The Monsorprise, banana cake with salted caramel, goat cheese ice cream, and rum toffee.
Tulum, long synonymous with boho-chic aesthetics and beach clubs packed with the beautiful and well-to-do, has in recent years earned a less-than-flattering reputation—a paradise turned touristy gimmick, its very real magic dimmed by faux shamans and heinously overpriced plates of fruit. These things may or may not be true, but they don’t stop throngs of visitors from flocking to the small beachside city, and it’s for more than the idyllic views.
A new class of culinary artisans is reimagining what Tulum tastes like. It’s a cuisine in flux, tending toward hyperlocal ingredients and convenience while acknowledging the steady stream of expats (and palates) arriving from places like Germany, Argentina, and Canada, among others. The best food in Tulum all depends on who you ask: and there’s no shortage of opinions in this haven for those who move to the beat of their own drum.
Brightly garnished sea bass boasts potent but balanced flavor.
“I want to be known for the great food, and not just because it’s a beautiful or trendy place,” says Jesús Ortiz Jimenez, executive chef at Motmot, a luxe hotel restaurant and bar nestled in the La Veleta neighborhood. M0tmot, however, can’t help but be Instagram-friendly; the space seamlessly combines the raw, ornamental beauty of the environment with richly embroidered seating and eye-catching stoneware.
Motmot’s churro and lemon ganache rice pudding are worth every bite.
Chef Jesús’ approach is all about invention, centering traditional Mexican flavors in most playful, progressive way possible. First, a deconstructed Caesar salad on toast with sweet onion and velvety anchovy dressing comes out of the kitchen. It’s followed by an impossibly bright sea bass aguachile made with lacto-fermented serrano cucumber water and basil oil. Old-school desserts like arroz con leche and banana bread are upgraded with lemon ganache, edible gold leaf and cocoa ground with black pepper by pastry chef Montserrat Torres.
“I’m inspired by my Mexican roots, of course,” shares Ortiz. “But it’s also a long road full of learning. It’s very important to my whole team that we’re constantly evolving. Cooking is just like any other profession—you should always be looking for new sources of inspiration and methods of transformation.”
Medialunas filled with dulce de leche and pastry cream are the perfect partner for coffee.
While some restaurant patrons in Tulum want a taste of the unknown, there are others who prefer a reminder of home. There’s a sizable Argentine community in Tulum and nearby Playa del Carmen, and a host of sandwich shops and bakeries have popped up to address the market. Guido Berdulari, owner of El Abasto, explains that he “wants people to feel like they’re in a small deli shop in Buenos Aires when they walk in.”
A stunning slice of tarta Pascualina, a savory pie with Italian roots.
“The most important aspect is how you feel when you take a bite,” says Berdulari. “If you’re from Argentina, it should be like you are tasting a memory. We take our time to source the proper products to recreate that.” Berdulari has close connections with a bakery in a neighboring town that delivers fresh bread every morning at seven. There are mountains of croissants filled with pastry cream and achingly good dulce de leche. Savory pies loaded with roasted vegetables and boiled eggs line the display window, allowing customers to lust a while before placing their order.
A cannabis-infused brunch buffet with all the fixings.
Community is Tulum’s greatest asset; for every interest, sport or zodiac sign, there is a WhatsApp group and weekly meeting. And for cannabis enthusiasts, a Highly Catered event is a requirement. Chef Gee, who hails from Toronto, settled in Mexico to create private dining experiences that center infused dishes like shrimp and grits, baked mac and cheese, cinnamon rolls and cheesecake. She routinely organizes yacht dinners, birthday soirees and one of the best brunches in town.
Assorted edibles at a Highly Catered event are great for calming the mind.
“My first vacation to Tulum was in July 2020, and three days into the trip I decided that this was home,” explains the chef. Gee was a flight attendant before the pandemic, but found herself furloughed and uninspired prior to Highly Catered’s inception. “The business went from a concept to a reality, then to current dream I’m living. Tulum is definitely a spiritual portal, and I feel an ancestral call to stay here and step outside of the norm.”
In a place often dismissed as a fleeting trend, the food scene proves that substance still matters. And for every ripoff, there’s a revelatory bite waiting to be unveiled. Whether it’s found in a deli, palm-flanked restaurant or private residence, there is world-class food in Tulum. And that alone is worth the trip.
