Wondering where to eat in El Cuyo?
The best restaurants in El Cuyo offer a diverse range of flavors and showcase a variety of culinary dishes, including local Yucatan dishes, Mexican, Fresh Seafood, and much more!
While there is not a huge selection of restaurants as it is a small town, they offer tasty food that will satisfy your appetite. El Cuyo has three pizza places, two cafes, and several restaurants and food trucks for visitors to choose from.
One of the most popular dishes in El Cuyo is Lechon (pulled pork) or Cochinita Pibli (marinade pulled pork tacos with local ingredients like garlic, lime, and red onion). These Yucatan dishes can be found in food trucks on the main street on the weekends but sell out super fast, so you will even see locals lining up early!
Don’t forget to check out the local food stalls for a delicious Yucatan breakfast on the weekends!
Restaurants in El Cuyo You Must Try
When visiting the beautiful beach town of El Cuyo in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, you’ll find several restaurants that you must try when visiting the area.
These restaurants will allow you to enjoy the taste of the local flavors and immerse yourself in traditional Yucatecan dishes.
El Cuyo has some amazing restaurants that stand out, including La Casa Palma Food Truck, Zapote Bar Asador, and El Chile Gordo, which are all open for Dinner Only.
If you are looking for lunch or breakfast, you will want to check out Casa Mangle, Nai Cafe & Restaurant, Anahata Cafe & Bistro, or Loncheria El Amigo Willy.
El Cuyo Restaurants Open for Breakfast and Lunch
Casa Mangle
Offering excellent, friendly customer service at this hidden gem restaurant that offers a relaxed beach environment with a shaded seating area and even a nearby hammock to relax. This child-friendly restaurant serves large portions and yummy homemade food.
Serving true Mexican breakfast dishes like gorditas (tortillas that have a pocket in the middle made for stuffing with delicious Mexican filling), omelets, molettes (Mexican sandwich), and enchiladas.
- Menu
- Open 10-6pm Daily
Naia Cafe & Restaurant
This quaint little beach terrace restaurant is open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., serving delicious yet healthy breakfast and lunch options and offering indoor and outdoor seating.
They cater to many specialty diets and have Vegetarian, Vegan, and gluten-free Options. Some breakfast options you may want to try include the poached eggs breakfast, banana pancakes, or the energy bowl.
They also offer healthy options, such as the fruit bowl so that you can enjoy fresh fruits. We also enjoyed stopping in for a coffee. They serve espresso, rich coffee with homemade coconut milk, or fresh smoothies to enjoy with your meal.
For lunch, be sure to try the chicken satay noodles, arepas, salmon zoodles, or shrimp coconut curry. I had the Chicken Satay noodles, and I would get them again. You can also enjoy snacks such as brownies, homemade chocolate cookies, or a cacao bar to take with you.
- Menu
- Open 8 am-3 pm Daily
Anahata Cafe & Bistro
This lovely, quaint restaurant has a great vibe, subtle music, fantastic service, and simple yet delicious breakfast choices and drinks. The restaurant has a relaxed, beachy vibe and even has a sweet dog named Hazel, who loves to visit customers.
The servers are always smiling and love to mingle with customers, and some days, they offer activities like dancing lessons, live music, and more!
Ask for the “Benedictinos de camarón, “a hidden dish that the locals recommend. You should also try the Croissant sandwiches and Eggs Benedict, which are truly outstanding.
They are famous for their pink latte and lots of photo spots, such as the cute beach swing, perfect for Instagram!
- Menu
- Open 7:30 am-1 pm Tuesdays to Sunday
El Cuyo Restaurants Open for Dinner
The following restaurants are only open for dinner hours, and they don’t stay open super late, so you will want to plan ahead what time you are going to eat dinner.
*While we have included most opening times, please check with the restaurant website for accuracy and changes.*
La Casa Palma Food Truck
This was our favorite restaurant in El Cuyo. We loved everything about La Casa Palma, from the food to the vibe to the prices.
La Casa Palma is the closest you will get to Italian food in El Cuyo. It serves homemade pasta, wood-oven pizza, and some Argentinian dishes like empanadas from a food truck located right on the beach.
We highly recommend the pizza. One night, we stopped in and ordered a pepperoni pizza to go. Our pizza was loaded with meat. It was cooked perfectly and was really quick. Traveling with a toddler often means getting meals to go…
Be sure to leave room to try the homemade ice cream or ask them to roast a marshmallow over the fires and enjoy some smores!
The atmosphere is inviting, with the twinkling lights and firepit to sit by and enjoy while you wait for your food to go or after your meal.
- Menu
- Open 6-10 pm (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays)
Zapote Bar Asador
They serve delicious food that is cooked in a wood oven using zapote wood and features Mexican, Latin, Barbeque, and Spanish specialty dishes.
This is more of an upscale restaurant with a small menu (no kid-friendly options). That makes food fresh and takes its time making unique cocktail specialty drinks, especially those with Tequilla or Mezca!
Zapote is a true culinary experience as they only use high-quality premium meats and create premium flavors using fresh local products.
If it’s available, you want to try out the slow-cooked ribs that are slowly cooked in the wood oven over 6 hours and are tender and delicious. The catch of the day in ceviche form and Waygu burger are highly recommended options.
- Menu
- Open Wednesday to Sunday 6-10 PM
Loncheria El Amigo Willy
You can’t miss this restaurant that is on your left-hand side as you enter town from the side with the lagoon. This is a very popular local hangout known for great customer service, tasty food, and fantastic value!
If you are looking for a budget-friendly restaurant in El Cuyo, then this is a great option!
Serving great Mexican dishes like sopes (antojitos), panuchos (refried tortilla with beans), Salbutes (tortillas with chicken or turkey and fresh ingredients like lettuce, avocados, onions, and quesadillas. Immerse yourself in the true Yucatan dining experience!
- Menu
- Open 5-11 pm Daily
El Chile Gordo
This is a unique dining experience as it is not a restaurant but a gastronomic tour of Mexico, featuring eight traditional dishes designed to highlight Mexico’s culinary diversity. The menu changes based on the availability of fresh items.
This unique experience requires reservations as they only take a few small groups each night. You get to sit at a chef’s table and overlook the kitchen.
They do one seating at 7 p.m., and it is only one table, so you will sit with strangers, which is part of the unique experience. The owners love showing the variety of Mexican cuisine, talking with guests, and explaining the dishes.
- Menu
- Address: Calle Laguna 220
Mimisiku
Mimisiku focuses on offering guests a wild and refined cuisine that focuses on providing the freshest ingredients by going from sea to table or earth to table.
Enjoy dining with your feet in the sand, nearby fireplace, and overhanging coconut trees in this beautiful garden atmosphere. Reservations are needed as this is a small, quaint restaurant.
The chefs carefully select ingredients, and the excellent quality meat is carefully picked from local farmers. Be sure to try items like fresh octopus, slow-cooked ribs with homemade BBQ sauce, or fresh fish.
Mimisiku has a sophisticated menu that is constantly changing but also offers lots of vegan and vegetarian options.
- Menu
- Open at 6:30 PM Daily
Restaurant La Conchita
This is a well known established seafood restaurant with charming service and yummy seafood dishes. You will want to try the fish stuffed with seafood, fried fish, or chilaquiles.
La Conchita can cook up seafood in almost any way you desire, and they also serve large portions of lobster that are perfect for sharing. The restaurant is described as rustic, and their specialty drink that you should try is the margarita on the rocks.
- Menu
- Open daily from 8 am-6 pm
Valerio’s
Located on the main street in El Cuyo, they are known for their amazing fish and seafood. The restaurant has a great rooftop patio with excellent drinks and a view of the old lighthouse.
If you are vegan or vegetarian, I highly recommend trying one of their ceviches. Some other must try items are shrimp or octopus in butter, chicken nachos, or seafood pasta.
- Open 12-8 pm Daily except Tuesdays
