Best Tulum Restaurants: Where to Eat in Tulum
Wondering which Tulum restaurants you should try during your trip there? Here are the Tulum restaurants our contributors keep going back to, from vegan cafés to beachfront tacos.
Trying out local Tulum restaurants is one of the best things to do in Tulum, Mexico. The place is filled with well-known establishments as well as smaller spots that are worth seeking out.
Tulum is known for great food set in aesthetically pleasing environments! We have compiled the best restaurants in Tulum our contributors loved, so all you have to do is sit down and order to your heart’s content!
Planning a longer trip to Tulum? We have everything you need to know to come up with the perfect Tulum itinerary: the best cenotes in Tulum to discover and the day trips from Tulum to consider.
1. Raw Love Café
Recommended by Andrea from BeaUTAHful World
If you’re anything like me, you might have had a few extra cocktails and calories while on your trip to Tulum. So if you want to focus on eating healthy while traveling, consider checking out Raw Love.
Raw Love is an adorable outdoor garden space located on the grounds of the Ahau Tulum hotel, at km 7.5 of the beach road. The café location may make it difficult to spot from the main road, but they have a very recognizable (and Instagrammable) sculpture at their entryway.
Once you make it to the café itself, the relaxing vibe is incredibly inviting, sporting hippy-chic décor with benches and hammock seats which feel less like a restaurant and more like a hang-out spot.
As you can likely guess by the name, the food served at Raw Love is plant-based and mostly vegan with no dairy, sugar, or gluten. While the food is slightly more expensive than the rest of Mexico, it is worth it for the quality that you will find at Raw Love.
Menu favorites are bowls, smoothies, coconut milk lattes, and refreshing juices. Because the menu items tend to be more breakfast, brunch, and lunch focused, Raw Love is open from 9 am to 6 pm (hours listed by Ahau, October 2026), so this is not a spot for dinner. Some listings reported the beach café closed in late 2025, so check before you make the trip.
2. Matcha Mama
Recommended by Allison from Viva La Travelista
Located in the middle of Tulum’s trendy Hotel Zone, Matcha Mama is an outdoor smoothie and juice bar serving tropical smoothies, acai bowls, and kombucha.
All menu items are freshly prepared, plant-based, and gluten-free and offer unique ingredients like bee pollen, amaranth, and maca. The colorful presentation of the smoothie and acai bowls is almost too pretty to eat!
My favorite menu item is the “Mango Tango,” which can be made into a sippable smoothie or a bowl. Other menu offerings include fresh matcha drinks, cold brews, “nice” cream, and power balls.
Matcha Mama is the perfect place for a refreshing treat after a day at a beach club or exploring the Tulum Ruins within walking distance of the beach.
The restaurant offers little seating, but its wooden swings and picture-worthy signage make it one of the most instagrammable places in Tulum. I would recommend getting there early or avoiding mealtimes to beat the crowds and get your turn taking pictures on the swings.
Prices are a little higher, but with the colorful presentation, you’re paying for a unique indulgence in a fun atmosphere. Whether you’re looking for a light treat or a healthy meal, Matcha Mama is a trendy stop worth making in Tulum.
3. Burrito Amor
Recommended by Kay from The Awkward Traveller
Burrito Amor is an unassuming restaurant sitting right off of the main highway that cuts through Tulum Centro.
At first approach, you may think Burrito Amor is just a tourist spot, with how busy the tables might look, but the restaurant thankfully lives up to its popularity.
There are menus in both Spanish and English, as well as indoor and outdoor seating options. In general, restaurants in town are more affordable than on the beachfront. Still, Burrito Amor goes a step above by having larger than average portion sizes and a delicious range of homemade salsas.
The go-to order would, of course, be any of their unique gourmet burritos, though if you need something refreshing, they also have a great cold bar with juice custards, smoothie bowls, and yogurts.
Burrito Amor is also an excellent food option for vegans and vegetarians, with almost half of their menu consisting of vegan and vegetarian options or alternatives.
Their plates rival even some of the best tacos in Puerto Vallarta. And those are some excellent tacos. Gourmet burritos cost roughly 200 to 240 pesos each, and fresh juices about 100 pesos (menu prices checked October 2026).
And, because of its great location, you can easily hop to one of the many dessert spots or bars along the street after dinner.
4. The Restaurant at Sanará (Formerly The Real Coconut)
Recommended by Kay from The Awkward Traveller
Update, October 2026: The Real Coconut no longer operates under that name. The beachfront restaurant at the Sanará hotel, at km 8.2 of the beach road, carries on with a plant-forward menu. Dishes, hours and prices have changed since Kay’s visit, so check before you go.
To address the elephant in the room first: this is an expensive restaurant. Poised on a palm-fringed deck on the beachfront, it offers plush seating both indoor and outdoor, with a view of the Caribbean just a short walk from the water.
It is located at the Sanará Tulum luxury hotel, with perfectly landscaped palm trees and swings along the sandy walkways. The menu has a lot of plant-based vegan and vegetarian menu options and alternatives to fit any dietary concern.
For something light and refreshing as you rest from the sun, grab one of their signature smoothies, juices, or wellness shots and elixirs. Under the old name it served breakfast through dinner plus a weekend brunch, so confirm current hours before planning a meal here.
Mix and match their delicious tapas like barbecue chicken skewers, ceviche, or avocado fries. Or opt for a full meal like their customizable nacho bowl, exciting tacos, or their fresh catch-of-the-day plate.
But again, this restaurant is on the more expensive side, so drinks and a few tapas can really add up. The view makes up for a lot, and the staff were friendly and welcoming.
Plus, you can hit the beach straight after or browse the boutique at the hotel. For Mexican-made finds you can order from home, see this guide to Mexican online stores.
5. Piedra Escondida
Recommended by Kanupriyaa from My Lost Camel
Come lunchtime on Tulum’s beach road, you begin to wonder where the best tacos are. Piedra Escondida, a small hotel at km 3.5, is your answer.
The tacos on the menu will immediately catch your eye. They are spicy, come in a variety of combos, and are stuffed with avocados. The tables are located right on the hotel’s private beach, and the Caribbean stretches out to the horizon.
You will instantly forget the view as you take a bite of your first taco, though. The tacos are among the best on this coast. They are perfectly seasoned, and the local veggies are lightly sautéed to bring out the flavors.
The best thing about the dish is the different sauces and pickles that accompany the dish. Each bite with a different sauce is a dish on its own.
Piedra Escondida has a diverse menu of drinks and Mexican specialty dishes, so the entire family can pick something they love.
The hotel staff is extremely courteous, and the service is great. If you want a place to relax for lunch without being surrounded by the crowds in Tulum, then head to Piedra Escondida.
It’s a little-known spot, and for our contributor these really are the best tacos in town.
The hotel’s restaurant, Molcajete, is open to non-guests every day from 7:30 am to 10 pm (hours listed by the hotel, October 2026).
More Tulum Guides
- Best things to do in Tulum
- A 5-day Tulum itinerary
- The best cenotes in Tulum
- Gran Cenote: entrance fee, turtles and how to visit
- Cenote Dos Ojos: entrance fee, diving and how to visit
- Mayan ruins near Tulum
- Day trips from Tulum
- How to get from Cancun to Tulum
- About the Author
- More info
Tim Kroeger is the founder and editor of Universal Traveller, covering luxury stays and active travel. Based in Bangkok, he draws on 15+ years of travel across 112+ countries, from reviewing luxury hotels to bikepacking through Southeast Asia. He also writes about luxury wellness and longevity travel at tim-kroeger.com, where he developed the Restorative Index.
