The final installment of my Mexico trip posts!

This isn’t a definitive guide for everywhere to eat in Playa del Carmen, but just a few places.

 

Remember I was traveling independently, so there are no five star, all inclusive places represented here!!

So if you want to eat like a local, you’ll head to one of the many street stalls or one room restaurants for your food – at whatever time of day.

Breakfast can be eggs with beans, rice, potatoes and a side of tortillas (they love their double and triple carbs here!).

Or it could be stew with the above….

If you fancy something more fancy, and with proper coffee, not instant, then I’d recommend heading to Chez Céline on Fifth Avenue in the centre.

This is a little French boulangerie and patisserie, that serves breakfast, brunch, lunch – you name it – they have a liquor license so you can get mimosas too!! You can sit inside or outside on their tree shaded terrace and it’s super pretty, as well as being a Mexican take on Western food (only double carbs lol!)

See more on Trip Advisor here.

Fifth avenue has tonnes of places to eat and drink like a tourist.. Want to find something more like an ex-pat, then read on….

As I was hanging out with an ex-pat we drank a lot at Roof bar on fifth avenue between 4 and 6 streets.

My first tequila in Mexico! At Roof bar, pretty much as soon as I arrived!

New country, new beer (it’s a thing I did whilst travelling last year!)

When it’s 32 degrees & humid at 11pm you need plenty of cold beers!! But what about during the day?!

Most of the beach by Playa del Carmen looks like Ibiza – private sun loungers and minimum spend… this plus a tonne (literally) of seaweed means that you’re best heading away from the shadeless beach and finding solace in the rooftop pool at Be hotel

Keeping cool in the pool!

Keeping the beers cold!

Selfie time

View across the bar

A great spot for some chilled music whilst watching the sunset

Beautiful!

Where to eat well:

As Lluis is Spanish it’s no surprise that he recommended the Spanish Restaurant Patanegra

I knew straight away I’d like this place!

We started out with grilled prawns – simply fantastic – nom!

Then some octopus – served the Galician way on sliced cooked potatoes with paprika – something I tried for the first time in Salou, Spain and loved! It’s still good – perfectly cooked octopus melts in the mouth.

Then we had the iberico beef – cooked on a hot stone at the table. The flavour was amazing, super tasty fat (and I don’t usually eat the fat!)

After all that I was stuffed, but they still brought out a complementary Creme Catalan – oof!

And some after dinner drinks to help us digest…

This was one of the best meals I had!

Tacos in Valladolid

In Tulum I tried the ceviche and there are loads of sea food options when you’re on the coast.

Let me know what gems you find!