Best of Isla Mujeres: A Traveler's Guide to the Island's Best

By Jackson Lindsay

Travel books rarely provide the tourist such a clear, succinct and simple path to a destination as do Jackson (Kip) Lindsay’s Local Knowledge Travel Guides. “Creating travelers out of tourists”, as Kip says, may just exemplify the essence of what these remarkable guides offer the reader. His 45 years traveling southern Mexico&r

• Language: English
• Publisher: Seaworthy Publications, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781948494328

Book preview

BEST DINING ISLA MUJERES HAS TO OFFER

We hesitate for the most part to include hours of operation or prices because high or low season may dictate changes. This may also affect consistency of our information seasonally as some vendors will temporarily close, go on vacation or restrict hours during the low season. Finally, remember that all our tastes are different, or chefs may and do change in any given restaurant. If a facility has closed or changed, we can adjust our publications nearly real time and digitally. Thank you for your support, now go explore and you will discover.

Restaurants NOT listed in order of significance.

Each Establishment Will Be Noted With A Price Marker

Fairly Expensive - $$$

Moderate - $$

Inexpensive - $

BEST BREAKFASTS

Lola Valentina $$

Sensational for any meal, but breakfast and bloodys are fantastic. With a little swing bar, a large open-air street side cafe and a pleasant atmosphere, you could even enjoy a late afternoon stop for a great cocktail or amazing smoothie without a meal! My favorite smoothie is the mango-coconut, chaya, orange and agave, it is so refreshing. There is not much here you wouldn’t be delighted with, but I could eat the breakfast Tex-Mex Rancheros with scrambled tofu or eggs, black beans, avocado, cilantro, chorizo, corn tortillas and the cream and salsa ranchero sauce every day.

This restaurant has firmly etched its stamp as one of the islands best. A self-serve coffee bar is nice early in the morning when you don’t want to wait, though the service is always excellent. There is a constant crowd duel between Lola Valentina and the spot across the street which will be mentioned next.

Phone: [phone]

(Hidalgo, between Mateos and Matamoros)

Roosters $$

Not a traditional Mexican restaurant by any means as is the case with many of the new popular spots for breakfast on the island, but its popularity and fusion flavors are undeniable. They offer excellent cinnamon rolls, banana bread, bagels and assorted muffins and outstanding breakfast options. The lobster biscuits and gravy, delicious French toasts to the amazing eggs benedict options including the unusual but astounding chicken eggs benedict with homemade bread topped with a chicken breast, seared tomatoes, goat cheese, two poached eggs and a pumpkin seed hollandaise sauce. Roosters serves a variety of coffees, fresh juice, wonderful smoothies and delicious shakes. Friendly and wonderful, for now dinner is not served.

(Hidalgo, between Mateos and Matamoros)

Mango Café $$

Delicious and extremely popular, Mango Café is one of the most frequented breakfast stops on the island. As outstanding as this place is, my last two visits I sat at one of the outdoor tables and not one of the servers had any interest in coming out and bringing me a menu, I eventually went inside and was served almost immediately. Before I get to the upsides of this good little restaurant it was also incredibly annoying to be constantly reminded that they are recommended by Trip Advisor, stickers everywhere (Is there an establishment in the world not recommended by them?) and the server two times reminding me to fill out a Trip Advisor survey before I had even finished my meal. Please allow me to eat and get me some more water please as my glass is empty!

With that said the restaurant is just about all it is made out to be. Serving breakfast and lunch from 7:00-3:00 and dinner from 4:00-9:00, Mango Café can have lines down the street and a waiting list of 30 minutes or so but typically that is not the case. I am especially fond of the breakfast and lunches. The self-serve Mexican cinnamon coffee is a treat and as you wait to choose from all the excellent options enjoy one of several fresh fruit drinks like the watermelon, ginger lemonade or fresh squeezed OJ.

Breakfast is difficult to beat with any choice from the French toast to the quesadillas, but the breakfast enchiladas are a favorite of mine served with fresh corn tortillas and beans, shredded carrots, lettuce, cheese and sour cream. The theme is Caribbean and that may or may not be, but Mango Café is outstanding in almost every way.

Phone: [phone]

Located directly across the street from the beautiful Chapel of Guadalupe

Green Verde $$

It is out of the way and small but that is not a negative because this is another of the islands best breakfast stops. Open for breakfast from 8:00 a.m. until noon, sip on hot coffee and refresh yourself with a glass of natural cucumber lemonade or cold fresh OJ as you decide which breakfast option to open the morning with. The breakfast menu boasts omelets, pancakes, fish tacos, crepes and more and they are all delicious. I tend to have a weakness for omelets but when I tried Green Verde’s Enchiladas with Bean Sauce, it was one of the favorite morning meals of a recent trip.

Phone: [phone]

(About 1.5 miles south of town on the main southwest coastal road)

La Cazuela M & J $$

They have been serving up good food on the island for many years and while the old location behind the church overlooking the ocean was spectacular, the food in their new location remains the same. Solid house cazuelas, crepes, egg dishes and omelets. With maybe 10 tables inside and 3-4 outside, La Cazuela is an Isla icon, but their firm grip on the breakfast business years ago has been challenged by many new restaurants on the island. They still command a good steady clientele each morning though with consistency, very good food and excellent service.

A Cazuela is kind of a soufflé, soup, omelet mix and while there are many options to choose from I am almost always partial to the Cazuela Amanecer with asparagus, ham and a perfect fried egg.

Phone: [phone]

(corner of Guerrero and Abasolo)

The Four Loncherias $

Alexi y Giovanni, San Martin, Letty’s and Tacos-Tunibnas are all excellent and somewhat different, but all are under the same roof and open air. Differences between the four of them are subtle and slight. New-comers to the island may think it is all one big restaurant and it may seem like it is as the local food at each is delightful and simple. They serve standard and excellent local fare with nothing fancy just great. Serving a variety of egg dishes, tacos, enchiladas, fish, seafood and while the first place in from the street (Alexi y Giovanni) seems to have the biggest following, I have eaten at all four and they are all wonderful. The biggest difference maybe between the four places is that you can’t really tell you are in one and not the other but the tablecloths are different in each place!

Located side by side directly on the west side of Isla’s small Municipal Market. There is one more loncheria inside the market itself with some of the best pulled pork tortas you can imagine.

(Guerrero between Mateos and Matamoros)

Aluxes $

The coffees, espressos and lattes for the coffee snob are wonderful and for a long time they have offered up delightful baked treats from to die for cinnamon rolls, cheesecakes, great cookies and much more. Typically closed on Tuesdays, Aluxes may not be a fusion stop for an LA breakfast but breakfasts are delightful. There are only a couple of outdoor tables along the narrow sidewalk but inside you will find 6-7 tables. With all the great eats this spot offers, if you happen to be on a diet keep walking. Aluxes Coffee Shop is far too often overlooked with some of the sort of high end coffee shops and such on the island, but it holds a long-standing place here and the limited baked goods are excellent, and I must say their enchiladas are really to die for!

Aluxes has a delightful selection of smoothies, iced tea, iced coffees, lattes, cappuccinos and expressos, plus great baguette sandwiches for breakfast. Dinner has a solid menu as well but what sticks out to me is their Rib Eye with Shrimp and the chicken and the Shrimp Pasta with their creamy salsa white sauce. They don’t have a lot of space and only a couple of street side tables but the handmade chairs out front are comfy, just be aware of traffic! The staff is friendly and fun, and their banana bread is to die for!

(Matamoros between Guerrero and Hidalgo)

Café Cito $

For nearly 30 years this wonderful and quaint little café has been best known for its breakfast. Seemingly tucked away but still close to the well-worn path of downtown by only a block or so, Café Cito is simple and delicious. Hot and fresh coffee, waffles, croissants, excellent crepes as well as a selection of standard Mexican breakfast dishes, this small café is a wonderful choice for an early morning out-of-the-way quiet breakfast.

Phone: [phone]

(Juarez just north of Matamoros)

Da Luisa $$

Part of the small Casa Ixchel Hotel about a mile south of town along the eastern seaside of the island is this wonderful breakfast stop which also serves excellent lunches and dinners and will be mentioned several times in these pages. One of only a couple spots on the island that serve food with any ocean view over on the east side. Walk up the stairs and start your breakfast with an early mimosa. With a view of this dramatically beautiful side of the island, there is not a better stop for terrific French Toast, or a Mexican Shrimp Omelet that is as good as any and the breakfast burritos are juicy, firm and filling.

The décor is somewhat lacking but the views are sensational. Opens at 8:00 a.m. and closed Mondays.

Phone: [phone]

North Garden $$

Easily one of the islands most creative and delicious breakfasts. From an Eggs Benedict that is as good as any, with a hollandaise sauce that has just a hint of sweet, to the bacon breakfast sandwich, or a smoked salmon bagel, to their fresh fruit platter that is a meal in and of itself. North Garden has become an island icon and if you are a Bloody Mary lover, theirs may be the best down here. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Corner of Zazil-Ha and Carlos Lazo

OVERALL DINNERS

So many of the relatively new restaurants in Isla Mujeres have drifted away from the traditional island food offered here for so many years. It is a somewhat confusing state of affairs for restaurants on the island trying to satisfy the tastes of travelers, but the travelers are enjoying the many delightful dining options Isla Mujeres offers. With restaurant supplies far more available in Cancun than ever before, it has become easier to consistently procure foods that even 10-15 years ago were more difficult to purchase. Some of the old standard island restaurants have adapted a bit to international tastes desired by many of today’s travelers, but most have stood their ground thankfully and continue to offer the delicious traditional food they have always served.

This is the nature of development and growth of a travel destination like Isla Mujeres. The mix of different styles and tastes in food has changed dramatically as the island has become more frequently traveled. Some wonderful Isla family owned restaurants have suffered over the years while others have continued to do very well. Our dining suggestions bring to you a mix of all the above and we will typically make a special note of an establishment if it is one of the long-standing island vendors.

*You will see ceviche mentioned often in the upcoming pages so it deserves some explanation. Served throughout the Yucatan but originating in either Peru or Ecuador depending on the historian, it is a marinated combination of lemon, vinegar, onions, tomato and sometimes cilantro and lime. Then it will either have fish, conch, shrimp, lobster or a combination of the above. If you are not familiar with cilantro it’s like a spicy parsley, and it is the leaf of the same plant we get the spice coriander from; coriander is the seed. Ceviche is typically served in a bowl and can be added to any dish or eaten alone with chips; it is delightful and will be on nearly all menus.

Do not let this island fool you, Isla Mujeres has a wide variety of outstanding restaurants. You can enjoy a meal for $2.00 or $100.00 or anywhere in-between.

Eat well my friends…….

Olivia $$$

Offering dinner only, Olivia is one of the few restaurants on the island that clearly stands atop of many fine choices. In town on a side street, you could walk right past it and not know it is there. Once inside the door though the ambiance and aromas clearly help make your choice, and that choice is to stay, sit down and enjoy one of the islands best meals.

A delightful mix of Mediterranean, middle eastern and Moroccan food with sensational meats, desserts, salads and a decent selection of wines. Reservations are recommended, especially for the back-garden room, but are not always needed except for maybe the busiest of seasons. They did quite a bit of remodeling in the fall of 2016 only adding to their wonderful atmosphere. The wine selection is one of the best on the island with reds and whites from Israel, France, Italy, Chile, Argentina and Spain, and for a romantic dinner for two this may be your spot. While this mention is for their dinners, Olivia will be mentioned in other categories throughout this book. Years ago, Casa O’s on the south end was the fine dining stand by on this island and as difficult as it has been to replace them, Olivia may be well on their way.

The menu is not large but from the appetizers to desserts they will thrill nearly all discerning taste buds. Their appetizers including the Turkish Pizza and amazing hummus can be followed with the Shepherd’s Salad with tomato, cucumbers, red onions, Kalamata olives and feta all tossed with a smart mix of olive oil and lemon juice. For an entrée, I am taken by the wonderful ribs and mouth-watering mashed potatoes but the lamb chops and wraps are equally special. The Shashlik Wrap with grilled and delicately seasoned chicken pieces with a cabbage wrap and hummus, tomatoes, onion and tahini is a taste of multicultural