12 Best Restaurants in Tulum [2024]: Mouthwatering dishes!

Tulum is where the bohemian lifestyle meets the luxurious vibe of European summer vacations.

In this Mexican oasis of calmness, ocean water, and rich culture, you will find a vast array of eating options with different cuisines and price ranges.

Taste everything, from authentic Mexican tacos at a corner store to elegant crab and lobster at a fancy restaurant by the hotel area. This list has everything from small boutique restaurants to big ere on this list! indulge in Tulum's top-rated restaurants with these 12 places.

Get ready for some flavorful and tasty food! 🔥

Top 12 Restaurants in Tulum to try!

12. Taqueria Honorio

Taqueria Honorio specializes in breakfast tacos. Aside from the traditional and juicy delicacies, it also serves other classic Mexican favorites, like conchinita pibil and slow-roasted pork served with house tortillas—a classic meal for a traveler looking to explore Mexican cuisine to the fullest. 

It closes at 1:30, right before lunch, and it truly is where you go to get that big and fulfilling breakfast for body, mind, and soul.

Price Range: $

11. Nü

Nü is a restaurant with an intriguing and inviting design. Set in the middle of the jungle, this eatery works with sustainable food and energy sources—a candle-lit venue in the open air and a zero-waste cooking philosophy.

Many of the ingredients used in the kitchen come from the Mestiza de Indias organic farm. They use Mayan plantation techniques that preserve the soil and recover endangered species of veggies. 

The restaurant merges traditional and modern techniques and foods to create a unique menu. Order from the sharing menu and get your food straight from the open-fire cooking. Chorizo cauliflowers, oyster mushroom tempura, and fish with yuca cream… are only a few options.

Price Range: $$$

10. Verdant

Verdant mixes traditional Mexican ingredients and flavors with French cooking techniques. The result is seawater-poached Caribbean prawns, for example. The restaurant also supports sustainability; most ingredients come from their vegetable garden. Because of that, you get to taste sub-tropical plants, herbs, and veggies that are hard to find anywhere else.

Try foods from an extensive vegan and vegetarian menu, where dishes constantly change according to the seasons. 

Price Range: $$$

9. Wild Tulum

Wild Tulum is located inside the Mayan wilderness. It is closer to the cenotes than the beach, and it captures the essence of the jungle in its decor and design. Serving international foods with a Mexican touch to them, this restaurant truly honors the diversity of landscape and culture surrounding it.  

The place works with local farmers and producers to serve the season's freshest ingredients. Taste seafood, local vegetables, and meats, all cooked over a wood fire grill. Order some famous house cocktails, all prepared with premium spirits and homemade fruit purees and syrups. 

Price Range: $$$

8. Gitano

The atmosphere of Gitano is already reason enough for you to visit. Just by entering the place, you will be breath taken by the beauty and eccentricity of the decor and design. Inside, order from the menu of house spin-offs of classic Mexican food – so that's shrimp and mushroom tacos, pork belly, and avocado with hummus. 

It is the perfect spot for after-dinner cocktails, and a mezcal drink will always be suitable at a place like Tulum. The colonial architecture of the place, in the middle of the jungle, is super instagrammable! There's even live music during the week so that you can add some dancing to your evening. 

Price Range: $$$

7. Cetli

Cetli's specialty is moles. If that's such an assuring claim, they must serve some of the best moles in the country. The house chef, Claudia Perez Rivas, inspired the menu in the Puebla state, where she's from. She also works with Mexican haute cuisine, the classic cooking style that is very rare these days.

The result? Chiles en nogada, the Pueblan classic that balances off all flavor profiles our mouths can capture. 

Fish with almond while moles and chicken breast stuffed with chaya are other popular options here. Enjoy your meal while surrounded by art and traditional white adobe walls. On your way out, purchase some mole to take home with you. 

Price Range: $$

6. Campanella Cremeria

Campanella Cremeria is where you go whenever you feel an ache in your sweet tooth. Here, you will find some of the best Italian coffee and pastries on the American continent. Taste a bitter espresso shot with warm waffles and a scoop of velvety gelato. House pies come in caramel, toasted coconut, pistachio, and a bunch of other flavors. 

Not much of a sweets lover? Maybe go for the sandwiches and the fresh fruit juices and smoothies. It is the perfect spot for that late afternoon snack after spending hours at the beach or shopping around Tulum. 

Price Range: $

5. Antojitos la Chiapaneca

Antojitos la Chiapaneca is where locals and tourists coexist. Serving those authentic and juicy street tacos, this humble and super affordable restaurant is one of those places you need to visit when in Tulum.

Order traditional al pastor tacos, where the pork has been marinating for an entire day before being cooked and served. Chicken, beef, or pulled pork tacos are also a part of the small menu. 

Everything here is perfected to the uttermost standards of the Mexican art of taco making. It is the ideal place to eat after a long day at the beach or visit the nearby cenotes. Chat with locals and learn more about the authentic culture of Tulum, all while indulging in succulent tacos. 

Price Range: $

4. Safari Comedor Zama

Inspired by Yucatan food, service, and hospitality, Safari Comedor Zama is a restaurant that will introduce you to the authentic Mexican experience. Mimicking a Yucatan Peninsula house, the venue is located in the residential area of Tulum.

Here you can find breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The avocado toast comes on top of a corn tortilla and is paired with their home salsa. Taste traditional tacos and tamales with cacao. 

With hanging lights hovering above the tables in the middle of the forest, this is a place to sit back and relax. Order a cocktail and listen to live music. Start with Yuca truffle fries and move to the fish tacos or gringas al pastor. 

Price Range: $$$

3. Posada Margherita

A classic Italian restaurant never runs out of style and exceptional flavor. Now, when you experience that right in front of the beach, the whole thing turns into something beyond delicious – a fully immersive experience in Tulum's dolce far niente.

This restaurant, located inside the Posada Margherita, serves hand-tossed pizzas and freshly made pasta dishes. Grilled meat and seafood are also why this is one of the best restaurants in Tulum. 

The coconut gelato is made from coconuts that grow inside the hotel's property. In the morning, order from their breakfast menu and taste pancakes, scrambled eggs, fresh yogurt, fruit, granola, and pastries. 

Price Range: $$$$

2. Arca

Arca is a restaurant that captures the essence of Tulum. It serves seasonal foods that change constantly, and you will always find something new and intriguing to taste.

The place was created by Jose Luis Hinostroza, a Mexican-American chef who wanted to introduce visitors to the traditions and customs of the local people of Tulum. Blending ancient traditions with modern American cooking, the chef created a menu that is bold and authentic. 

Taste the grilled food over open-fire cooking. The octopus, with charred corners and a buttery, chewy interior, is one of the house's most famous dishes. It comes with a recaudo negro sauce, giving it a special touch. 

Price Range: $$

1. Hartwood

A restaurant where you get most of your food from an open fire, cooked by hand. A sea-to-table experience where the menu changes according to the seasons, always working with fresh and sustainable ingredients. Try some of the most ethnic foods from Mexico, like the snapper ceviche and the cheese-flavored ice cream. 

The restaurant is entirely powered by solar energy, and the 100% organic compost also helps to decrease its footprint.

Since it is such a popular spot, reserve a table in advance. 

Price Range: $$$

Explore Tulum with Pilot!

Tulum is the land of mysticism, beaches, and tropical foods. It mixes the bohemian and laid-back vibes of nomadic life with the luxury and extravagance of European summers.

Why stop at Tulum? Check out neighboring city, Mexico City and discover some local hidden gems!

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your trip with Pilot!