15+ best places to eat in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Playa del Carmen is a place full of colors, tasty food, and palm-lined beaches. Here are some of the best places to eat in Playa del Carmen and some of the best restaurants to visit during your stay there!

In this blog post, you will find all the best places to eat in Playa del Carmen with descriptions and locations where they can be found on Google Maps. Happy travels!

Where to get the best coffee in Playa del Carmen?

Now, I understand that coffee is a personal thing. I am one of those who look for specialty coffee places and hope to see a good barista behind the counter.

I like it when my cappuccino comes with a bit of creamy taste and has a foam layer on top, possibly with a white milk foam flower or a heart illustration. Not mandatory. In case you are like me – check out these places!

1. Quadra Café – Specialty Coffee

This was actually the first place we went to during our stay in Playa del Carmen and it wasn’t a miss. They serve not only great coffee but some nice breakfast and brunch as well! All were good quality and we enjoyed them very much. We even bought some coffee beans from them!

Location: Quadra Café – Specialty Coffee

2. MiDogo Café

We visited MiDogo Café on the last day of our trip to Playa del Carmen and we had one big regret – that we didn’t come here earlier. This was probably the best coffee I personally tasted in Playa del Carmen (and we tasted many!).

They know what they are doing so we actually bought coffee from them as well! And their pastry was out of this world. In case you go there, try those round little cakes that they have covered with white and brown chocolate! The white one with nuts and caramel was to die for!

Location: MiDogo Café

3. Marley Coffee

This is a very centrally located coffee place. They open at 7 AM so it was good for us as we woke up really early (we traveled from Europe which is many time zones ahead of Mexico!).

For me, coffee was quite okay, but my husband said it was really good so I have to include them in this list! They are not only a coffee place, but they also serve some ready-to-go snacks such as cakes, pastries, bagels, and more.

Location: Marley Coffee

4. Gran Café de la Avenida

This is a really nice place a bit outside the buzz of the center of Playa del Carmen. We went there for breakfast and I have no complaints. The coffee was great!

You have to know one thing about all the coffee places in Playa del Carmen (and Mexico) – cappuccino and café latte are the same thing in most places we visited!

If you order a cappuccino, you will get a café latte. If you want the taste of cappuccino, then order flat white! If they have it.

Location: Gran Café de la Avenida

5. Choux Choux Cafe

This artisan café is a great spot to visit for breakfast, brunch, or even lunch. They serve a wide variety of food – waffles, eggs, smoothies, and so on – and, of course, good coffee.

You will also enjoy the bohemian atmosphere that they have there. That perfect place you imagine going to when you are on a vacation!

Location: Choux Choux Cafe

Where to eat brunch and breakfast in Playa del Carmen?

Apart from the already mentioned coffee places in Playa del Carmen, there are a ton of good places to eat breakfast in Playa del Carmen.

Usually, they say to avoid those places that are located on Quinta Avenida as they may be too pricey and touristy.

However, if you walk away from the center you will find that there are some really nice and cozy places for breakfast on Quinta Avenida as well.

6. COA Restaurante

This is an all-in-all great place for breakfast in Playa del Carmen. They have sweet choices like waffles, pancakes, and sweet toasts, as well as salty options like eggs, sandwiches, and some Mexican breakfast options as well like chilaquiles. I really recommend it!

Location: COA Restaurante

7. Bistro Playa

Bistro Playa is definitely a smaller place but for sure a great place for breakfast and brunch in Playa del Carmen. They offer croissants, chilaquiles, burritos, waffles, bagels, and açaí bowls. If you are nearby – definitely come here for breakfast!

Location: Bistro Playa

8. Que Huevos

Que Huevos is a breakfast and lunch café with a wide variety of options to choose from. They not only have great coffee but also delicious food – Mexican and international food choices as well. Of course, their main specialty is eggs as their name suggests!

Location: Que Huevos

Don’t forget the already mentioned coffee places as they are great for breakfast as well – especially Quadra Café – Specialty Coffee, Gran Café de la Avenida as well as Choux Choux Cafe.

I would really suggest checking out Chez Céline which is a French pastry place with a wide good quality breakfast menu, and Morning Star Cafe which is a delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot outside the center of the town, besides, they have some mouth-watering pastry there!

In case you are looking for vegan restaurants, there are plenty of those in Playa del Carmen – try checking out ARCANA restaurante, Bajo Cafe, Peace & Bowl, Ressio Cafe, or Sunrise Coffee.

You can also simply look for ‘vegan restaurant’ on Google Maps and sort them by the highest rating. There are actually quite a few really good vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Playa del Carmen.

Where to get the best tacos in Playa del Carmen?

9. El Fogón

After researching the best taco options in town, this was the first taco place we went to. And I guess you never forget your first time, right? For me, these were the best tacos we ate in Playa del Carmen.

This is one of those places where you can choose different tacos (because in other places you can only take 3 of the same kind), so we got three different and all were amazing! This place is definitely one of those authentic places to eat and it was packed when we arrived.

Location: El Fogón

10. AY TACO!

This place partly looks like a street food place because the kitchen is inside a trailer however they do have seating options and tables.

You can choose different tacos which is a plus because you get to taste more than one flavor. I really enjoyed these tacos and really recommend visiting them!

Location: AY TACO!

11. Birria de la 30

This taco place in Playa del Carmen is definitely different from others. First of all, it is a truly authentic place – quite small, but there are multiple tables to sit at.

The second thing about them is they make tacos dorados or golden tacos. They are basically fried on a pan and are more crunchy and golden than regular dry ones. These were my husband’s favorite so you should definitely check them out.

Location: Birria de la 30

In case you are a taco fan and are only interested in eating this Mexican dish then other good taco restaurants in Playa del Carmen include Tropical Tacos, Señor Taco, Guajira Comida Mexicana for some more original taco options and Taqueria Los Mensos. Obviously, these are taco restaurants however you can quite often get tacos at regular restaurants as well!

Which are the best restaurants in Playa del Carmen?

12. Lido Beach Club

Having breakfast and visiting Lido Beach Club was one of my favorite memories from Playa del Carmen. Imagine sitting right by the water and having your feet on the white sand while enjoying fresh orange juice and rich avocado toast!

This was so peaceful and nice! Lido Beach Club is definitely one of the best places to eat in Playa del Carmen! They serve all day long so this is an amazing spot to go for any meal – breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or simply drinks at a bar.

Location: Lido Beach Club

13. La Cueva del Chango

This restaurant is not only a place to experience delicious food, but also feel the atmosphere as it is created in a jungle-like style. They even have a small pond with turtles and fish!

The food here is another great experience – this is a Mexican restaurant so you have many Mexican food choices, but not only.

They have a long list of breakfasts on their menu, as well as brunch, lunch, and dinner. Come here any time of the day and you will be rewarded with great food!

Location: La Cueva del Chango

14. Alux Restaurant Bar and Lounge

This is probably the most unique restaurant in Playa del Carmen. It is built inside an underground cave system and is definitely amongst the priciest places here.

You definitely pay for the experience of dining in a cave. For sure, it is a nice place to go if you have something to celebrate!

You can only eat dinner here (a reservation is needed). The food was quite good, but not amazing (for the price you pay) and we enjoyed this unique experience. They let you walk around the cave system after dinner – it is quite impressive!

Location: Alux Restaurant Bar and Lounge

For other restaurants in Playa del Carmen, I also recommend checking out Zitla Playa, Amate 38 restaurant, and La Ceiba de la 30 for some colorful and delicious food experiences.

The best burgers in Playa del Carmen we had at Mu. Burgerhouse, but really good pasta for lunch we had at Lara&Luca Playa del Carmen which is a European restaurant.

Honestly, you only have to know what you want to eat and choose as there are plenty of great restaurants in Playa del Carmen.

Where to get street food in Playa del Carmen?

15. Street food stands

You can’t leave Playa del Carmen without trying some authentic, real street food from a food stand. You need to know there are no street food stands on Quinta Avenida so you will have to stroll away from the touristy areas to find them!

Also – they only appear some time in the late afternoon, and most of them are on the streets only in the evening. We found the most food stands around Plaza Principal, Leona Vicario Park, and along Avenida Benito Juárez. Don’t forget to try marquesitas!