Cancun Cuisine

Getting the most from your vacation in Cancun means to try out local flavor in dining. A pleasant variety of restaurants line the streets of Cancun waiting to show off it's cooking to a hungry tourist.

For Caribbean flavor, then La Habichuela is your meal stop. Its romantic setting under the stars has been in operations for over 29 years. It is a favorite return for tourists who come back especially for the "Famous Cocobichuela". A house specialty made with chunks of lobster and shrimp cooked in a curry sauce, served in a coconut shell and topped with tropical fruits. Their menu offers a grand choice in seafood prepared with ingredients only found in tropical regions. This family owned restaurant boasts of it being a place "Where you are treated like a Mayan King."

If "south of the border" is your food fare, then La Casa de las Margaritas will have you in awe as you walk thru their doors. Each area of the restaurant has immense detail to the Mexican culture. From the architectural design to the costumed wait staff you are reminded of where you are. Music plays as you feast on their dishes. Indulge in shrimp tacos or tequila chicken. They also offer a full "cantina."

For authentic Mayan cuisine, consider Pacal's. The owner Augusto Pastaccini spent years studying the ancient exotic cuisine of the Mayans and now brings it to current day cuisine. The "Cochinita Pibil" is a favorite of locals. It is tender shredded pork baked in banana leaves with Mayan ingredients. Also popular are "Papadzules", corn tortillas filled with hard boiled eggs, covered with a pumpkin sauce and garnished with fried tomatoes. Pacal's loyal customers say you will never get a meal like this "back home."

Some of the best Yucatecan cuisine comes out of a little place called Labna. It is located on the side of La Habichuela. This restaurant combines Mayan fare with Mexican flair. On their menu is deep fried turnovers filled with shark and blanketed with tomato sauce. For the experimental soul, they create a cactus salad pork rinds and cream cheese. They also offer classic cuisine such as chicken in mole sauce.

The most fascinating ingredients are found in this region's cooking. Recipes unseen anywhere else. Many of Cancun's restaurants share commonality in using rare spices and tropical fruits native to their country. Cactus, bananas, and poblano peppers grace many dishes. Seafood is abundantly available and is prepared creatively in a wide diversity of menu items.

If you love lobster, you are going to see it in almost every restaurant in Cancun. You will witness it prepared in ways beyond the traditional methods at the Lobster Shack. You may also have a visitor from the lagoon the Lobster Shack sits on. Crocodiles frequent the restaurant, but they are kept at safe distance from the customer. This restaurant makes for a unique dining experience.

While in Cancun, venture out and experiment with local cuisine. The dishes may make your vacation complete.

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