Best doesn't necessarily mean most luxurious. Although some of the restaurants listed here are fancy affairs, others are simple places to get fine, authentic Yucatecan cuisine.
Gustino (Cancún; tel. 998/848-9600): The JW Marriott's signature restaurant is a gourmand's paradise, with fresh seafood, steaks, and homemade pastas prepared in the open kitchen using classic Italian ingredients. The beautiful dining room makes this one of the city's most romantic places to dine.
Labná (Ciudad Cancún; tel. 998/892-3056): Steep yourself in traditional Yucatecan culture at this downtown eatery, which showcases Maya cuisine and music. The Labná Special samples four of the region's best dishes, including baked suckling pig with guacamole.
La Habichuela (Ciudad Cancún; tel. 998/884-3158): In Cancún's original downtown, this gourmet seafood restaurant is a romantic retreat off the beaten path. An expert waitstaff attends to the diners seated in the restaurant's lovely garden patio.
Thai (Cancún; tel. 998/144-0364): This enchanting Thai restaurant offers a handful of secluded tables in individual palapas over the lagoon. The waterfront setting provides a romantic backdrop to the classic and contemporary Thai cuisine. Plus, the restaurant's chill- out lounge makes for a perfect before or after dinner drink.
100% Natural for Licuados: This casual eatery serves terrific breakfasts and healthy snacks throughout the day. Come for one of the licuados, drinks made from fresh fruit mixed with water or milk. The chain offers a wide selection, including innovative mixtures such as the Cozumel (spinach, pineapple, and orange) and the Caligula (orange, pineapple, beet, celery, parsley, carrot, and lime juices) -- a healthy indulgence. Cancún has several branches.
Casa Rolandi (Isla Mujeres; tel. 998/877-0700): This exquisite restaurant attached to the Casa Rolandi boutique hotel serves the island's finest cuisine. The open-air establishment sits adjacent to the Caribbean and offers wonderful fresh fish, seafood, and pastas.
Cabaña del Pescador (Cozumel; no phone): If you want an ideally seasoned, succulent lobster dinner, Cabaña del Pescador (Lobster House) is the place. If you want anything else, you're out of luck -- lobster dinner, expertly prepared, is all it serves. When you've achieved perfection, why bother with anything else?
Prima (Cozumel; tel. 987/872-4242): The Italian food here is fresh, fresh, fresh -- from the hydroponically grown vegetables to the pasta and garlic bread. And it's all prepared after you walk in, most of it by owner Albert Domínguez, who concocts unforgettable shrimp fettuccine with pesto, crab ravioli with cream sauce, and crisp house salad in a chilled bowl.
Media Luna (Playa del Carmen; tel. 984/873-0526): The inviting atmosphere of this sidewalk cafe on Quinta Avenida is enough to lure you in. The expertly executed and innovative menu, together with great prices, makes it one of the top choices on the Caribbean coast.
Yaxché (Playa del Carmen; tel. 984/873-2502): No restaurant in the Yucatán explores the region's culinary traditions and use of local ingredients more than this one. Its menu presents several pleasant surprises and is a welcome relief from the standard offerings of most Yucatecan restaurants.
La Pigua (Campeche; tel. 981/811-3365): Campeche's regional specialty is seafood, and nowhere else will you find seafood like this. Mexican caviar, coconut-battered shrimp, and chiles stuffed with shark are just a few of the unique specialties. Thinking about La Pigua's pompano in a fine green herb sauce makes me want to start checking flight schedules.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
