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Cozumel Dining, Restaurant Reviews and Recommendations

In general, restaurants on Cozumel are quite good, and very reasonably priced.  
The lowest prices can be found in some of the local restaurants that are not on the main street with all the tourist traffic.

Because the restaurants are quite good, and there's a huge variety, I think people that stay in  all inclusive resorts where meals are included.
are missing too much of the "flavor" of Cozumel

Cozumel Favorite Restaurants (February 2008)
I live on Cozumel and have eaten in all of these restaurants, some quite often, so these are personal recommendations.


La Cocay

One of my favorites!  La Cocay is now on Calle 8, between Ave. 10 and Ave. 15. Wonderful food and a great atmosphere.  They are now open for lunch (beginning at 1pm) as well as dinner. I thought that the lunch menu was very reasonable.  Prices for dinner are a bit higher, but if you want a really great dinner and one that is beautifully presented, I recommend them.  Dine in air conditioning or outside. Call for a reservation  872-5533.


Chi

Another that's at the top of my list is Chi Chinese Restaurant and Bar. It's upstairs at the corner of Melgar (the oceanfront street) and Calle 3. The entrance and stairs are on Calle 3, just before you get to Pizza Hut. Dine inside in air conditioning or you can choose to dine outside. You'll have a wonderful ocean view and superb food. It's a great success!  They open  for their Sunday buffet at 12 noon.  $12 US per person and worth it.  


Kinta

Asked a friend we had dinner with to tell me what they thought.
"WOW! Fantastic food. Very small place with limited number of tables but very nice setting and the food was exquisite. Very nice use of colors and textures. I had pescado Kinta - a nice portion of Wahoo with corn salsa on a bed of cilantro rice. It was wonderful as was the crab appetizer. Then the desserts - tres leches bread pudding with banana and chocolate and a scoop of ice cream on top. WOW!"
On  Ave 5 between calle 2 and 4 and there is a parking lot directly across the street.  Open Tues.-Sun. 6pm to 11pm. 

 
Especias

A very nice small restaurant, and the owner Adrian is charming, fun and entertaining. An interesting menu with a good  assortment. I've enjoyed every meal I've had there. This is one restaurant that friends and family always want to go to when they visit Cozumel.  The food is quite good and I think the prices are  reasonable. Their new location is upstairs, on Calle 3 between Ave. 5 and Ave. 10.   


Wynston

On the on the top floor of the north building at El Cantil condos and air conditioned of course.  It’s on Ave Melgar (the main waterfront street) between Calle 13 and Calle 15 (Calle 15 has signs that now say Ave. Xel Ha).  The view is marvelous, the food is quite good and this is a good choice for a very nice evening meal. 

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La Morena

My favorites are coconut breaded shrimp and coconut breaded fish.  The menu has a good variety and I've always felt very welcome.  I often sit out back in the small outdoor area. I top off dinner with Mexican coffee.   There is coffee, tequila, and I believe Kahlúa plus a dash of cinnamon and then a scoop of coconut ice cream.  Prepared at your table. Dessert and coffee at the same time!

El Moro-local
El Moro

Authentic Mexican food  but prices are not as low as they used to be. I like the grilled pork, the grilled grouper in garlic and lime is very good and just tried the burritos the other day...great!  The Mexican platter for 2 is quite good. Off the beaten path, so take a taxi if you don't know the island. Otherwise, turn left just before the new Pemex gas station on Juarez, take the 2nd street to the right, then turn right at the next street. Closed Thursdays. 


Coffeelia

A little restaurant and very casual, but the food is delicious and the prices are most reasonable. I do love the iced cappuccino and special coffee drinks they make, but I've also had the quiche and several other dishes, plus some wonderful desserts. Open Mon-Sat. from 7:30am to 11pm. They are less than a block off Melgar, on Calle 5, near the corner of Ave. 5. 

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Rock N Java Cafe

Quite good and very reasonable prices. My favorites are the croissant sandwiches and they make wonderful desserts you just won't believe. (German chocolate cake, pecan pie, fudge brownies, banana muffins, cherry cheesecake, etc.) Great iced cappuccino too. On Melgar, the main waterfront street, south of the new Punta Langosta Plaza.  

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Sam's Wok

It may seem strange to list a Chinese restaurant as a favorite in Mexico, but this is one of my favorites.  It's south of the hotel zone on the main oceanfront road, across from Puerta Maya, the Carnival Cruise ship line. My favorite here is the General Tso chicken, and I'll order it "to go" and take it home.

Casa Denis
Casa Denis

 Downtown on the main square. The food is good and their prices very reasonable. Took a group of 8 and everyone was pleased with their selections. We included a wide range of tastes, from a 3 year old to those of us that love highly seasoned foods. We dined at the tables outside to enjoy the breeze. Located on the right side of the main plaza square, in the second block back. 

Guido's Restaurant
Guido's 

Great Italian food, and excellent pizza. (formerly called Pizza Rolandi) On the main waterfront street (Ave. Rafael Melgar) north of the main plaza.  Eat out on the patio. I recommend this for an evening meal. Their garlic bread is different from what you might expect, but very good, the Sangria is  wonderful and I do love their lasagna. They take only cash and American Express.

Las Palmeras restaurant
Las Palmeras

Right across the street from the ocean in the middle of town, this restaurant is almost directly across from the ferry to the mainland. Good food, and it's presented quite well.   Good margaritas, good guacamole and salsa.  The hamburgers here have a charcoal grilled taste...really like that.

Carlos N Charlies
Carlos 'N Charlies 

The famous Carlos 'N Charlies moved here in December, 2001!  It is no longer upstairs a few blocks north of the main square downtown, but now it is about 4 blocks south of the main square in the new cruise ship plaza called Punta Langosta.  It's always party time at Carlos 'N Charlies and it's always loud. Not really my choice for a restaurant, but it's  popular with the party crowd.


El Museo

On the main waterfront street (Ave. Rafael Melgar) north of the main plaza, on the second floor covered terrace of the museum. You'll enjoy a beautiful view of the water and the breeze is lovely. It's one of our favorite places to go for breakfast and the prices are wonderful. Although they do serve sandwiches, etc. for lunch they serve breakfast all day. Open from 7am to 2pm. 

French Quarter restaurant
French Quarter


If you're hungry for a taste of Louisiana cooking, then try French Quarter. You'll find crawfish, sausage, hushpuppies, ribs, barbeque chicken, onion rings, and burgers too. It's on Ave. 5, between 3rd and Salas. Dining is upstairs under the big palapa.  Really like the blackened fish here.



La Canela

I've been to La Canela for both breakfast and lunch and I've really enjoyed it, plus the prices are very resonable.  Scrambled eggs and bacon were just  30 pesos and the last time I had hotcakes and bacon...also 30 pesos.  There is no printed menu, but just ask the waiters and they can tell you what they have.  

Zermatt Bakery
Zermatt Bakery

Not a restaurant, but I had to include this...it's my favorite bakery, and you really should try Mexican pastries. If you're on the square downtown, walk to the back of the main square (where the clock is), then go to the left about 2 blocks. Zermatt is at the corner of 5 Ave. North and Calle 4 North.

American Fast 
Food
Restaurants

Just in case you get a craving (or your kids do) for a Big Mac, Whopper or Subway sandwich when you're visiting Cozumel, we do now have a McDonalds, 2 Burger Kings and a Subway Sandwich. Other American franchises now on Cozumel include a Baskin Robbins, Starbucks and Hard Rock Cafe. 

Local Local restaurants with low prices & grocery stores
Again, these are recommendations based on our experience


Rotiseria Triunfo
(Pollo a la Lena)
On the corner of 30th Ave. and Calle 4 Norte, this rotisserie chicken is wonderful. Cooked by a natural wood fire it has a wonderful flavor and is very tender and juicy. Only available "to go", and a whole chicken was 60 pesos (about $6U.S.) the last time I stopped. They will cut up the chicken and it comes with tortillas, spaghetti noodles and sliced cabbage. 


Sabores

On Ave. 5 downtown, between Calle 3 and Calle 5. Open for lunch only from 12 noon to 4pm Mon-Fri. The menu changes daily and is written on a white board. Eat inside, or walk through the kitchen and out to their garden in back.  Prices are very, very reasonable and include soup, your main course and daily drink (usually jamaica - pronounced ha MIKE ah). The food is just delicious. 

 

Photo coming soon

Otates

Great for tacos!  I really like the tacos al pastor and the chicken tacos. Prices are very reasonable.  They are on Ave. 15, between Salas and Calle 3.  Many times you can find parking on the street but there is a parking lot there too.  Open only in the evenings. 

La Palapa
Just across from Rotiseria Truinfo, (above) this is my favorite place for ribs. It is also on the corner of Ave. 30 and Calle 4.  You can take out or sit down and eat. I normally order a half kilo (about a pound) of ribs and it comes with black bean soup, rice, tortillas, soup and hot sauce.
Grilled chicken
Asadero el Pollo
Small, grilled chicken place on 30th Ave. south across the street from Ace Hardware,  between Calle Morelos and Calle 5 Sur. They close when they run out of chicken…it can be as early as 3pm or as late as 7pm. Prices are low, this grilled chicken is DELICIOUS, and it comes with bags of rice, salsa, onions, and lots of corn tortillas.
Nino's Pizza
Nino's Pizza
Great to have pizza delivered! I'm particularly fond of their pepperoni pizza. Their English is not fantastic, but I've always gotten what I ordered delivered in 15-30 minutes. They are on 10th Ave. between Ave. Salas and Calle 3, and their phone number is 872-4166. 

Chedraui (grocery)
The biggest grocery store on Cozumel! They have an ATM machine, there are groceries, a pharmacy, deli, bakery, cosmetics, liquor, clothing, appliances and even some furniture! It's on the main waterfront street,  directly across the street from El Cantil condos I shop here very regularly. See the online map
 

Pollo Crujente
This is a favorite. If you like really crispy fried chicken, I think you'll like this.  It's take out only, and you can order either a whole chicken (un  pollo) or a half chicken (medio pollo) and it comes with mashed potatoes, rice, cole slaw, jalepenos and tortillas. Very reasonable prices.  The chicken is skinless, it's  deep fried and very crunchy. They also have french fries.  

Rotiseria Triunfo
(Pollo a la Lena)
On the corner of 30th Ave. and Calle 4 Norte, this rotisserie chicken is wonderful. Cooked by a natural wood fire it has a wonderful flavor and is very tender and juicy. Only available "to go", and a whole chicken was 60 pesos (about $6U.S.) the last time I stopped. They will cut up the chicken and it comes with tortillas, spaghetti noodles and sliced cabbage. 

La Palapa
Just across from Rotiseria Truinfo, (above) this is my favorite place for ribs. It is also on the corner of Ave. 30 and Calle 4.  You can take out or sit down and eat. I normally order a half kilo (about a pound) of ribs and it comes with black bean soup, rice, tortillas, soup and hot sauce.
Grilled chicken
Asadero el Pollo
Small, grilled chicken place on 30th Ave. south across the street from Ace Hardware,  between Calle Morelos and Calle 5 Sur. They close when they run out of chicken…it can be as early as 3pm or as late as 7pm. Prices are low, this grilled chicken is DELICIOUS, and it comes with bags of rice, salsa, onions, and lots of corn tortillas.
Nino's Pizza
Nino's Pizza
Great to have pizza delivered! I'm particularly fond of their pepperoni pizza. Their English is not fantastic, but I've always gotten what I ordered delivered in 15-30 minutes. They are on 10th Ave. between Ave. Salas and Calle 3, and their phone number is 872-4166. 
Chedraui grocery
Chedraui (grocery)
The newest grocery store on Cozumel, and it's huge! They also have an ATM machine just to the left of the front door There are groceries, a pharmacy, deli, bakery, cosmetics, liquor, clothing, appliances and even some furniture! It's on the main waterfront street,  directly across the street from Plaza Las Glorias Hotel. I shop here very regularly. See the online map
 

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