If you are planning a trip to this blissful Caribbean Island, you will definitely want to know about all the Best Restaurants in Cozumel.
With idyllic sandy beaches, blissful blue water, fantastic restaurants, and incredible adventures, Cozumel Island is the perfect paradise for travelers of all types.
The restaurants in Cozumel reflect all the different types of people who have rooted themselves on the Island, sharing many different styles and cultures of food.
From fresh seafood to traditional tacos, Cozumel’s restaurant selection will satisfy you with many options for all preferences and budgets.
If you are looking for the best things to do in the island, check out our day trip itinerary here!
Now, let’s temp your taste buds with the 13 Best Restaurants in Cozumel.
Map of the Best Restaurants in Cozumel
1. Aqui + Ahora
With its prime location situated oceanfront on the Cozumel boardwalk, Aqui + Ahora has quickly grown into one of the top restaurants in Cozumel. Coffee shop, restaurant, co-working space, Hookah lounge, and late-night destination, Aqui + Ahora has it all.
The mood of the restaurant is trendy and industrial with cool concrete walls and chic decorations. They have comfortable sofas and lounge seating so you can relax while enjoying a coffee or cocktail. They also have tables and chairs for a more formal dining experience.
Within the past year, Aqui + Ahora have expanded their facility creating a beautiful rooftop patio with an incredible view of the ocean.
Upstairs you will find a small games room, separate smaller spaces designed for intimate groups, and high-top table and bar seating. Surrounded by hip decor, lush plants, and funky art, this is a great place to spend some time with your gang.
They like to keep their restaurant exciting as well. Friday and Saturday nights they bring in local DJs spinning great beats. Or you can catch a cool event such as a foosball table tournament or a karaoke night.
Head over for breakfast and gorge on their PB Hotcakes, a personal favorite of mine. A fluffy stack of pancakes with a maple syrup topping infused with peanut butter is simply to die for. Compliment your dish with a fresh squeezed juice or selection from their coffee bar.
Visiting in the afternoon or evening? Their menu is quite extensive with many great options, and they serve food late into the evening to satisfy your cravings.
On the rooftop is where you will find cool crafty cocktails and buckets of beer. Choose from classic originals to bartender-curated infusions. Nothing screams Mexico more than their “Jalapeno Mexcalita”
Aqui + Ahora also brands itself as a coworking space, so you can count on a strong wi-fi signal.
Prices are extremely reasonable and you can easily enjoy a meal and drink for under $20 USD. They even accept cryptocurrencies, how cool is that?!
Coffee from Aqui + Ahora.
2. Buccanos and Buccanos at Night
Hidden amongst the hotel zone in Cozumel, you will find this absolute gem of a restaurant named Buccanos.
Beach club by day and fine dining by night, Buccanos is easily one of the best places to eat in Cozumel. It’s also one of the best beach clubs in Cozumel if you want to spend the day here eating and relaxing.
Buccanos is located on stunning beachfront property, with magnificent views of the sea.
In the beach section of the property, you will find sun loungers and palapas for your enjoyment and direct access to the beach and ocean.
Here the water is shallow and the sand is soft. A little further out to sea on the bottom of the ocean, you will find some small coral reefs, making for a pleasant easy snorkel.
Just Up 3 stairs of the property you will find a shallow pool with loungers and the entrance to the table seating area.
The interior of the restaurant is open air with beautiful stone walls and archways creating a cozy and inviting environment.
In the evening Buccannos opens their terrace for a beautiful dining experience. If you arrive at the right time (Normally between 6 and 7 pm) you can watch the sunset over the ocean lighting up the sky with beautiful shades of pink and orange.
Now let’s talk about the food!
Every time I visit Cozumel Island I try to visit Buccanos because they always leave me wanting more.
The menu here is exquisite, offering upscale options from classic Mexican favorites to contemporary seafood dishes.
They pride themselves on the fact that their seafood is always fresh. As well they are commonly spoken about as having the best Sushi on the Island.
Grab yourself an order of the Lobster Mac and Cheese. It is decadent with every bite and absolutely a menu favorite.
To be honest you can’t go wrong with any selection off their menu. Each dish is prepared with elegance and creativity from the chef.
A warm and friendly family owns the restaurant and that shows throughout the venue. The team at Buccanos is efficient and knowledgeable and always happy to serve you.
Menu prices are higher but you will not be disappointed with your experience. Bring your friends or bring your family and be prepared to be impressed by your dazzling time at Buccanos.
There are a surprising number of places to have lobster in Cozumel.
3. Maple Bakehouse
Now with 3 locations in Cozumel, this artisanal bakery has made its way into my top list of bakeries in the Caribbean.
As you walk in through the front doors the aroma of baked goods, maple, cinnamon, and sugars filled the air. You are in bakery heaven. Rows upon rows of freshly baked bread, pastries, cookies, and more filled their shelves.
The idea is that you take a basket and tongs and start making your selections.
Cinnamon nut rolls, kiwi danishes, Mexican-style sweet bread, loaded croissants, and the list goes on. It’s too hard to decide on just one.
Don’t miss the Strawberry Cheese Danish my personal favorite. It is made with fresh strawberries and cream cheese. Decadent down to every bite.
Order a coffee from their espresso bar and enjoy your treat. You will want to head there early as the selection is often picked over in the late afternoon.
With classic breakfast and lunch options, this easily makes Maple Bakehouse one of the best restaurants in Cozumel to start your day. A third location has recently opened up. Kudos to the owners for creating a local favorite with flavorful treats and always busy by demand.
Maple Bakehouse, Cozumel.
4. Cerveceria Punta Sur
Calling all you beer lovers out there!
Another one of the best restaurants in Cozumel that serves up cold beer and flavor-packed pizzas with fascinating toppings. This little craft microbrewery is the first and only on the island, and they brew their products right on location.
A fun fact is that they are situated on top of a small cenote, in which they use the fresh water from below for their brewing process.
Their beers are full of flavor and served nice and cold. The Amber Ale is my personal favorite, malty and crisp to perfection. Don’t miss out on ordering the mushroom caps while you visit, along with the Blanca Pizza. The crust is made in-house and then fired in their pizza oven.
Another cool fact about the restaurant is that lionfish is the only seafood you will find on their menu. They offer a tasty lionfish pizza along with a few other options.
Because lionfish are an invasive species here in the Caribbean, the restaurant takes part in the control of the species by sustainable fishing. The lionfish are caught by local fishermen where no nets or bycatch is involved.
The two owners of the restaurant are scuba divers as well and love to keep care of the environment by fishing the lionfish and keeping their waste to a minimum.
Plenty of places to have great tacos in Cozumel.
5. K’ooben Laab
Have a craving for fresh Italian pasta? Make your way over to K’ooben Laab.
Four young people started the restaurant creating a kitchen of healthy food using recipes passed down from previous generations within their families.
To order, start by choosing your pasta style and then top it off with a sauce. There are always many different choices of pasta styles and sauces, making for any possible combination. Don’t be afraid to mix 2 of the sauces together.
My personal favorite on their menu is the Carbonara, so creamy and delicious. All of the pasta is homemade, so you are guaranteed freshness with every dish.
Irresistible house-baked bread is served to start your meal. Don’t fill up on the bread too quickly though. You will want to leave room for your main dish.
They also have a great selection of house-made desserts and bread that you can either enjoy in the restaurant or take home as a treat for later.
The owner is super friendly and loves to come to chat with his guests sharing the story of the restaurant. Prices are very reasonable, you can leave feeling completely stuffed for under $10.
Tacos and margaritas are a great choice in Cozumel!
6. Casa Mission
For an evening of beautiful ambiance, supreme service, and a delectable dinner, make a reservation and head over to Casa Mission. Absolutely one of the best restaurants in Cozumel and possibly the most beautiful historic as well.
This historical Mexican estate is located in the heart of the city, and its grounds are covered with lush foliage, fountains, and a beautiful hacienda which is now home to this restaurant.
Offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Casa Mission will please you with classic Mexican dishes, seafood, soups, salads, and prime cuts of meat.
The coconut shrimp is a personal menu favorite but you really can’t go wrong with any item you decide. Each dish is made with fresh ingredients and cooked to perfection.
A great experience is to order the Caesar salad. Your server will come and make it from scratch directly at your table while entertaining you with anecdotes about the property.
Service is an 11/10. They pride themselves in their work and simply love attending to the guests and creating a memorable experience for you.
The suadero tacos at El Mexicano is absolutely scrumptious!
7. Taqueria El Mexicano
This busy taqueria located right in the center of town, only a few blocks from the ferry terminal is one of the best places to grab a suadero taco. It might look like there is a long line of people outside when you get here, but most of these people are simply waiting for a take-out order.
Head inside and sit at any free table you can find. The menu is written on the wall, but the best things to have here are the juicy suadero and the flavor-packed pastor.
This is a true hole-in-the-wall spot with only about 10 tables squeezed together and it can get hot in there with the grill going, so if you are sensitive to heat, it may be best to get the tacos para llevar (to go) and enjoy them down by the waterfront where it’s cooler.
Wherever you choose to enjoy these tacos, top them with some of the salsas and dig in (and get plenty of napkins!).
8. Fonda Don Jose
This family-run restaurant is the perfect place to head for a seafood lunch. Share a platter of ceviche, a whole fish, or some of their perfectly cooked shrimp. They also have meat and vegetarian options on the menu.
The restaurant has two sides to it, so there is always plenty of seating. Enter at either door and wave to one of the waitresses before you sit down so that they know you are there. They’ll bring over a few menus which are available in Spanish and English, and they’ll give you some time to order.
In addition to great seafood, they also make a good margarita and have icy cold beers in bottles. For something non-alcoholic, sample the jamaica which is hibiscus iced tea lightly sweetened.
The ceviche at Fonda Don Jose is so fresh and delicuous, especially when you add a bit of spicy salsa!
9. La Choza
This is one of the larger Mexican restaurants in Cozumel and where you can have a nice selection of different traditional dishes to sample. Recommended to us by our Airbnb host, this spot did not dissapoint on selection, flavor, or price.
Choose from dishes like whole fried red snapper served with rice and tortillas, fresh ceviche, rich chicken mole, or shrimp in a chipotle sauce. They have soups, reasonably priced steaks, quesadillas, and several vegetarian options as well.
If you enjoy sweets, save room for their caramel flan. It is the best I had on the island during a recent trip.
10. Las Tapatias
Have you been to Guadalajara? Locals from the city are referred to as Tapatios and this place is serving up a very traditional Tapatio dish, birria.
Birria in Guadalajara is traditionally made with goat, but here and in many other parts of the country, it’s made with beef. You can have it simply in a tortilla, as a quesadilla on a huarache or sope (a different, slightly thicker version of a tortilla), or in a very unique way, in Ramen!
The ramen here is made using the consomme broth that the meat has been cooking it and then the meat is shredded into the soup and ramen noodles are added. It’s some of the best Mexican fusion food I’ve had in a long time.
11. Taqueria Hernandez
It’s a little bit of a walk from downtown Cozumel, but it is truly worth it for the incredibly delicious chuleta tacos. Chuleta is a pork chop and at this local taco spot, it’s grilled to perfect and served across three tacos.
Be sure to get an “orden” which is three of them. Regardless of whether you order one, two, or three, you pay for three, so you may as well go the whole hog! Top is with some of their freshly made salsa and wash it down with a hibiscus iced tea (jamaica).
Pastor tacos are some of my all time favorite tacos in Mexico and these were pretty delicious!
12. Los Sera’s Tacos
Don’t be confused by this taco place which is also a pizza restaurant. If you are craving pizza, I’m not sure I can recommend it (although lots of people LOVE the pizza here). The reason I have added this to the list of best restaurants in Cozumel is because of its pastor.
The pastor meat here is cooked very well and in a traditional way, over coal on a spinning spit like a shawarma. It is juicy, topped with sharp pineapple, and you never wait long for a table at this popular spot.
13. Burritos Gorditos
You can’t come to the coast in Mexico and not get yourself some seafood burritos. While nothing can beat my beloved Tacon de Marlin in Puerto Vallarta, the shrimp burritos at Burritos Gorditos comes pretty close!
Located only a block from the boardwalk, this is an easy place to stop if you are only coming to Cozumel for a day trip or you’re here on a cruise stop.
Besides delicious shrimp burritos, they also have breakfast burritos packed with eggs, bacon, chorizo, or beans. They also have meat burritos like chicken, arrachera, and barbacoa (YUM) as well as a few vegetarian options.
The food comes out quick and there are a few tables inside and outside or you can take it to go and eat along the waterfront instead.
Visiting More of the Riviera Maya?
There are so many wonderful places to explore in this region of Mexico. Be sure to check out some of our other top articles about things to see and do along the coastline.