Tulum had some of the most amazing food we’ve ever had! Everything was delicious, extremely fresh, and the best part of all, healthy! Since electricity is limited to solar power and generators, many hotels and restaurants adopted a simple and clean cooking approach to their menus. All around Tulum, you’ll find many options that fuse traditional Mayan and Yucatecan dishes with a contemporary international flair. And of course, plenty of Mezcal to go around!
WARNING: you may see the words “Guacamole” & “Spicy Margarita” an excessive amount in this post!😋
Burrito Amor
📍Av Tulum Pte Mz 3 Lote 5 Local 1, Tulum Centro, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico
🖥 http://www.burrito-amor.com/index.php/en/
Hours: 8am – 10pm|Daily|Closed on Tuesdays
Cost: $
Burrito Amor is in the town of Tulum away from the beach area (but only like a 5-10min cab ride), and we’re obsessed! You know its good when we went multiple times during our trip! lol We posted that we were here on our Instagram stories (@trippingwithmybff) and SO many of you told us how much you loved this place too! There is only outdoor seating here, and since we were right in town we got to see all the action happening. From party buses flashing by to street musicians workin’ their guitars!
This place is crazy affordable! We basically had a feast for under $30, which included appetizers, our own entrees, dessert and of course a few cocktails. Their spicy margaritas were 👌🏼. It’s also great because you can eat very clean and it’s perfect for anyone with allergies or on a Paleo and vegan diet! It doesn’t end there, Burrito Amor is also committed to being eco-friendly by using recyclable biodegradable containers and they also have 100% biodegradable straws made with agave fiber!♻️👏🏼
Our Recommendations:
– Vegan Burrito with coconut tortilla
– Vegetarian Burrito with coconut tortilla
– Guacamole with coconut tortilla chips
– Coconut macaroon
– Spicy Margarita
– Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner
We got a ton of food for a fraction of what we paid for a simple meal around the beach resorts! If you’re looking for somewhere cheap and delicious this is our #1 recommendation!
Raw Love
📍Carretera Tulum Boca Paila KM 7.5
🖥 http://www.rawlovekitchen.com/menu
Hours: 9am – 6pm | Daily
Cost: $
Instagram: @rawlovetulum
Raw Love is the perfect way to start your day! It’s tucked in between the jungle and the beach right by Ahau Tulum hotel, and they have the best superfood bowls and smoothies!🥥🍓🍌 And in case you don’t want to take our word on it, check out their 5-star reviews on Google! As soon as you walk up the stairs and through the jungle pathway past the beach, you’ll find an area with tables, chairs, colorful hammocks and swings all in the sand. The vibe here is very laid back and relaxed!😎
The menu at Raw Love is pretty extensive, they have so many different types of bowls to choose from! We decided on the Berry Love and Chocolate Dream. The portion sizes are pretty big and our bowls were absolutely delicious! We love that on the menu they list the nutritional benefits so you can feed your body exactly what you need!🙌🏼🌱
Not only do they have healthy bowls and smoothies, but they have meals too (yes all raw and vegan) like the Zucchini Alfredo and Nearly Raw Pad Thai, and raw desserts too! We were too full from our bowls to order more, but we’ll definitely have to go for lunch next time to try their zucchini noodles!
Our Recommendations:
– Berry Love
– Chocolate Dream
– Go for a pick me up during the afternoon (when it’s less crowded)
They also have a new location coming soon to New York, which we can’t wait to check out!
Macondo at Nômade Tulum
📍KM 10, Carr. Cancún – Tulum, 77880 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico (inside Nômade Tulum hotel)
🖥 http://www.macondotulum.com/
Hours: 8am – 10pm | Daily
Cost: $$ |Lunch
Instagram: @macondotulum (restaurant) @nomadetulum (hotel)
Located at the dreamy Nômade Hotel, as soon as you enter you’ll notice the gorgeous Bohemian stylish interior. From the colorful and exotic Moroccan-inspired rugs to the pretty pillow cushions and low tables on the floor, it gives this restaurant such a unique touch! On Macondo’s menu they have organic foods with superfood ingredients. We came for lunch (they have a different menu for dinner) and found ourselves having a hard time deciding what to order because everything sounded so healthy and delicious! Almost everything on their menu is gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan making it perfect for anyone with dietary restrictions.
We had a full breakfast the same morning, so we decided to share a few lighter dishes. For an appetizer we ordered the Macondo Guacamole. What makes it different from other guacs is their mango pico and black beans, served with coconut chips. Since we’ve ordered guac at almost every meal in Tulum (lunch and dinner) we ordered a side of raw vegetables so we didn’t eat too many chips!
We also ordered the Green Envy Bowl that was packed full of flavorful veggies, rice noodles, toasted almonds, with a peanut chili and miso ginger dressing. As well as their Fresh Vegetable Sushi, which had a lot of the same ingredients as the bowl.
Our Recommendations:
– Green Envy Bowl
– Fresh Vegetable Sushi
– Macondo Guacamole
– Go for lunch
Each dish we ordered was so colorful and vibrant, and presented gorgeously. Overall everything was so fresh and we loved our meal. We 100% recommend lunch at Macondo, 10/10 for the food and atmosphere!
Matcha Mama
📍QROO 15 470 Zona Hotelera • 77780 • Tulum, Zona Hotelera, 77780 • Tulum, Q.R., Mexico
🖥 https://www.facebook.com/matchamamatulum/
Hours: 8am – 8pm Daily
Cost: $
Instagram: @matchamamatulum
Another breakfast spot that needs to be on everyone’s list is Matcha Mama! 🍵🌱 We’ve seen this on almost every blogger’s Instagram that has visited Tulum, so naturally we had to see what all the hype was about!
We had a little trouble finding Matcha Mama at first, but everyone in Tulum is so friendly and was willing to help us! The easiest way to find Matcha Mama is to put Villa Alquimia hotel in your GPS.
Matcha Mama is very small roadside shack so it doesn’t have a lot of seating, there’s only 6 swing chairs available. The two main swings in the front are the most popular photo spot, so be prepared to wait if you want an Instagram pic with the surfboard shaped sign!
When you order you can get any flavor as either a smoothie or a bowl. We really liked the smoothies we ordered! They’re served with cute jumbo bamboo straws and topped with seasonal fruits and seeds!
Our Recommendations:
– Green Smoothie
– Acai Berry
– Go for a nutritious and light breakfast
This is definitely a great spot if you’re looking to get a healthy start to your day and take some cute pics too!
Gitano Tulum
📍Tulum Beach Road KM 7.5 Boca Paila, Tulum QRO, Mexico 77780
🖥 https://grupogitano.com/gitanotulum-about
Hours: 6pm – 3am | Daily
Cost: $$$
Instagram: @grupo.gitano
Just look for the disco ball amongst the palms and you know you’ve found the right place! We had dinner at Gitanos during the evening one of our first nights in Tulum. The mood is very trendy and romantic all lit by candlelight, even the restrooms are candle lit too! This restaurant and mezcal bar is super cute and if you’re an American, you don’t need a passport for a taste of Tulum at their other location in NYC!
Gitanos is known for their amazing food and mezcal cocktails. Their juices are hand made daily with local seasonal fruits an herbs. We tried the Jungle Fever and the Gitano Margarita, they were both so fresh and delicious!
The menu at Gitanos isn’t big but they have a lot of variety of small plates (perfect for sharing) and a few large plates. We decided to go tapas-style and order the grilled avocado as a starter. We should probably mention that we are avocado experts and had them with almost every meal while in Tulum, and we can easily say that we have never had warm avocado. It was so interesting and different! The ponzu sauce and shaved almonds were a nice touch! It also came with some aromatic salt, but our server said it wasn’t needed and we agreed that it tasted great without it! We also shared the grilled asparagus with quinoa and cauliflower mousse, and some shrimp tacos that came with bright red corn tortillas. Which we had to assemble ourselves! Although this wasn’t our favorite meal in Tulum, we really liked our dinner and enjoyed trying their unique dishes!
Our Recommendations:
– Grilled Avocado
– Ceviche
– Shrimp Tacos
– Grilled Asparagus Plate
They serve dinner from 6pm daily and have live music on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Gitanos also has great nightlife with dancing on Fridays and Saturdays!💃🏼 This trendy spot is a must when visiting Tulum! We’ll definitely be back at Gitanos for mezcal cocktails, good vibes, and their Friday night dance party!
Kin Toh
📍Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila KM 5 , A, Zona Hotelera, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico (inside of Azulik Tulum Resort)
🖥 https://www.azulik.com/gastronomy/kin-toh
Hours: 5:30pm – 11pm |Daily
Cost: $$$$
Instagram: @kintohtulum (restaurant) @azuliktulum (resort)
As soon as you take your first step into Azulik your eyes will light up as you’ve been transported into an epic treehouse straight out of a fairytale!🤩 Make your way up the winding staircase to Kin Toh, their avant-garde restaurant incorporating contemporary dishes with traditional Mayan-Mexican cuisine.
People line up at Kin Toh waiting for their doors to open to experience the unique layout of nets and nests throughout the restaurant. The entire hotel and restaurant
Since everything is lit by candlelight, we had one small candle on the table and we each had a bright
To get the real experience, we decided to do three courses; starter, main, and dessert. We ordered the Lionfish Reef ceviche to share, we loved how fresh it was! Our server also brought out a selection of complimentary appetizers! Which included fresh baked bread and rolls in different shapes and colors, as well as a bite-size portion of their tuna tartare. We couldn’t get over the presentation!
For entrees we had the Veal Cheek, that had been braised for 12 hours and came with a tamarind glaze, sautéed chaya & sweet potato purée. As well as the Catch of the Day, which was Sea Bass that was served with pumpkin puree and topped with Yucatan pumpkin shavings. DELISH!
Our Recommendations:
– Sea Bass or Catch of the Day
– Veal Cheek
– Lionfish Reef Ceviche
– Go for dinner
This dinner was a splurge, but well worth the experience because it was really like no other we’ve ever had!
Read more about our dinner at Kin Toh and Azulik Hotel in our blog post here.
The Real Coconut
📍Km 8.1, Quintana Roo, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico (inside of Sanara Tulum Beach Resort)
🖥 https://www.therealcoconut.com/
Hours: 7:30 – 10pm | Daily
Cost: $$$
Instagram: @therealcoconut (restaurant) @sanaratulum (hotel)
This restaurant is right on the beach and gave us total LA Vibes! The menu was created by Daniella Hunter, famously known for her “The Real Coconut” chips that are available at Whole Foods across the US! Her recipes reflect digestive well being and good nutrition, and are free from refined sugars, gluten, grains and dairy. So you know we had to check it out!
For an appetizer, you’ve guessed it, we shared guacamole with Daniella’s coconut chips! Their guacamole was kind of different, it came in chunks of avocado instead of your traditional mashed up guacamole. It still tasted good, just wasn’t what we were expecting. And for dinner we shared the Very Green Flatbread and added jumbo shrimp and a side of sweet potatoes. The baked flatbreads are made with coconut flour and chia seeds, topped with homemade coconut cheese! It was so, so good!😋
Our Recommendations:
– Very Green Flatbread (if you go for dinner)
– Go for brunch
We took a peek at their breakfast menu on Yelp, it looked incredible! We definitely plan on making a trip for brunch at the beach next time!
Philosophy at Casa Malca
📍Carretera Fed.Tulum, Av. Boca Paila km 9.5, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico (inside of Casa Malca hotel)
🖥 http://www.casamalca.com/en/restaurants/philosophy/
Hours: 8am – 10pm|Daily
Cost: $$
Instagram: @philosophytulum (restaurant) @casamalca (hotel)
Breakfast on the beach at Pablo Escobar’s Mansion? Yes, please! Pablo Escobar’s Mansion has been turned into an art-filled boutique hotel now renamed as Casa Malca. Even if you’re not staying at the hotel you can still dine at one of their 3 restaurants on site! At philosophy they pride themselves in having the freshest local ingredients all within a modern romantic space with incredible views of the Caribbean sea!
Read more about Pablo Escobar’s Mansion in our blog post here.
On their breakfast menu you’ll find traditional dishes like Chilaquiles and Arepas to dishes we’re familiar with like pancakes and eggs. There is a minimum spend of 1000 pesos or $50 USD (per person) if you’re not staying at the hotel, so make sure to plan ahead!
Our Recommendations:
– Go for breakfast
Breakfast at Philosophy is definitely on our list for our next trip to Tulum!
Rosa Negra Tulum
📍5, Zona Hotelera, 77503 Q.R., Mexico
🖥 https://rosanegra.com.mx/en
Hours: 1pm – 1am|Daily
Cost: $$$ | Dinner
Instagram: @rosanegratulum
This place wasn’t apart of our plans but just one that we stumbled upon to have a quick drink before dinner and we absolutely fell in love with this place! We told ourselves we’d only have a cocktail but ended up have two and split some guacamole. Aren’t we predictable? lol
Their guacamole might be the best we’ve ever had! It had a lot of toppings on it which made the flavors really fresh and delicious! It also came with corn tortillas and 3 different salsas to try!😋
We told our bartender that we were celebrating our birthday and before we knew it, two shots of mezcal were placed in front of us! That came with mini Ken dolls!😆 They even surprised us with a full birthday cake and sparklers!! We had no idea! And we weren’t even dining in, how sweet is that?!
Our Recommendations:
– Go for dinner
Their decor is incredible and service was top notch. On our way out we walked by a few tables having dinner and the presentation of the food was just amazing.👌🏼 They’ll definitely be seeing us next time we’re in Tulum for dinner!
Mi Amor
📍Carretera Tulum-Bocapaila Km. 4.1, Zona Costera, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico
🖥 https://www.tulumhotelmiamor.com/
Hours: 7:30 am – 10pm |Bar is open til 11pm
Cost: $$
Instagram: @miamortulum
Have lunch with a view at this luxurious boutique hotel! Mi Amor invites so much of the beauty outdoors with its practically completely open design. Right from the front lobby you’ll find yourself staring straight into the ocean. We sat outside to enjoy the sound of the waves crashing into the cliffs and it couldn’t have been any more relaxing. They even have a pool that wraps around the main level with cute swing chairs to relax in!
We ordered the Mixed Ceviche, which was one of the freshest and best tasting ceviches that we had on the entire trip! Along with the Grilled Fish Tacos which were also super vibrant, fresh, and delicious!
Our Recommendations:
– Mixed Ceviche
– Grilled Fish Tacos
– Arugula Salad
Dining at Mi Amor was so calm and relaxing because the hotel itself is very private and away from the crowded area. If you’re looking for a quiet and luxurious oceanfront setting than look no further than Mi Amor!
If you’re planning a vacation to visit Tulum you’ll be able to try some of the best meals ever! This list doesn’t even put a dent in all that Tulum has to offer! Which means we’ll be back to try more fresh healthy foods, and guac! Always more guac! 🥑😄
**Check out our Ultimate Girls’ Guide to Tulum in our blog post here!
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