How are the restaurants in Yucatan: Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Merida, etc?

The restaurants are very good in the Yucatan Peninsula, including Merida and Cancun. You can have local food, take in food, Northern Mexican food, food from Mexico City, Asian food, etc.; everything’s here. The only thing I haven’t seen is Indian food from India, that’s certainly would be a big hit and it’s one of my favorites. Everything else is here. 
 
Even some of the most expensive restaurants here in Yucatan would be still 30% to 40% less than...

The restaurants are very good in the Yucatan Peninsula, including Merida and Cancun. You can have local food, take in food, Northern Mexican food, food from Mexico City, Asian food, etc.; everything’s here. The only thing I haven’t seen is Indian food from India, that’s certainly would be a big hit and it’s one of my favorites. Everything else is here. 
 
Even some of the most expensive restaurants here in Yucatan would be still 30% to 40% less than in the US. There’s a great steakhouse by my house where I really enjoy going.  I can get a prime rib with potato and vegetables for US $9. Even in your typical restaurants that I guess would compare to US or Canada, you can be looking 20 to 50% off, depending if it’s not an American or Canadian franchise.
 
There are some restaurants that are very expensive.  Whether they’re good or not that’s up to the person’s opinion. Many of the locals will eat at local restaurants, called cochinas economicas, which are basically a restaurant run at somebody’s home. They usually have a selection of 3 meals for each day; chicken, pork, or whatever they decide to cook that day.  You’ll never know  until you show up. The price can be anything from 19 pesos (US $1.19) to 35 pesos (US $2.19) for a very good meal.
 
The type of food depends on the owner of the cochina economica. If he’s a Yucatacen, he will most likely be giving you Yucatecan known dishes.  If he’s from Northern Mexico, you’re probably going to have northern dishes, such as pambazos (French roll, dipped in chorizo sauce with cheese), tacos, and burritos.  If the owner is from Veracruz, you might have some seafood.  (They’re very well-known for eating a lot of seafood in Veracruz.) There are many different regions of Mexico with their own gastronomy and particular taste.  

 

(1836 lithograph of tortilla makers in Mexico, pictured.) 

The restaurants in the state of Yucatan in the Yucatan Peninsula are good. They have certainly improved over the years. When I moved here, there was just Yucatan cuisine and tacos. That was about it. There were a few restaurants from Mexico City that served cuisine from other parts of Mexico.
 
Seafood is abundant here because Progreso is one of the largest fishing ports in the Gulf of Mexico, and it’s located right here in the beach area of Merida, the largest city in the...

The restaurants in the state of Yucatan in the Yucatan Peninsula are good. They have certainly improved over the years. When I moved here, there was just Yucatan cuisine and tacos. That was about it. There were a few restaurants from Mexico City that served cuisine from other parts of Mexico.
 
Seafood is abundant here because Progreso is one of the largest fishing ports in the Gulf of Mexico, and it’s located right here in the beach area of Merida, the largest city in the state of Yucatan.
 
Then, a few restaurants from Mexico City opened in the Yucatan, but now people from other countries have also opened restaurants here. There are now Italian, French, and American restaurants. We have all kinds of American chains here. There were some Irish guys who opened some Irish pubs with Irish food. We now have an enormous selection of restaurants and food compared to how it was 20 years ago. The restaurant business is a segment of the business that just keeps growing. New restaurants open frequently but some of the other ones closed unfortunately.
 
Price wise, the cost to eat at restaurants in Yucatan may differ from one restaurant to another but it is definitely cheaper than going into a restaurant in the States.  For example, I went out with a friend recently and I ordered seafood. I am vegan. I also eat seafood but I do not eat meat. I ordered octopus that was grilled and served with vegetables and fresh bread. My friend ordered a nice T-bone steak that was served with some fresh vegetables and potatoes that were cooked perfectly. We had a bottle of wine and she ordered dessert afterwards. The entire bill came to 1,000 pesos (US $55) including tip. It was a nice, white-table cloth restaurant.
 
In the state of Quintana Roo, there are the major tourist locations of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and Tulum, so in these areas, there are many restaurants to choose from that expats would be familiar with, with prices close to matching what they would be in North America.

 

(Hennessey's Irish Pub, Merida, Mexico, pictured.)

Don't plan on going on a diet here!

 

If you stay at one of the all inclusive resorts, eats and drinks all day and night.  Buffets, morning, noon and night.

 

Local restaurants in Cancun have a wide and varied menu of whatever you want!  Seafood, Italian, Peruvian, Tai, Mexican, and so much more!

 

Even the lowly tacos from the street vendors provide a tasty snack!

 

All in all...

Don't plan on going on a diet here!

 

If you stay at one of the all inclusive resorts, eats and drinks all day and night.  Buffets, morning, noon and night.

 

Local restaurants in Cancun have a wide and varied menu of whatever you want!  Seafood, Italian, Peruvian, Tai, Mexican, and so much more!

 

Even the lowly tacos from the street vendors provide a tasty snack!

 

All in all you will NOT go hungry. That's Cancun and Riviera Maya areas.

 

Merida is the same.

 

The sleeper is the Mayan Valladolid, with true Mayan cuisine. Lomitas. Panuchos, Relleno Negro, Salbutes, Longaniza, Smoked Pork, and fresh fruits and vegetables abound.

 

That's why I've gained 10 pounds in 15 years!