Tulum is one of those places where the food scene keeps changing every time we return. When we first visited, we mainly remembered the plant-based cafés and relaxed beach atmosphere. A few years later, we came back to a much more interesting mix: Mexican cooking over fire, handmade noodles, natural wine, seriously good coffee and very personal small-scale concepts. These are the places that stood out most to us after two visits.
Best Restaurants in Tulum
Negro Huitlacoxe
Negro Huitlacoxe was one of our favourite discoveries on our most recent trip. The restaurant feels unmistakably Mexican, but in a more refined and contemporary way. Corn, fire and traditional techniques play a central role, with dishes prepared on the comal and grill. The atmosphere is just as strong as the food, making this one of the places we would return to first.
Burro
Burro is a small place in La Veleta with an incredibly passionate owner who prepares everything from scratch. Nothing feels rushed, and that means you may have to wait a little for your burrito. It is absolutely worth it. Fresh ingredients, proper preparation and a very personal approach made this one of our favourite casual meals in Tulum.
Wang
Wang is one of the best-value finds we came across in Tulum. Their speciality is hand-pulled noodles and homemade dumplings, served in a simple setting with plenty of flavour. The fresh, chewy noodles were exactly what we wanted after several days of Mexican food. A great reminder that some of Tulum’s best meals are also among the least complicated.
Local
Local was one of the biggest surprises of our last trip. Alongside natural wines, they serve small dishes and an exceptional Mexican cheese selection. The cheeses are made by an organic farmer who spent more than twenty years in France learning traditional cheesemaking. Add the lovely couple behind the concept and this became a very easy favourite.
Liefs
We first visited Liefs several years ago and were curious whether we would still love it when we returned. We did. The plant-based concept started with its recognizable VW vans and still serves comforting vegan food rather than overly “healthy” dishes. We came back for the burgers, toast and their cloudy coconut iced coffee, which was just as good as we remembered.
Burrito Amor
Burrito Amor has become one of Tulum’s better-known casual food spots, but it still deserves a place in this guide. Their burritos are fresh, filling and reasonably priced by Tulum standards, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. We also loved their guacamole. It is an easy, reliable choice when you want something quick without settling for something forgettable.
Breakfast, Coffee & Bakeries in Tulum
Botanica Garden Café
Botanica Garden Café is another place we returned to years after our first visit. The garden is still lovely, but this time the food stood out even more. We had fresh hummus with homemade pita and a goat cheese and vegetable omelette, together with good coffee. It is one of those breakfast places that still feels genuinely pleasant rather than overly styled.
Mera
Mera surprised us with one of our favourite breakfasts in Tulum. Their cacao and banana pancakes were rich without being too sweet, with the Mexican cacao giving them a much deeper flavour than a standard chocolate pancake. Add good coffee and a relaxed setting and this is an easy recommendation if you want something a little more interesting in the morning.
Mochiart café
Mochiart might be one of the smallest coffee stops in this guide. Coffee is prepared from a street-side cart, with a proper espresso machine and one very passionate coffee maker behind it. The setup is simple, but the coffee was some of the best we had in Tulum. A good example of why size and polish say very little about quality.
Italdo
Italdo has been part of our Tulum list since our first visit and still belongs here. Bread, focaccia and pastries are at the centre of the menu, alongside coffee and breakfast dishes. Their black croissant is still the thing we associate most with Italdo, but the fresh focaccia and other baked goods make it worth visiting even if you are not there for something sweet.
Sin Etiqueta
Sin Etiqueta is a small coffee spot we remembered mainly for two things: excellent iced coffee and their cacao bowls. The bowls combine cacao with flavours such as coffee, orange or cardamom and feel much more distinctive than the average smoothie bowl. The place itself is simple, which keeps the focus exactly where it should be: on the drinks and cacao.
El Abasto
El Abasto is a useful bakery stop if you want good bread and pastries to take away. We originally went for artisan bread and ended up coming back for their pastries too. The fresh puff pastry with custard was one of our favourites. A good address to remember for breakfast, a beach picnic or simply when you want something properly baked.
Wóolis Market
Wóolis is more food market than café, but we still like it enough to keep it in the guide. They sell things such as fresh hummus, juices, snacks and locally produced products, making it ideal for putting together your own breakfast or beach lunch. We picked up food here and combined it with bread from El Abasto, which worked perfectly.
Planning more of your Mexico trip? Explore our favourite places to eat in Mexico City, Puebla, Mérida, Valladolid and Oaxaca.
