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Dining options on Cozumel reflect the island’s laid-back attitude: breezy and relaxed, with casual dress and no reservations the rule at most places. Generally, restaurants emphasize fresh ingredients, simple presentation, and amiable service. As befits an island, there’s lots of just-caught seafood on the menu. Yucatecan cuisine is harder to come by; you’re more likely to find standard Mexican fare like tacos, enchiladas, and huevos rancheros. For budget meals, head into the untouristed part of downtown, because they’re few and far between elsewhere. Although some restaurants are turning out creative cuisine to suit the most demanding of palates, most visitors say their best dining experiences are in little family-owned spots that seem to have been here forever. While many restaurants accept credit cards, café-type places generally don’t. Cab drivers are often paid to shill for restaurants, so take their dining suggestions with a grain (or two) of salt.
If you’ve got a hankering for a hole-in-the-wall place that serves cheap, delicious meals, Burritos Gorditos fits the bill for breakfast and lunch. The made-to-order shrimp burritos are excellent and big enough to split, and a solid assortment of tacos and salads is available, but no alcohol is served. Seating is limited (which is why locals call ahead for takeout or delivery). If the tables are full, place your order and wait for one to open up or eat outside on the wall.
You'll have to work hard to find El Moro, but your perseverance will be rewarded with one of the better meals—consisting of a wide range of seafood and beef dishes—in Cozumel. After dinner, try a taste of xtabentun, a traditional Yucatecan liqueur made of fermented honey and anise seeds. This family-owned, open-air restaurant has been feeding hungry locals and tourists for years. Brothers Ray, Efren, and Heiser strive to make you feel welcome, so the service is excellent—and the portions are large.
Marimbas play beside a bubbling fountain in the charming courtyard behind one of Cozumel's best folk-art shops. The English menu is geared toward tourists and priced in pesos, but regional ingredients like smoky chipotle chile make even the standard steak stand out for a true Mexican-inspired meal. Other stars include the cilantro cream soup and shrimp flambéed with tequila. Although Pancho's can be busy, the waitstaff are patient and helpful. Cruise-ship passengers seeking a taste of Mexico pack the place at lunch; dinner is a bit more serene.
This restaurant in a little yellow house near the plaza has been satisfying cravings for Yucatecan favorites like cochinita pibil (spiced pork baked in banana leaves) since 1945. Locals tend to stop in between 8:30 and 1 for cheap breakfast and lunch menus that highlight tacos and empanadas, and the tortas (sandwiches) are also a real bargain. In the evening, Casa Denis is a place to see and be seen—if you're seeking more privacy, opt for a seat in the quiet garden courtyard to the rear.
Part private home, part restaurant (and owned by the same family since the 1980s), this place evokes a country hacienda in mainland Mexico. Although the setting, with tables lining the veranda, outshines the food, stalwart fans nevertheless rave about the huge platters of fajitas and grilled fish. The on-site botanical garden has mango and papaya trees and a small zoo with caged birds. Casa Mission also has two more centrally located sister restaurants, La Mission and Parilla Mission.
Popular among locals, this taquería captures some of the charm of the barrios and remains open late (until 1 am daily). The soft tacos stuffed with pork, chorizo (sausage), cheese, or beef aren't the cheapest tacos on the island, but they're tasty and filling. Eat in, take out, or have your food delivered.
Locals and expats gather here for breakfasts of migas (scrambled eggs with bits of bacon and tortilla) and the daily lunchtime comida corrida (a set-priced meal with a choice of appetizers and entrées), which is a great deal. Favorite dishes include pollo con mole poblano (chicken in a smooth, earthy chile sauce), chile relleno de camarón (chile stuffed with shrimp), and pork with pumpkin-seed sauce. Taste the yellow salsa with your complimentary chips, and you will be buying a bottle of it to take home. You can sample an array of agua frescas in flavors like hibiscus, but remember to leave room for the chilled avocado pie.
If you are looking for an authentic taco joint where the locals go, this is the place. The tacos al pastor, carved from a vertical spit, are big, juicy, and inexpensive. Add a cup of frijoles charros (beans and pork soup), and you have one of the best cheap meals you will find on the island.
