th ave and the beach. Hand-built by the owners with great funky style. Cool hippie-ish elegance. Perfect way to start the day. A recent visit shows an expanded menu, and they now have what we consider to be the best chillaquiles in Playa. Don’t miss them! Now open for dinner, they make excellent fresh items that people rave about.

• Tiraisu (Formerly Isola Dolce) - On 26th Street between 5th and 10th is this small new arrival that has excellent Italian pastries and Espresso that will glue your eyelids open.

• Nativo - Constitucion and 30th. Might be one of the best breakfasts in town. Local place with excellent Chilaquiles. There are two places with the same name on the same block that have a health-food flair emphasizing healthy choices and natural foods. Chilaquilles are very good. Huge smoothies and large portions at excellent prices. Well Recommended by locals. After lunch or breakfast, visit DAC, the excellent local fruit and vegetable market across the street.

• Las Camelias - A large attractive place on 5th Avenue between 12th and 14th, the breakfast menu is large and reasonable, with many Mexican specialties.

• La Vagabunda – This attractive open air restaurant has been inconsistent for lunch and dinner, and seems to have lost its focus, but the breakfasts are hearty and good. Service can be disinterested and spotty. Located on 5th Avenue between 24th and 26th. Check out the 2-for-1 breakfast specials.

• Xocolalier - On 5th Avenue by the corner of Calle 38, this attractive bistro has great breakfasts and is great for coffee and pastries in a very comfortable inside and outdoor setting. Free internet if you ask. New Ownhers do not seem to be able to maintain the previous quality, but it is still great for a meet-up.

Places for Dinner or Big Lunch

• **** Ah Cacaos- This is the place that serves only chocolate and ice cream. Located on the corner of 5th Ave and Constituyentes. They have recently opened another location on the corner of 5th Avenue and 30th Street. Best brownies ever!!!

• Amarante Pech - On 5th at Calle 30, this magnificent wooden open aair bar also supports outdoor seating and an indoor restaurant. It is run by the same people as El Diablo Cha-Cha-Cha 12th Street. It has small plates and is very good. The bar is happening and a great place to watch the crowd.

• Babes Noodle Bar- An old standby on 10th Street between 5th and 10th Avenues. Many regulars swear by this Thai noodle bar, but after eating there three times, I find the food to be only decent, but it is among the better Thai food in town, if you have that yen. They do have good mojitos, which may explain the different reviews by customers. It was closed on my last visit.

• Il Barreto – Known to some old-timers as ‘Barbara’s Place’, but that was two owners ago, this Italian restaurant/hangout is located on the corner of 26th and 5th Avenue. This is a local gathering place for the Italian residents and passers-by with good pastas and breakfasts. Recently spruced up with tablecloths and a new pizza oven, this fine institution serves excellent coffee, with an Italian flavor. A second location has just opened on 5th Avenue and Calle 8, across from La Parilla. With a new pizza oven, this should be a hit, and it draws a good crowd.

• La Bodeguita del Medio - Having moved from the 2nd Street mall, this very attractive Cuban restaurant has created a scene on the upper end of 5th. The Cuban band blares forth happy and infectious music which makes the cocktails and appetizers sparkle. The place has a full crowd for happy hour and the restaurant has very good Cuban food. The black beans are the best ever!

• Las Brisas - This is a great inexpensive place, especially for good sea food. Located on 10th Avenue on the corner of 4th Street, this is a favorite of many regulars. All the fish is fresh and reasonable.

• **** Carboncitas: - 4th Street between 5th and 10th. Tacos al pastor and grilled metas are their specialty along with chilaquiles for breakfast. It is in the tourist zone, but cool. This small place continues to make many regular’s favorite lists.

• Casa Mediterranea- Great pasta and fish with an Italian slant. 5th Ave between 6th and 8th Streets (down a walkway across from the Lunata Hotel) Many regulars swear by this place as consistent, fresh and delicious. This is one place that I have never heard a bad review about. It is closed on Mondays, but continues to serve high quality Italian and Mediterranean dishes. On my recent visit it looked closed, but I have no confirmation.

• Casa Miguel - This is the new location of Miguel, previously of Las Casuelas of 26th Street. It is on 5th, across from Immigration by the entrance to Playacar. Miguel is from Spain and knows how to make the best paella in Playa, and he is a wonderful host who will make whatever you desire. You will not be disappointed in coming here.

• Club de la Cerveza - On 5th between 36th and 38th, this small place has the largest beer offerings in Playa, most of which I never heard of. They have a small menu of appetizers, but you are welcome to order dinner from their neighbor, Maria Sabina if you wish.

• Como Como - An excellent Italian place on 5th, between Calle 38 and 40. It is small, so look for it. The food is very good at reasonable prices, and it seems to be full every night after 8:00. They took over Cocina 38, across the street and changed the name to Las Drupas 38, but that also is now closed. We wait for the reopening of this lovely and fine restaurant.

• Curry Omms - Playa’s answer to those that need a hit of Indian curry. Word is that it is the real deal, but no seafood here, just vegetarian, beef and lamb. Found in the complex where Immigration rules the roost, 10th Avenue and Playacar.

• De Local (Resto de Aqui) - Only open 2 months on the corner of Calloe 40 and La Quinta, this pizza, Spanish, Argentine place is packed, because the pizza is great, the empanadas are like nothing you had outside of Argentina, and the milanesas are good for two persons and terrific. A great addition to Playa, and another reason that the North end is the new destination.

• El Diablito (Cha-Cha-Cha) - On the corner of 12th Street and First Avenue, in the middle of the Blue Parrot corner Euro scene, this is a restaurant in the earlier hours that serves very good small plates of Japanese/Mexican fusion cuisine. Raw seafood dishes and fried rockfish standout, but they are all good, but a bit pricey, especially if accompanied by the $8 alcoholic drinks.

• Don Mario’s Steak and Pasta - On the corner of 10th Avenue and Calle 8, this full menu restaurant is of high consistent quality with reasonable prices. The steak dinner is very reasonable, and their new pizza oven makes those pizzas even better.

• El Faisan y el Venado- Great Mexican and Yucatecan specialties. Lots of locals eat here, especially for lunch. On highway 307, north of Juarez. You will find many of the Yucatecan specialties here that are served at Yaxche, but much less expensive. Recommended are the carne ahumada and the panuchos cochinita. This is a large and clean place with excellent service.

• **** El Fogon- Tacos al pastor. 3 locations: 15th Ave and 6th St (across from Wal-Mart), Constituciones and 30th (across from the Mega) and the original at 30th Ave near 32nd St. . Fantastic!! Makes everyone’s favorite list for legitimate Mexican food at a good price. Everything here is excellent, and the frijoles charros (bean soup) is something I dream about. You might have to wait for a table, but it is worth it. This reviewer thinks that the original location on 30th and 32nd is just a bit better than the new clones. Check out the 30th Street location across from WalMart, as it is spruced up and has a large open 2nd level.

• El Tenderete - On 5th Street between 38th and 40th, this is a small Spanish place with tapas and excellent paella. Some hits and misses, but delightful.

• **** La Fragata – This newly expanded and spruced up place has just doubled in size in January of ‘08 and has several comfortable new tables. It is on 24th Street between 5th Avenue and 1st Avenue. Many locals come here regularly for the good breakfast and fresh food. Special dishes made every night are always excellent. Now open for dinner every night.

• Fusion - Often overlooked, Fusion is on the beach at 4th Street. The food is always very good, and the staff very friendly. The beach tables have been expanded since the beach was enlarged, and they have good (but not too loud) music every night. Very romantic, dining and dancing on a candle-lit beach.

• Da Gigi (G-G-5) - Originally from Tulum, this fine Italian place opened on 5th at 34th Street with a lovely outdoor café and nice indoor seating. The menu is classic Italian with pizza. The owners have split, and one runs this location, and the other opened his own Da Gigi on Avenida 10, just north of Constituientes. Smaller, but the food is very good. Prepare for a bill of $35 a person.

• Giuay Maai - It looks like Playa might finally have some good Thai food with this beautiful outdoor/indoor setting on Calle 38, just off of 5th Avenue. The menu is varied with some real tastes of Thailand.

• **** H & C Butcher Shop - Originally located on Calle 1 Sur (This is on the Playacar side of Ave. Juarez) between 20th and 25th. This place gets rave reviews from locals and deserves it. The menu is limited, mostly to arrechera and meats by the kilo to take out (para llevar). They close early (about 7 P.M.). In the past 2 years they have opened three new sites: Calle 46 (the CTM), between 10th and 15th, and on Constituyentes between 25th and 30th across from the Mega.

• La Azotea - A restaurant/lounge on the 3rd floor (you have to climb the stairs) inside of the Hotel el Punto on 5th Avenue at 8th Street, this is a hidden gem not to be missed. A beautiful space with magnificent views of Cozumel and 5th Avenue below, the food is excellent and the ambiance is wonderful.

• Luna Maya - On the corner of Calle 38 and 5th Avenue is this luxury Mexican restaurant on the 2nd level. They have an elevator and stairs, but the entrance is behind the corner frontage. The food is complex and often different from the normal Mexican fare, but several people report it is very good with new flavors in the Mexican tradition. The prices are high, so be prepared to spend over $50 per person. For a special occasion or a fancy night out, Luna Maya would be an excellent choice.

• Maiz de Mar - On 5th Avenue, between 30th and 32nd, this new and glitzy Seafooder has a celebrity chef from Mexico City, Enrique Olvera. The food is not cheap, but if you want something special, this is the place.

• Manne’s Biergarten - More than just a German pub. Wednesday night is rib night and Friday’s is pork roast. Closed Tuesdays. 4th Street between 10th and 15 Avenue, a little off the main beaten path. A full menu of Mexican and German favorites, Manne’s has been a favorite of the Playa regulars for years. Newly instituted and very popular is their carved roast beef dinners served on Sunday nights.

• Maria Sabina - This small new Mexican place on 5th between 36th and 38th is eaqsy to miss, as the street lighting is dark, but they serve Oaxacan style food with a large choice of mole sauces, and grasshoppers are available on your dish, if desired. The crew is eager and the food quite good. They are next to the Club de la Cerveza, and you are welcome to get a beer from them for your meal.

• Mestizaja Sin Fronteras - A small place on La Quinta and Calle 38, this is a new venture that mixes Mexican and continental styles. Some hits and misses, but the hosts are so engaging and they make every effort to produce new and wonderful dishes,that they should last and prosper. Moderate prices and a lovely environment. Chef is Lionel Contreras, a talented newcomer to Playa.

• La Parilla- This is a really fun place to eat. They have Mariachis singing from 8-10. Decent Mexican food. Many regulars eat dinner here their first night in town. 5th Avenue on the corner of 8th Street. Prices can be on the high side and they get very busy, so check your bill carefully for mistakes. After a recent remodeling and enlargement, reports are that the food has not held its quality, and the service is rushed and indifferent.

• **** P.G.’s Sandbox - This is a most attractive open air bar on 1st Avenue at 26th Street, and is a great place to watch a football or basketball game if you are looking for a sports bar. While the extensive bar menu of hamburgers, wings and such will not disappoint or become memorable, all of the seafood items are first rate.

• **** Piola - Now open for about 2 years, on the corner of Calle 38 and La Quinta, it is hard to tell that this is one of a small chain in major world cities. Here you will find Playa’s best pizza, with a long list of over 25 varieties. The small one is a meal in itself. The pastas are excellent as well, and the prices reasonable. The setting is quite wonderful, set in the middle of a luxurious garden, it is hard to see from 5th, so walk a few steps toward the beach and be surprised. A few blocks beyond the main drag on 5th, but worth the short walk.

• **** Playa Maya - This excellent boutique hotel on the beach between 6th and 8th is also a great place for breakfast or lunch. Fresh seafood, coconut shrimp, great guacamole and ceviche. Playa Maya Hotel is also the consensus favorite small hotel on the beach.

• **** La Pummarola - The new location on 24th Street off of 5th is very attractive and the pizzas and pastas are quite good. This is a really fun place for a meal right in the heart of the North End of Playa, but regulars treasure the original location for its out-of-the-way location and quiet atmosphere.

• Ristorante Romagna Mia - Recently moved from a hidden location on Cozumel Street off of 30th to 5th Avenue, this Italian restaurant has lost the intimacy of its prior location, but is now more easily found on 5th between 20th and 22nd. The chef is the same and I have had some of my best Italian meals in his old place, so you can expect to have some fine dining while looking at the parade on 5th.

• Sur - This is a sleek high-end Argentine asdador right on 5th Avenue, at Calle Corozon (12th to 14th Streets). This is a beautiful place with a nice bar and solid well-prepared cuisine. Good for people watching.

• La Taberna - Located on the corner of 10th Avenue and 4th Street, this newer large place looks like a sports bar, which is part of its charm. They have large screen T.V.s and a pool table as well as internet computers. The food is pretty decent at reasonable prices and they have air conditioning, which makes it the perfect place on a hot night.

• Trattoria el Centro - A small open air place on Calle 26, between Avenida 10 and 15. The homemade pastas are top rate and not expensive. One young man ate there every night for a week and thought it was the highlight of Playa. Possibly the best pasta in Playaand one of my favorites.

• Util Pasta Factory - Have you got a hunger for pasta? Do you have a big crowd? This small, unique place makes pasta that it sells to most of the Italian restaurants and sells it by the meal or by the kilo to take out. Choose your pasta type and then your sauce and eat away. Low prices and fine eating. Now, a fine outdoor garden with seating is available as well. Closed Monday.

• Wicky’s - On the beach at 10th Street, this is a great place for lunch on the beach, with decent, but expensive hamburgers and a good menu. In the evening, the inside is accessed through 10th Street for an upscale dining room and elaborate menu of steaks and continental cuisine. The food is often spotty and the staff well trained. It is not cheap, but it provides a wonderful Playa beachfront dining experience. New management is putting the place right.

• **** Yaxche- (ya-shay) One of the nicest restaurants in town. Real Mayan restaurant with gourmet Mayan food. This is the only place in Playa where you will see many of their Mayan specialties. This comfortable restaurant has won a bunch of awards. Check out their romantic garden in the rear. 8th Street between 5th and 10th. A new and larger branch opened on the corner of 5th Avenue and 22nd.

Seafood:

• ****Aguachiles - Located on the corner of Calle 34 and Avenida 25. Open from 11:30 until 8:00 Monday through Saturday. Inexpensive seafood of high quality cooked healthfully (not fried). Newly expanded and freshened up, this open air place has some of the most interesting seafood in town and is very fresh. Also note the new 2nd Aguachiles opened on Constituciones between 5th and the beach. A great location for fine seafood.

• Bip-Bip - This ridiculously named restaurant on 5th Avenue just north of Constituyentes is pretty average for most things and would not make this recommended list except for the excellent whole grilled fish that is always on the menu for a very reasonable price.

• **** La Bamba Jarocha: On 30th Avenue at Calle 34. The prices are reasonable, but stick to the plain broiled or fried fish. The fish platter for 3 feeds 4 or 5 and is great. Note that the Calle 22 location has closed.

• **** Cocteleria El Pirata – Located on 40th Street between 5th and 10th Avenues. This is another pescaderia where the fish comes in fresh every day and it fills up around one in the afternoon. The menu is all seafood with the whole fried fish being very popular. The house specialty is salpicon, a fish stew full of shrimp, scallops and squid in a delicious red sauce. Reasonable prices and a true local flavor. Some waiters can speak English. They no longer have French fries which I like with my fish, but the point here is the excellent fish washed down with very cold beer. The restaurant now stays open until 7:00 P.M.

• **** La Floresta - On the Carretera heading south, before Ave. Juarez. Inexpensive and delicious. This place is always our first stop on the way to Playa from the airport, because it makes us know that we are in Mexico. Shrimp tacos and cold beer!!! The best!!!

• **** Mamitas Beach Club and Kool Beach Club Restaurants – Located on the beach at 28th Street, these trendy and fun beach clubs have excellent restaurants of fresh seafood and seviche. It’s great fun to sit and watch all of the pretty people or sit at a table on the beach and run your feet in the sand while you sip a cold one. Often overlooked by regulars because of the tourist crowd, both of these restaurants provide some of Playa’s best lunches.

• Manigua - Just up the block from La Pirata on Calle 40, between 5th and 10th Avenues, this brightly lit pescadoria has fine seafood, plainly made. Shrimp cocktails are excellent and broiled fish is fresh and tasty.

• **** Pesca – This seafood place on 30th across the street from MEGA was the best new seafooder when it opened three years ago. It has since gone downhill with hit or miss food. The plain fish us always good.

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