Where to eat in downtown Cancún

Downtown Cancún eats like the rest of the Yucatán Peninsula. These are the dishes worth trying and where to find them without leaving the city.

What to try

Cochinita pibil

Pork marinated in achiote and sour orange, slow-cooked. Eaten in tacos or sandwiches (tortas) with pickled red onion.

Panuchos

A tortilla stuffed with black beans, fried and topped with shredded chicken or turkey, lettuce, tomato, avocado and red onion.

Salbutes

Similar to panuchos, but with a puffed tortilla and no bean filling.

Sopa de lima

Chicken broth with lima, the Yucatecan citrus, and strips of fried tortilla.

Tacos al pastor

Marinated pork roasted on a vertical spit, served with pineapple, onion and coriander.

Marquesitas

The peninsula’s street dessert: a crisp rolled wafer filled with Edam-style cheese (queso de bola) and, if you like, cajeta or chocolate. An afternoon and evening treat.

Where to find it

• Parque Las Palapas (1.2 km from the hotel): snack and marquesita stalls in the evening.
• Mercado 28 (2 km): small eateries serving Mexican and Yucatecan food inside the market.
• Mercado 23: home cooking in a more local setting.
• Downtown fondas: set menus with regional cooking.

Hotel Plaza Kokai also has its own restaurant.

Tips

• Carry cash for markets and small stalls.
• Drink bottled or purified water.
• If you are not used to chilli, ask for the salsa on the side: habanero salsa is seriously hot.