Review Of The 13 Best Restaurants In Puerto Morelos, Mexico

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I was on the hunt to find the best restaurants in Puerto Morelos throughout my month living there. The town is growing exponentially, and so are the restaurants and cafes within. There are already some fantastic ones to try out.

But what qualifies as a best restaurant? Certainly, you could always spend a small fortune to get a handcrafted culinary masterpiece. But I believe that a reasonable price goes into making something great. In my humble opinion, some of the cheaper, family-run cafes are better than top-dollar restaurants.

Most of these restaurants and cafes are in the Colonial side of Puerto Morelos – by the highway where most of the residential homes are. I found the beach-side restaurants to be mostly overpriced, and the top-rated taco restaurant (Tacos.com) served the wrong order (after repeating the correct order) and their food was bland. I did hear there were some good cafes around the new Parque de Fundadores, but we just preferred to stay in the Colonial side for our meals.

I’ll give the prices in pesos. At this time, it’s about 20 pesos to 1 USD.

Breakfast Cafes

My one complaint about the cafes in Puerto Morelos is how few were air-conditioned. They also don’t tend to be open that late…I was spoiled as an expat in Chiang Mai. But the few cafes I did find in the

Bodega Verde

One of the first meals we had in Puerto Morelos was at Bodega Verde Deli and Juice Bar, located halfway along Avenue Timón. There are quite a few items on the menu, starting with a long list of fresh juices and smoothies.

I went with the ham and cheese omelet, while Vanesa ordered a simple plate of bacon and eggs. The omelet was well-cooked, but that’s how I like it. I would have preferred more toast on the side, but the quality was good. I was particularly impressed by my Cancun smoothie – orange, banana, papaya and mango.

I spent the afternoon working at Bodega Verde as the internet was good. Although it was outside, there was a nice breeze. While I worked, I ordered a side of guacamole. The avocados were fresh and the price was a lot cheaper than other restaurants.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Mon-Sat 9-5
Suggested dishes: molletes naturales
Price range: average breakfast – 60 pesos; smoothies – 40 pesos

El Enicio

Another nice cafe we found near our Airbnb was El Enicio. Their main location is in Mexico City, and they opened up a second cafe in a converted house in the heart of the Villas la Playa neighborhood.

The first thing we immediately noticed was how friendly the staff was. They seem to be a family that lives in the back of the cafe, and they’re very playful while they work.

The food here was fantastic. While they’re a bit more pricy, the portions are amazing! We went back a couple times, and my brother ate there almost exclusively for breakfast for a week.

The first time we went, Vanesa ordered the fruit platter and I went with the chicken quesadillas. On the second visit, Vanesa tried the club sandwich, and I had the traditional molletes. My brother got the smoothie bowl and the huevos al gusto. Every dish was fantastic, and in some cases was more food than we could eat.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Mon 9-5, Tues-Sat 9-10
Suggested dishes: smoothie bowl, vegetarian hamburger, club sandwich
Price range: average breakfast – 70 pesos; smoothies – 50 pesos

Eneida Cafe

Finally, there was Eneida Cafe. We didn’t find this cafe until just before we left Puerto Morelos, which is a shame as it was our favorite.

Eneida has a beautiful garden setting for its tables. They also have a couple tables inside in case you’d prefer not to sit in the garden. This was the only cafe I didn’t spend the afternoon working at, but I did try the WiFi and it was faster than the other two cafes.

The prices were the most expensive of the three cafes, but not by much. I had the enfrijoladas with scrambled eggs. These are tortillas filled with eggs and topped with black bean sauce, bell peppers, chorizo and sour cream. Absolutely delicious!

Vanesa tried the chilaquiles, which were prepared far better than we’d had at other places.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Mon-Sat 8:30-4
Suggested dishes: enfrijoladas with scrambled eggs
Price range: average breakfast – 80 pesos

Taco Stands

When you’re in Mexico, you absolutely have to eat tacos. Usually, the best place to get them is at street food stands, but we found a couple of outstanding small restaurants that served them in Puerto Morelos. Unlike other big cities in Mexico, there aren’t a lot of street food trucks in Puerto Morelos…yet.

Mariachi Tacos

This tiny taco restaurant had incredible reviews and a top rating, so of course we had to check it out. It was also less than a minute from our condo! Considering how many cars would wait each night for a takeaway order, it was easy to see that the locals loved the place.

We very quickly fell in love with Mariachi Tacos ourselves. The quality was simply the best, from the cuts of meat they used to the ingredients the tacos were topped with. Aside from tacos, you can also get tortas (sandwiches), and gringas (giant tacos with flour tortillas, kinda like a quesadilla).

To get five of the best tacos in town with a drink for under 100 pesos ($5) is a fantastic deal. We went back several times, but unfortunately, they were often closed. Google Maps doesn’t say when they’re open, and I missed getting an answer from them directly.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Unknown
Suggested dishes: tacos campechanos
Price range: tacos – 20 pesos; tortas – 70 pesos, gringas – 80 pesos; drinks – 20 pesos

Tacos Al Chile

Yet another cafe just a few steps from the Alborada Condos is Tacos Al Chile. This taco and quesadilla stand usually only has one or two types of meat each night, but that’s because the chef wants to ensure he has the highest quality meat possible and keeps it fresh throughout the night.

I’ve long since learned from traveling around the world that the restaurants with fewer items are usually far better quality. Tacos Al Chile is no different with just a couple choices each night. The tacos there are fantastic, and we went back several times for dinner.

One evening, the chef prepared a special dinner of carnitas for us. Carnitas is a dish made with slow-cooked pulled pork. I’m not usually the biggest fan of pork, but this one was really nice. If you have a special request, there’s a chance the chef might prepare it for you.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Mon-Sun 2-11
Suggested dishes: whatever he’s prepared that night
Price range: tacos – 15 pesos; giant quesadillas – 60 pesos

Roxifer

Finally, there’s Roxifer. Also on Avenue Timón, this small street food stall serves just about any common Mexican dish you ask for…as long as they have the ingredients that day.

They didn’t actually have a menu, and they spoke very little English, so I was just winging it ordering everything they could prepare – tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, doritas, etc. Every meal was delicious, and they were one of the cheapest places in town.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Mon-Sat 1-10:30
Suggested dishes: chicken enchiladas
Price range: average lunch – 40 pesos; 1-liter fresh drink – 25 pesos

Seafood Restaurants

You can’t go to Puerto Morelos without eating at the seafood restaurants. PM was the original fishing village of Quintana Roo, and as such, it’s only fitting that you get some seafood there…unless you really don’t like seafood or are vegan.

There are a couple seafood restaurants on the Colonial side, but we didn’t actually end up going to any. Instead, we found a couple fantastic places on the beachside we ended up going to over and over.

Blue Morelos

This restaurant has been a mainstay of Puerto Morelos for years, and could very well have been one of the original seafood restaurants of the town. This is where we went for special occasions (like our last meal in Puerto Morelos).

If you’re looking for ceviche (my girlfriend’s favorite dish), this is the place to get it. They have many other tostadas and dishes to try, some of which are quite creative. I was particularly fond of the chiltepin aguachile tostada – shrimp, red onion, cucumber, cilantro, avocado and chile serrano. Very spicy and very delicious.

The prices here are significantly higher than the other restaurants on this list, but the portions are larger, so it almost balances out. At least they’re not as expensive as the restaurants actually on the beach.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Tues-Sun 12-9
Suggested dishes: ceviche, any tostada
Price range: 1 tostada or 2 tacos – 69 pesos

Amor y Pes

This is one of the newest seafood restaurants in Puerto Morelos, opening just this February. Their menu is a lot smaller than Blue’s and they don’t have a cocktail selection, but their ceviche tostada is just perfect. I also really liked the fish and chips – one of the only places you can get that British dish in Puerto Morelos, although the style is nothing like what you get in the UK.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Fri-Wed 12-8
Suggested dishes: shrimp tostada
Price range: shrimp ceviche tostada – 39 pesos

Large Meal Restaurants

These next restaurants are where we went if we wanted a lot of food for not a lot of money.

El Roy del Pollo

We accidentally stumbled into this restaurant one night and were blown away by how much food we got. El Roy del Pollo is one of the many restaurants serving large portions – 1/2 or 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of rotisserie chicken or ribs.

We went for the feast package – a full rotisserie chicken, 1/4 kg (1/2 pound) of ribs, 2 german sausages, a roasted onion, and all the sides (beans, rice, salsa, pico de gallo, pickled onions, salad, and tortillas). Vanesa, my brother and I were only able to eat half the food. When we had the leftovers packed up, they gave us a fresh set of sides! And the entire feast only set us back 230 pesos ($11.50).

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Google Maps says Mon-Sun 8-8, but it was closed most times we walked past
Suggested dishes: dinner package
Price range: rotisserie chicken – 130 pesos

El Sazon Mexicano

Even though this wasn’t our favorite restaurant in Puerto Morelos, we ate here more than any other restaurant simply because they’re always open and had a nice range of foods, plus a meal of the day and a special on three tacos.

Located right in the center of the Colonial side of Puerto Morelos, just a couple minutes away from the Super Chedraui, El Sazon is a proper Mexican restaurant. They’re open all day, although they stop serving breakfast dishes at noon.

Their best deals are the breakfast special – huevos al gusto, water of the day (horchata, jamaica, etc), fresh fruit and coffee or tea for 60 pesos, the snack special – 3 tacos or 2 gringas (large flour tacos) with pastor (doner meat) for 30 pesos, or the meal of the day – soup, the daily main course, water of the day, and a dessert for 75 pesos.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Mon-Sun – 7 a.m. to midnight
Suggested dishes: any of the aforementioned specials
Price range: average meal with drink – 60-70 pesos

Hamburgers, Hotdogs and Pizza

Everywhere I go, I love eating local food. But sometimes I need a break and need a hamburger or pizza (or a break from pizzas when I’m in Italy). Also, countries usually put their own little twist on other cuisines and it’s fun to see how they compare. Here are some of my favorite restaurants in Puerto Morelos for non-Mexican food.

Rastafari Hamburgers & Hotdogs [Permanently Closed 😥]

Hamburger and Hotdog from Rastafari Burgers

I think I found this place the first day we were in Puerto Morelos, and I probably went back at least twice a week until we left. It’s a little hamburger and hot dog cart in front of the Oxxo on Avenue Timón. For just 60 pesos, you can get a homemade hamburger topped with ham, bacon, American cheese, Oaxaca cheese, onions and pineapple, plus a serving of fries or wedges on the side.

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Mon-Sat 6-11
Suggested dishes: fully-loaded hamburger
Price range: hamburger and fries – 60 pesos

Todo Asado

This was an interesting restaurant, in that it wasn’t really a restaurant. Puerto Morelos (and apparently most of Mexico) has dozens of “home kitchens” which prepare food for delivery only. As if that would ever happen in the US. Anyway, you just have to find the Whatsapp number or go through a service like Rappi and you can order your favorite homemade meal.

Todo Asado was one of these restaurants. A local recommended them as the best hamburgers in town – better than Rastafari. I still liked Rastafari’s “Mexican-style” hamburgers, but Todo Asado chargrills theirs to perfection. They aren’t a lot more either – about 80 pesos for a burger and fries, or a side of spaghetti if you prefer.

They have quite a few things on their menu besides burgers, such as arrachera (skirt steak), top sirloin and New York steaks, various pastas, and veggie burgers.

Location: online only
Hours: unknown, but generally evenings
Suggested dishes: double Hawaiian burger
Price range: hamburgers – 80 pesos; steaks – 150 to 350 pesos

Ten of Puerto Morelos

Finally, we come to our favorite pizza restaurant in Puerto Morelos. I very quickly learned that Mexicans love pizza, and there are dozens of places to get your favorite pepperoni pie. But there’s one pizza restaurant in Puerto Morelos that tops them all – Dies, aka Ten of Puerto Morelos.

With over two dozen options to choose from, there’s a pizza for everyone. I personally liked the extreme meat – ham, pepperoni, sausage, Italian sausage, bacon, chorizo, salami, onion, red peppers and black olives! Best of all, a family-size gourmet pizza is only 250 pesos ($12.50).

Location: Google Maps
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to midnight; Sat-Sun 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Suggested dishes: Kilauea (Hawaiian)
Price range: small regular – 115 pesos; large gourmet – 200 pesos

Review of the 13 Best Restaurants in Puerto Morelos, Mexico