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GoCozumel
Vacation Rental
Villas and Condos |
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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
2010)
I live on Cozumel and have eaten in all of these restaurants, some quite often,
so these are personal recommendations.
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Kinta
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Since
my first dinner at Kinta (and the many that have followed)
it's been my favorite Cozumel restaurant. The food is extraordinarily
good, it's presented beautifully, they have a selection of wine and it's a
relaxed atmosphere where you are made to feel very welcome. Dine
inside in air conditioning or in their delightful garden. The prices
are quite reasonable for the high quality they offer.
I
recommend reservations. Call
869-0544. On Ave 5 between Calle 2 and Calle 4. Open Tues.-Sun.
6pm to 11pm.
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La Cocay
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An excellent
restaurant, La Cocay is on Calle 8, between Ave. 10 and Ave. 15.
Wonderful food and a great atmosphere. There is a dining area inside
that is air conditioned, or you can dine outdoors. The
atmosphere is lovely and for a special dinner celebration La Cocay is good
choice. The food has been consistently good and it is beautifully
presented. Open in the evenings Monday through Saturday. Call for reservations
872-5533. |
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Chi
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Another choice
that's among my favorites 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, all you can eat buffet at 12 noon. |
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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. |
Guido's
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Great Italian food, and excellent pizza. On the main waterfront street (Ave. Rafael
Melgar) north of
the main plaza, between Calle 6 and Calle 8. Dine out on their patio. I recommend this for
a great evening meal.
Their "puffy" garlic bread is unusual, but it is delicious and I order
it every time I eat there. The sangria is wonderful and my very favorite dish at
Guidos is lasagna. They take both Visa and MasterCard and are open Mon-Sat. from
11am to 11pm.
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Prima Trattoria
(photo of
new location coming soon) |
Prima has moved
and is now on he
top floor of the north building at El Cantil condos. They do offer dining
both inside and outside on the terrace. The location ’s on Ave
Melgar (the main waterfront street) between Calle 13 and Calle 15 ( now
also called Ave. Xel Ha). The view is marvelous, the
food is good and they are normally busy. |
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Il Giardino
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Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch from about 12 noon to
6pm. Each Sunday they make their special lasagna and it's normally ready about 1pm. The price for their delicious lasagna is only 50
pesos. Enjoy a glass of wine with you lasagna as you sit in their
garden. I've been known to pick a couple of extra servings to
go, and freeze them to enjoy another day. During the week they have a selection
of pasta, pork, chicken, shrimp and salad and all are at very reasonable
prices. The arrachera is great too! Located in a residential area on Ave. 15, between Calle 17 and
Calle 19.
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La Morena
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My favorites here 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!
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El Moro
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Authentic Mexican
food but prices are not as low as they used to be. I like their grilled
fish in garlic and lime and I liked their chicken burrito. The Mexican platter for 2
will give you a wide variety and El Moro's chicken mole is popular. Off the
tourist path, so take a taxi if you don't know the island. Otherwise,
it's on 75th Ave. Norte Bis kind of behind the new Pemex gas station. Closed
Thursdays. |
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Del Sur
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A very small restaurant but their empanadas are very big on
flavor. These are Argentinean empanadas (empanadas are like little turnovers in
a pastry shell). I can't list all the varieties they have but I tried the
beef with spices; the cheese, tomato and basil and the cheese, bacon and
plum. All were delicious and prices are quite reasonable. Open 11am
to 10pm Monday through Saturday on Ave. 5 between Calle 2 and Calle 4. |
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Rock N Java Cafe
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Quite good and
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. They have a good selection of vegetarian dishes also. On Melgar, the main waterfront street, south of the
new Punta Langosta Plaza. They have also opened Rock N Java Thai Noodle Bar on Calle
11.
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Sam's Wok
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It may seem
strange to list another Chinese restaurant as a favorite in Mexico, but this is
quite good also. 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.
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Casa Denis
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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. |
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Sorrisi
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An Italian
restaurant with good pizza and a wide variety of other
choices too. I selected a shrimp dish the last time, and a
friend had salmon and we both really enjoyed our meals. They have an extensive
wine list and say that they are adding more all the time. The
presentation is beautiful, and save some room for dessert. Located on Calle 3, less than
a 1/2 block off the main oceanfront street. |
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Las Palmeras
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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 and I
really
like that. Very much a tourist spot, but still good. |
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 a
wonderful
places to go for breakfast and the prices are reasonable. Great
banana pancakes. Although they do serve
sandwiches, etc. for lunch they serve breakfast all day. Open from 7am to
2pm. |
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French Quarter
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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. They prepared Thanksgiving dinner for a
group of 20 for me and all I had to do was pick it up, take it back to the
house and serve it. It was GREAT! |
Zermatt Bakery
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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. |
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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.
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Local Local
restaurants with low prices & grocery
stores
These are personal recommendations based on 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 90 pesos (about
$7 U.S.) the last time I stopped. They will cut up the
chicken and it comes with tortillas, spaghetti noodles and sliced
cabbage.
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Cameron Dorado |
They make delicious breaded shrimp tacos
and tortas. The breaded shrimp are put on either a tortilla for the little
tacos or a sandwich roll for a torta. They are topped with a little
mayonnaise and sliced onion. Really delicious, and the prices are very
reasonable. They are on the transversal road (Ave. Juarez) about a mile or
so past Ave. 65. Open Monday through Saturday from 7am to 2:30pm.
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Sabores
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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. |
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Otates
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Great for tacos! I really
like the tacos al pastor and the chicken tacos, but my very favorite is the
gringa without pineapple. 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. |
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 |
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. |
Mega (grocery) |
Mega is now the largest grocery
store on the island with a huge assortment of foods plus clothing,
electronics, appliances, a bakery, etc. You'll find a wonderful
selection of meat, cheese, and loads of prepared foods also. I bought the
BBQ ribs and really liked them. There is also a restaurant section too.
They are on the main oceanfront street between Calle 11 and Calle 7.
They are marked on our online
map |
Chedraui (grocery) |
Another large
grocery store! They have an ATM machine, groceries, a pharmacy, deli,
bakery, cosmetics, liquor, clothing, appliances, etc.! On the main
waterfront street, at the corner of Calle 15. They do have an
area with prepared food that you can either take home, or you can sit down
and eat there. See the online
map for the location. |
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