Tulum is a beach town in Mexico that has amazing high-end restaurants, night clubs, and beautiful (but expensive) hotels right on the beach. It’s a popular place for influencers and Instagram models to come and live their best life. It’s also a popular place to make YouTube videos. But there’s another side to Tulum that doesn’t appear on social media as often… and that’s about the Tulum town (also known as Tulum Pueblo). It doesn’t have the same backgrounds for pictures or the fancy restaurants, but you can find some great food. Here are some of the best restaurants in Tulum Pueblo.
Taqueria Honorio
Best Tacos in Tulum
If you ask people where to find the best tacos in Tulum, chances are you’ll get Taqueria Honorio as the most common answer. They are a breakfast taqueria, so they open early in the morning and close by 3pm, or whenever they sell out. There will likely be a wait on weekends. They also offer tortas and quesadillas, but they are best known for these four types of tacos:
- cochinita pibil
- lechon
- relleno negro
- poc chuc
Antojitos La Chiapaneca
If your favorite tacos are Al Pastor (spit cooked pork) then Antojitos La Chiapaneca might be your choice for best tacos in Tulum. It doesn’t get quite as much buzz as Taqueria Honorio, but trust me, when it comes to great pastor tacos this place is hard to beat. Plus, they are open late into the evening. They are located a bit further west down Ave Tulum.
El Grifo
Best Craft Beer Bar in Tulum
If you want something different than the Dos Equis and Corona that you’ve likely been drinking, then it’s hard to find a better beer bar than El Grifo. It’s a bar that specializes in mezcal and Mexican craft beer. You probably won’t find a larger selection of Mexican microbrews anywhere.
Tamales Don Taco
Tamales are a Mesoamerican dish originating thousands of years before Spanish influence in the region. Here at Don Taco Tamales, Reyes starts making between 400-500 each morning so they can be ready for when he opens at 4pm. He makes traditional tamales steamed in a banana leaf, but also makes baked and fried ones as well.
Mestixa
One of the most interesting culinary experiences in Tulum town is an Asian and Mexican street food concept named Mestixa. Executive chef Cara Davis won’t call it fusion, but it mixes Asian and Mexican influences to create new dishes. This results in such items as shrimp tempura tacos, cochinita pibil dumplings, and soft shell crab bao buns.
They also have some great cocktails made with Asian and Mexican liquors. If you want to try something new, go for a cocktail made with chilcuague, a distilled alcohol made with agave and the root of the same name. It’s likely to make your tongue numb.
Mestixa is an easy pick one of the best restaurants in Tulum town and is my favorite.
